On the edge of town flowed a winding little river. In ordinary times, its water was clear and gentle, nourishing the land around it. But each summer, frequent downpours sent the river surging rapidly upward, turning it murky and turbulent as it swept all manner of debris downstream.
One night, amid flashes of lightning and crashes of thunder, rain poured down in sheets, and raindrops as large as beans pelted the roof and ground, splashing up layer upon layer of water. The howling wind rattled the windows. The terrible weather kept me, who lived by the river, from sleeping, so I got up and went to the window to see what was happening outside.
In a brief flash of lightning, I glimpsed a black object bobbing on the river. Driven by curiosity, she picked up a flashlight and aimed it at the water. An old wooden barrel was rushing downstream with the swift current, pitching and rolling until it seemed ready to capsize.
I hurriedly put on my raincoat, grabbed the flashlight, and rushed out of the house, running along the riverbank in the direction the barrel was drifting. The gale whipped my raincoat with a loud flap, while rain kept striking my face and blurring my vision. But I paid no attention, keeping my eyes fixed on the mysterious barrel in the river.
At last, the barrel drifted to a shallow stretch where the current was a little slower. River weeds snagged it, bringing it to a stop. I cautiously approached the barrel, my hands trembling slightly with nerves. When I shone my flashlight inside, my breath caught in an instant.
Curled up inside the barrel was a baby. The rain had turned the baby's little face bright red...
It's good-looking, a bit like a detective novel, and the ghostly and supernatural events make you want to see the ending. I'd like to give it a thumbs up.