June 2010 — Flea Market Zombies

Why not? said Annie. Is it because of the balloon?

Yes, said the mother. Yes, in fact it is. The balloon is dangerous and we must all stay inside.

So Annie and her mother stayed inside. They stayed inside for a very long time. They had little tea parties and read books together. It was great fun, but it got dull after a while.

Can we go outside now? said Annie one day. I’m sure the balloon is gone by now, don’t you think?

But the mother shook her head very severely.

No, she said, the balloon is not gone. The balloon, in fact, will never be gone. So we must all stay inside forever and ever; we must stay here until the very end of time. I’m sorry dear, but it’s for your own good.

That night when Annie lay in bed, she thought about her friends at school. She thought about the little tree she used to pass every day on the way to piano lessons.

I don’t want to stay inside forever, she said, and so she got out of bed.

And she opened the window and climbed onto the ledge and floated up up and away.

In the morning the mother found Annie’s bedroom empty, and then she saw the window wide open.

Annie! she cried. Come back, Annie! Annie, can you hear me? Please come home!

But Annie didn’t come back; she didn’t even answer. In fact, there was no response at all. Just a cool, rustling breeze that swept the leaves from the trees, and in the distance, a faint expected pop.