by Dom Conlon

Kiiro unwrapped a pair of beautiful, yellow boots and tugged them on at once.

“I LOVE THESE BOOTS!” said Kiiro, stomping, hopping and skipping out to play.

“I LOVE THOSE BOOTS!” thundered a storm cloud, gathering above her. “Give them to me.”

“You can’t have these boots,” said Kiiro. “You’d only stain them with your inky fingers.”

The storm cloud rumbled and said “You’re right! They should always be yellow. What a cheery present to get!”

Kiiro thought about this. “You can have my umbrella. It will keep the sun off your head.”

“I LOVE THIS UMBRELLA!” said the storm cloud as Kiiro stomped away in the bright yellow boots.

But as the day became hotter, someone was watching Kiiro.

“I LOVE THOSE BOOTS!” squibbled a rabbit, staring up her. “Give them to me.”

“You can’t have these boots,” said Kiiro. “You’d only lose them in your midnight burrow.”

The rabbit nibbled at the grass and said “You’re right! They should be seen by everyone. They are lovely homes for your feet.”

“Here,” said Kiiro. “You can have my scarf. It will make a lovely, soft bed.”

“I LOVE THIS SCARF!” said the rabbit, as Kiiro hopped away in the bright yellow boots.

But as the day became hotter, someone was watching Kiiro.

“I LOVE THOSE BOOTS!” bristled a tree, bending down to her. “Give them to me.”

“You can’t have these boots,” said Kiiro. “You’d only fill them with roots and leaves.”

The tree cracked its branches and said “You’re right! They should only be filled with happy, stampy things. Your feet are so lucky!”

“Here,” said Kiiro. “You can have my coat. It will fit you perfectly and has pockets to keep your leaves safe until summer.”

“I LOVE THIS COAT!” said the tree, as Kiiro skipped away in the bright yellow boots.

But as the day became hotter than ever, someone was watching Kiiro.

The sun was watching and had been from the moment Kiiro had unwrapped the boots.

But the sun said nothing.

Instead, it grew hotter and hotter until Kiiro felt tired and lay down.

“I love those boots,” whispered the sun.

But Kiiro did not hear because Kiiro was asleep.

Whilst Kiiro slept, the sun stretched out its rays and quietly and gently removed the precious yellow boots.

And Kiiro slept on… until….

“WHERE ARE MY BOOTS?” said Kiiro.

The sun looked down at Kiiro and said “You can’t have these boots. You would only grow out of them.”

Kiiro leapt to her feet and, lifting her face to the air, called out.

“I LOVE THOSE BOOTS. And I want them back.”

“I’ll help you rescue them,” said a voice.

Tree reached in, took hold of Kiiro and grew up and up towards the sun.

“I love those boots,” said Kiiro.

“I love these boots,” said the sun. And it burned hotter and hotter until the tree could grow no more.

“I’ll help you rescue them,” said a voice.

The storm cloud rolled towards her and wrapped her in cool, inky fingers.

“I love those boots,” said Kiiro.

“I love these boots,” said the sun, and tucked the boots inside its heart where Kiiro could not reach.

“I’ll help you rescue them,” said a voice.

Out from a hole in the sun, the rabbit appeared. It lolloped and burrowed deep into the sun’s heart until the boots were uncovered.

“I love those boots,” said Kiiro.

“I love these boots,” said the sun. “And if I can’t have them…

…NOBODY CAN!”

The sun wrapped its fiery fingers around the boots and they began to get hotter and hotter until they were almost on fire.

“STOP!” said Kiiro. “Keep them. I love those boots too much to see them burn.”

The sun looked at Kiiro, sitting on the storm cloud without her umbrella or her scarf or her coat, and lifted the boots out from its heart.

“You do love those boots,” said the sun. “They belong with you to keep them safe.”

“I LOVE THESE BOOTS,” said Kiiro. “But you can have my hat.”

“I LOVE THIS HAT,” sang the sun. 

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