Deep in the orange desert, Barnaby the cactus waited for the clouds to turn gray. When the rain finally fell—*drip, drop, splash*—Barnaby opened his roots wide! He drank and drank, gulping down the cool water as fast as he could.
By the time the sun came back out, Barnaby looked very different. He had puffed up like a giant green water balloon! He was so full of water that his red bandana felt a little tight, but he felt safe and prepared.
Weeks went by without a single drop of rain, and the ground turned hard and cracked. While the rocks baked in the heat, Barnaby stayed cool by sipping the water he had saved inside his tummy. "I have plenty for later," he hummed happily.
Suddenly, a surprise storm rolled in, bringing a wild flash flood that rushed through the canyon! Water swirled everywhere, and Barnaby accidentally drank even more. He felt his skin stretch tight—he was wobbling and about to pop!
Barnaby looked down and saw a tiny, wilting yellow flower on a rock that the flood couldn't reach. He realized he was too full, and she was too thirsty. Barnaby took a deep breath, wiggled his spines, and *whoosh*—he sprayed a gentle mist of water out like a garden sprinkler!
The cool mist watered the yellow flower, and she instantly stood up tall and bright. A blue lizard ran over and danced in the spray, taking a refreshing shower. Barnaby laughed as he shared his extra water, feeling his tummy shrink back to a comfortable size.
The storm passed, and the desert was peaceful again. Barnaby learned that saving water was smart, but sharing the overflow made the whole desert bloom. He adjusted his red bandana and smiled, ready for whatever the weather brought next.
