Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-31919033-20170807060233

 01 – Balloon, part 1 

 A lonely, blue balloon floated through the sky.

 It floated high above the houses and trees standing in the neat gardens and was gently pushed by the summer breeze. A few people that were sunbathing outside or just looked outside, saw the balloon flying through the clear sky, but no one paid much attention to it.

 The balloon was probably released by a child and was now being driven to a distant, but random retreat somewhere in the world.

 Nothing to worry about, they thought.

 The balloon floated further, left the houses and neat gardens behind, to a small football field.

 A worn football was accidentally kicked over the rusty fence and the ball bounced on the deserted highway.

 ‘Yeah, Vincent, your fault!’ Tom Cord exclaimed, the only friend of Vincent Park, from the other side of the field.

 ‘I’m already going,’ Vincent sighed and ran off the field to the football, which was already starting to bounce less. He crossed the road without looking, because Vincent knew that cars seldom drove through Hillfar.

 The ball bounced a last few times before Vincent caught it out of the air. He turned and saw Tom jumping up and down behind the fence.

 ‘Throw, throw,’ he said.

 Vincent grinned, threw the ball up and gave it a firm kick. Like a cannon ball, the football was launched high in the air.

 Vincent followed it with his eyes. At that moment, he saw the floating blue balloon.

 The football landed back on the field and bounced up. Tom jumped, his eyes fixed on the ball, but when he caught it, his eyes too slid towards the balloon.

 Vincent and Tom made eye contact.

 ‘Did you see it before?’ Tom yelled, pointing at the balloon.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Nope!’ Vincent called back.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘We need to find a way to catch it, Vin,’ Tom said when they stood togheter at the fence.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Why so?’

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘My brother says if you catch a floating balloon, you’ll get lucky for one year.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘I don’t know, Tom.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Ah, come on, Vin. Help me, at least. You know I want to get into the school’s football team this year and I need all the luck I can get.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent dropped his eyes to the ground and didn’t answer. Tom tugged at his sleeve.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Come on, Vin, this is a chance I’ll only get once in my entire life.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent looked at the sky. The balloon seemed to be floating slower and lower.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Look, he goes towards the Watchtower. Let’s catch it there.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> Tom was jumping with enthusiasm.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent sighed, but then put back a smile. ‘Okay, but only if I get a share of luck.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Of course,’ Tom replied and the two friends ran after the balloon.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal"> The Watchtower was the only remnant of a former playground, a few metres away from the football field. It was a tower of wood and was built in the shape of a medieval castle. All the rest of the playground was removed by the company that owned the ground, but not the Watchtower.

<p class="MsoNormal"> The Watchtower stood as a crumbling memory on the empty hilltop.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent and Tom climbed to the top of the Watchtower. The blue balloon was incredibly close.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Tom put down the football and climbed a little bit further on the central pole, that was supposed to be an empty flagpole.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent looked at the balloon. For some reason, he couldn’t get his eyes off it. The beautiful blue colour was almost hypnotic.

<p class="MsoNormal"> His heart, however, skipped a beat when the balloon slowly descended and came to a halt in front of the tower. Although the wind still let the leaves rustle, it didn’t affect the blue balloon.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Smiling, Tom climbed down and went to the balloon.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Eh- Tom, maybe,’ Vincent started to mutter. A bubbling feeling had started to rise in his stomach.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Tom wasn’t listening. He got out of the Watchtower and grabbed the balloon at the small string attached to it.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘I got him, I got him,’ he said happily.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Then, Vincent saw how Tom was slowly carried from the ground. The balloon ascended again.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Suddenly, Vincent got nervous. ‘Tom, let go of the balloon!’ he called out to his friend.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘It doesn’t matter, Vin. He brings me to luck,’ Tom laughed.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Tom, please let go!’

<p class="MsoNormal"> Tom kept laughing, as if he was constantly tickled. He didn’t seem afraid, he seemed as if he had a lot of fun. The balloon took him higher and higher in the sky.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Now, Tom’s feet dangled a few metres above the Watchtower.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Suddenly, the wind picked up. The blue balloon was carried away with a jerk and brought Tom with him.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Tom flew further away, further into the horizon.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Tom! Come back!’ Vincent cried.

<p class="MsoNormal"> But Tom couldn’t go back.

<p class="MsoNormal"> He was on his way to luck.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal"> 02 – He’s gone 

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent ran away as fast as he could. He ran to Tom’s house and told his parents that Tom was taken.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Taken? By who?’ Tom’s dad asked.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘By a-’ for a moment, Vincent doubted. Would they believe him?

<p class="MsoNormal"> By a blue balloon , he said in his head. It already sounded ridiculous. But what should I say, then?

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘By a- a blue balloon.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> Tom’s Mom and Dad stared at Vincent.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘I know it sounds stupid, but-’

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Is this a joke?’ Tom’s Dad asked. He didn’t sound irritated, but amused was also certainly not a word to describe the tone of his voice.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘No, really, I promise,’ Vincent said.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Where did you say you played?’ his Mom asked.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘The Watchtower on the hilltop.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> Tom’s Mom turned to Tom’s Dad. ‘Can you look for him, honey? He’s probably hiding somewhere.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Of course,’ Tom’s Dad said and walked past Vincent.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘No,’ Vincent protested. ‘The blue balloon took him. We were in the Watchtower and suddenly it stayed still and then Tom grabbed the rope and then the balloon flew away.’ He looked at Tom’s mother, tears began to sting behind his eyes. ‘He’s gone!’

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Vincent, it’s alright,’ Tom’s mother said. ‘We know Tom and he hides quite often. Now, go to your house, okay, we will find Tom.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent opened his mouth to say something, but the words wouldn’t come anymore. He realised that it was no use. They didn’t listen to him.

<p class="MsoNormal"> During dinner, he wanted to tell his parents about the blue balloon, but he didn’t. He knew his parents wouldn’t believe him either.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent could not concentrate on his homework. He tapped his pen against the paper that he so often had crumpled and thrown in the corner; math had never been his favourite subject.

<p class="MsoNormal"> He took a sip of juice when he suddenly heard giggling.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘You’re still doing that boring math, Vin?’ The voice sounded close, but at the same time far away.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent almost fell off his chair and choked. He quickly went to the bathroom and drank a big gulp of water.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Here in Lucky Land, we don’t need to do math. There are schools, though, but no boring schools. We only do fun things.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent recognised the giggling voice. ‘Tom?’ he snorted.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘I’m even in the football team, Vin. Isn’t that great?’ Tom sounded cheerful.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Tom, where are you?’ Vincent asked.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘In Lucky Land. I just told you that.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Tom, your Mom and Dad are looking for you. They can’t find you.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘That’s because they didn’t go with the blue balloon. But I’m not in danger. I’m really happy. Vin, you have to come here, it’s awesome. You never have to do math ever again, you’ll never be bullied again by Peter and Rick.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent sat down at his desk and ran his eyes over the math paper.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘I don’t know how to get in Lucky Land, Tom,’ he whispered.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘The blue balloon brings you, Vin.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> For a moment, Vincent was silent. In the corner of the paper, he drew a stick figure, surrounded by a few clouds, holding onto a balloon.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Do you promise to be there, Tom?’

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Promise.’ Tom’s voice was comforting and delicate, almost as sweet as honey.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent looked through the window.

<p class="MsoNormal"> There, all the way in the distance, he saw the blue balloon flying in the black night, surrounded by billions of sparking stars.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent switched off his desk lamp and opened the door to the balcony. His parents had hidden the key, but Vincent knew exactly where and hid the key again in a candy jar in his own room.

<p class="MsoNormal"> He walked onto the balcony. The balloon seemed to go faster.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent waited patiently, a smile on his face.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Vincent, are you awake?’ his mother, Dianne, asked, the next morning, but she got no answer back.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Softly, she opened the door.

<p class="MsoNormal"> She wanted to say: “You’ll be late,” but her words died down before she even started.

<p class="MsoNormal"> The curtains were wide open, as well as the balcony’s door.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Early morning light shone onto Vincent’s empty bed.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal"> 03 – Sought 

<p class="MsoNormal"> Vincent wasn’t found. Tom’s Dad also didn’t find his son (he had asked the local residents if they had seen his son, but no one had noticed the kids were even playing at the Watchtower) and that night, he also didn’t come back.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Police were immediately on the scene. For one week, every day everyone looked for the kids for five hours in the area of Hillfar and beyond. Every evening, the developments (which weren’t many) surrounding the missing of Vincent Park and Tom Cord were featured on the news.

<p class="MsoNormal"> But Vincent and Tom weren’t found and the families Park and Cord withdrew themselves more and more from society. Vincent’s Dad, Kenneth, only left the house to drive to work, but his wife stayed home.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Tom’s Dad was fired and he was rarely seen outside, as well as his wife. The families Cord en Park lived in fear and sorrow, confused what had happened but especially why. Why their children? Why not someone else’s?

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal"> One evening, Dianne stood in front of her bedroom window and saw Tom’s Mom leaving her house and the street with large, packed bags. Her husband stormed outside, shouted after her and then closed the door with a smash. Dianne could feel the vibrations through her house.

<p class="MsoNormal"> That evening, Kenneth came home late in the night, around two ‘o’clock. His shirt was wrinkled and he limped forward, like he was limping.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Dianne knew he had been drinking again.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘You promised not to drink!’ her voice and the beginning of their umpteenth fight sounded.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘What makes you think that?’ Kenneth spat. ‘Ridiculous.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘You drank since Vincent’s birth, you drank even before that and in marriage counselling, you promised – you fucking promised – to stop drinking!’

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Ridiculous,’ Kenneth repeated, but it sounded more like ‘widiclus.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> The anger rose to her head.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Perhaps this is why Vincent left, because he knew you can’t control yourself.’

<p class="MsoNormal"> She did not see the blow. One moment, she was screaming with a red head at her husband, the next moment she lay gasping on the laminate floor.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Don’t blame me, you bitch!’ he shouted. Drool passed by his lips and dripped on the floor.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Bisj .

<p class="MsoNormal"> He looked at his clenched hand, realised what happened.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Tears began to flow. He shook his head confused, opened the door and walked silently into the night.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Dianne scrambled to her feet and stared at the doorway.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Maybe this’s the reason why he has left , she thought.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kenneth had left the street and now stumbled through the night. He didn’t know where he was going, but he knew he wouldn’t return to her.

<p class="MsoNormal"> He didn’t know how long and how far he had gone, but suddenly, he saw a blue balloon. The string was stuck on a branch.

<p class="MsoNormal"> There was no wind, yet it seemed as if something blew against the balloon.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kenneth looked around. There were no houses anywhere and the only light was the pale light coming from the moon.

<p class="MsoNormal"> He looked at the blue balloon and, with his eyes, followed the tangled network of branches, then went down the trunk.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Between the massive roots, he saw a hole. Kenneth scratched his temple and squatted in front of the hole to take a better look.

<p class="MsoNormal"> A rotten stench filled his nostrils.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘What- what is this?’ he muttered.

<p class="MsoNormal"> He stood up and walked around the tree. On the other side, he discovered a much bigger hole.

<p class="MsoNormal"> The alcohol had numbed his mind and strengthened his curiosity, so without thinking about it, he lowered himself into the hole.

<p class="MsoNormal"> He landed in what looked like a small clearing, hidden under dirt and tree roots.

<p class="MsoNormal"> The rotting stench smelled strong in here.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kenneth fished his phone out of his pocket and switched on the flashlight. A white flash illuminated the entire clearing and in an instant, Kenneth saw the two rotten corpses of Vincent and Tom.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Their bodies looked limp and empty, as if every bone was taken from them. Their eyes were bloodshot and hung wrung out of their sockets. Like deflated balloons.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kenneth dropped his phone and vomited. The sour taste burned his lips.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘Vincent,’ he softly cried.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Everything seemed to clear up in his head, if only for a brief moment. Kenneth picked up his phone and dialled the police.

<p class="MsoNormal"> While his phone was trying to connect, he looked through the small hole to the outside.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Almost threatening, he saw a floating blue balloon. His phone noticed that no connection could be made.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Then, the clearing began to shake. Dirt crashed down. Kenneth started screaming.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Dirt covered him and the bodies of Vincent and Tom.

<p class="MsoNormal"> The next morning, no one would know that, under that lone three, tree people were buried.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal"> 04 – Balloon, part 2 

<p class="MsoNormal"> Dianne knew Kenneth had not yet come home. And to be honest, she didn’t think that he would come back. Last night was the straw that broke the camel.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Dianne sighed. In the bathroom, she washed her face and body. She felt dirty. Then she went out.

<p class="MsoNormal"> It was a hot summer day, but there was a strong wind which made the heat bearable. The football field was occupied by a group of five children; three boys and two girls. The boys played football, the girls sat on the side.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Dianne struggled to hold back the tears.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Then, she saw something in the sky. She narrowed her eyes slightly.

<p class="MsoNormal"> In the sky, she saw a huge group of blue balloons approaching. On a couple of them, it seemed like a few children were holding onto the strings.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">~oOo~

<p class="MsoNormal">All comments, especially on grammar, are appreciated.

<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you for reading! <ac_metadata title="Blue Balloon (unreviewed)"> </ac_metadata>