Cover of The Moon Behind the Clouds

Tonight is the full moon, and Cedric has a plan. He asks Nika to walk up the hill behind town with him. He brings a blanket and a flask of hot tea.

They climb for twenty minutes and sit on a flat rock. The lights of the town are small and yellow below them. But above them, thick clouds cover the whole sky. There is no moon and there are no stars.

"Oh no," Cedric says. "I checked the weather. It said the sky will be clear."

Nika laughs. "It's fine," she says. "We have tea."

He pours the tea into two cups. It is sweet and very hot. The air is cold, but the blanket is warm. They put the blanket over their legs and sit close. Then they talk. They talk about their families and their first days at school. They talk about the worst food they ever ate. Time goes fast.

At a quarter to midnight, the wind gets stronger. It pushes the clouds to the east. A white light touches the grass, and then the moon comes out. It is big, round and very bright.

Neither of them says a word. The whole hill is silver. After two minutes, the clouds close again, and it is dark.

"Did you see it?" Cedric whispers.

Nika takes his hand. "Yes. Next month, let's wait here again."

🧠 Check your understanding

  1. Why do Cedric and Nika go up the hill?

    Show answer

    Answer: To see the full moon

    Cedric plans to watch the full moon from the hill.

  2. What do they do when the sky is full of clouds?

    Show answer

    Answer: They drink tea and talk

    They sit close with hot tea and talk about many things.

  3. When does the moon come out?

    Show answer

    Answer: Near midnight

    At a quarter to midnight, the wind pushes the clouds away for two minutes.

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