Rain, rain, please go away

Rain, rain, please go away

Rain, rain, go away.

That chant never worked when you wanted it to, did it? Yes, the rain eventually stopped and the sun eventually shined but, in the meantime, many of your childhood plans were ruined. Still, a little rain never killed anyone – or did it? Find out in “H2O” by Virginia Bergin.

Your first official kiss should be one that’s memorable – and for fifteen-year-old Ruby Morris, hers absolutely was.

Just not for the reasons you’d think.

There she was at Zak’s party, in his parents’ hot tub with Caspar McCloud, the boy she’d had a crush on forever. It was exactly like a movie kiss: Caspar scooted over, put his arm around her, and it actually happened – until Zak’s dad, Barnaby, yanked everybody inside, screaming something about the water, and it started to rain.

That was weird. Nobody could understand what Barnaby was babbling about, and nobody was scared one bit. But then Caspar went outside because his MP3 player was on the lawn, getting wet.

He was bloody when he came back in.

It was the rain. The rain was the whole reason there were bodies everywhere, as Ruby learned later, after Zak’s mother tried to get Caspar to the hospital, after Zak’s mom picked up a damp towel and started to sweat, after she dropped Ruby off at home. Ruby learned that it was poisonous bacteria-filled rain, after her mom tossed the neighbor some medicine and accidentally got wet, then touched Ruby’s baby brother…

Ruby’s step-father, Simon, tried to do his best.

There was once a time when she and Simon didn’t get along. He was bossy and tried to get her to learn the dumbest things. Usually, he made her roll her eyes til they hurt, but when the rain came down in sheets and there was nothing left in the house to drink, Simon was the one who figured out how to get water.

When he died, too, Ruby decided she’d miss him but she hadn’t time to waste. She was terribly, horribly thirsty and besides, there was no way everybody could be dead, right? Her father lived in London and he was probably okay, right? And so, she found a car and started to drive…

Confession Time: at first, I was no fan of “H2O.”

Author Virginia Bergin’s catalyst of a bacteria-laden asteroid is a bit of a cliché and Ruby is initially quite hard to take as she immediately, urgently launches into a tale that tumbles out like spillage. I wasn’t expecting that but, as you’ll come to see pretty quickly, abruptness is exactly what’s needed to fully feel this story.

By the middle of the book, the lack of preamble was hardly an issue; as Ruby dodged raindrops and hysteria, I was busy flipping pages and thinking OMG, OMG, oh-my-goodness, what next?!

While this is an excellent book for teens ages fourteen and up, I think adults will enjoy it, too. Don’t walk past it, if you’re a fan of post-Apocalyptic novels because “H2O” is definitely not all wet.

 

The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Email her at bookwormsez@gmail.com.

More in Life

Brewers from Turnagain Brewery hand a freshly filled cup to an attendee at the 10th Annual Frozen River Fest in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Frozen RiverFest marks 10 years celebrating brews

Breweries return to Soldotna Creek Park for 10

Jackson Hooper, Oshie Broussard, Belle Morris and Kincaid Jenness perform “Shakespeare Abridged” during the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Drama, Debate and Forensics Invitational at Soldotna High School on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘Theater for theater kids who want to take it a bit more seriously’

Peninsula students compete at Soldotna DDF invitational.

Creamy pasta is served with smoked salmon and Parmesan. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)
A dish for the mourning

Smoked salmon fettuccine served in a time of grief.

Artwork by Anastasia Clyde is seen as part of the inaugural exhibition of “Spirit of Soldotna: Showcasing Student Art” in Soldotna City Hall on Wednesday. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna opens student art showcase in city hall

The ongoing exhibition is a collaboration between Soldotna and the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and Kenai Peninsula College.

tease
Off the shelf: Paradise versus privilege

“The Garden Against Time” is part of the Homer Public Library’s 2025 Lit Lineup.

Poopdeck Street, in Homer, became a reality in 1996, honoring Clarence Hiram “Poopdeck” Platt. (Clark Fair photo)
Poopdeck: Nearly a century of adventure — Part 1

Clarence Hiram Platt — who preferred to have people call him Poopdeck — may have been slowing down, but he rarely stopped moving.

File
Minister’s Message: Is it worth the risk?

What good is momentary fame, wealth, or admiration if it ultimately costs us what matters most — our soul?

The Ridgeway Rounders perform during Frozen RiverFest on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2023, at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
10th Frozen RiverFest set for Saturday

The event will feature 19 breweries.

The Middle School Battle of the Books Team from Homer Connections, who won the district competition in February, stand for a photo. (Provided by Districtwide Librarian Julie Gottfried)
District Battle of the Books teams ready for state competition

Battle of the Books is an annual celebration of reading and teamwork.

Most Read