The Star Balloon

The Star Balloon (201 Words)

She was looking at the sky. It was a wide open sky, clear and blue. It had that color and brightness that can make your eyes water. But Annie stared straight up, watching the white lines of cloud pass like light gossamer threads in wind.

Somewhere behind all that blue were other worlds. Annie knew this was true. It was a simple scientific fact that stars shine even during the day. You can’t see them, but they are there, millions upon millions of lights.

Perhaps, on one of those millions of stars, someone else was looking up at their own sky. Annie was old enough to know that alien life was still a question. But she was old enough, too, to know that anything was possible.

She looked down at the balloon between her hands. In permanent ink she had written across the bright yellow latex, “Hello God Bless You.” The writing was a little crooked, but the letters were large and plain.

She let the balloon go and watched it escape. The sun shone so bright that for a minute Annie closed her eyes. When she opened them, the balloon was a tiny, distant flash, like its own little star.

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Written in response to the Daily Post’s Prompt, “Stifle,” and CYW 2018’s prompt, “Sky Blue.”