My red balloon

It was those days when schools had holidays on weekends. I was may be in third standard, and usually my school van would be filled with equally interesting looking faces bored into existence at 7.30 in the morning and then our bus snaked it's way through small gullies and roads and at long last to my school at 9.00 sharp, five days a week

As usual my school had declared a holiday on Saturday and most of my friends were off to their relatives houses and I was left alone with nothing to do.
And my mother noticed me simply sitting in front of the wall and looking at nothing in particular.

She seemed to understand my boredom and she announced with a cheer in her voice that we would visit the flower show that afternoon after lunch.

I jumped from my place and hugged her tight. I had never been to a flower show and this would be severely exciting. I got ready , ate my lunch with an expectant enthusiasm that came naturally. I had my red dress, my red hat and red shoes on in a jiffy.
This was my favourite attire and by default red was my favourite colour.

We walked for a long time until we found a autorikshaw that took us to my first flower show.

The flowers were neatly arranged. There was a lot of people and naturally my mom always held my hand. I just did not find this any amusing. All the latent enthusiasm was gone. I had dropped my shoulders even before i had seen the third flower.

When the show was over, my mom looked at my sad face and told me that we would buy ice cream later.

we walked around doing in search of it. But i found this long tall uncle with dark black eyes selling balloons.
I was in luck. He had red balloons and he told me that it was a special balloon filled with magic. I should hold it tight or else it would float away.

I was given a choice, the ice cream or the balloon and without further ado , i had the object of beauty in my possession.

It was round, completely red and shone brilliantly in the sunlight.

I held it really tight because i desperately wanted this. For the first time in the day i was happy.

My mom bought herself an ice cream and declared that all her money was over.

I sneezed once.
Then twice.

My little red balloon took to the air.The helium balloon rose higher and higher, faster than the load of tears that welled in my eyes.

I kept crying and looking up into the sky. My little red balloon flying up in the sky further and further until i could see it no more.