Upwards

          Balloons. Translucent crimsons, greens. Bulbous cats, bulging stars. Dozens floated through the clear sky, dotting it with their helium-filled shapes. They caught the eye of a young boy riding his bicycle. As he gazed upwards, he wondered where the magnificent balloons came from. Pedaling through a neighbor’s yard, he intended to find out.

          The boy screeched past intersections and weaved through cars, never looking down. Reaching the park, he saw a group gathered. Inflating the balloons, they released each into the air, letting them soar up, climbing towards the blue above. The boy watched, wanting to fly away too.