Rainboots: Chapter 1, The Boy on the Top of the World

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A Short Story by Stew Stunes


Chapter 1. The Boy on the Top of the World

 A distant rumble in the sky alerted the small village that the beginning of the rainy season had come. Early morning purple light highlighted the first faint drips of mist landing softly on the window pane young Elisa was watching from. For a long time, she lay there looking out of the window, content to watch the deep clouds roll down the wide valley towards her village. Her bright curious eyes traced the rim of the mountain range as it narrowed on both sides coming to a point on the tallest mountain behind her village.
Her head turned away from the window and her wandering thoughts, as she heard her mother call. “Come on Elisa, It’s time to get up. You have to get ready quick. You have a lot of people waiting for your help today.”
Despite not really wanting to move from her perfect contemplation, Elisa smiled at the thought of completing all of the day’s tasks in record time. Jumping to her feet, Elisa rushed all around the small house eager to start her day. She barely sat for a moment as she swallowed her breakfast in what seemed like one big bite. Following a quick peck on her mother’s cheek, Elisa slipped on her most prized possession, her red-polka dotted rainboots. She was ready for the day.
With a gust of great excitement, Elisa skipped out of the door and grabbed onto the post that held up their small porch. She swung into the street, only her feet never once touched the ground as she continued to skip through the air; bouncing from side to side as she flew towards her first task. Her face was marked with determination as she raced through the air towards her family’s farm where her father would already be busy tending to the many animals they kept. People in the streets waved to her with big smiles on their faces, there was something more than magical at seeing a young girl full of such energy and joy.
She landed with a wet smack in the pig pen right beside her father. He thrust another scoop of food towards the noisy oinking pigs, before turning to smile at his eager daughter. “Good to see you up so early. I almost never get to see my beautiful daughter before noon.”
Blushing at his casual joking, she nodded, her pony tail flipping wildly around, and asked. “What do you want me to help with today?”
Her father started listing off chores, but watched as his daughter’s attention quickly changed from him to the large mountain behind him. Her eyes looked up into the heavens trying with all their might to peer beyond the ever present ring of clouds that kept the top of the mountain hidden from all below.
“Pay attention, Elisa.” Her father reprimanded.
“I wonder if I could fly to the top?” Elisa said still day dreaming about the mountain.
Sighing heavily, her father responded. “You’ll never get to try if you don’t finish your chores. Now, chop chop.”
Elisa spent the rest of the day flying around, tending to the cows, the chickens, the pigs, the horses and the goats. She then helped an elderly lady by doing her food shopping for her. Just as midday was rolling around, she finished her last task, which was to help the village leader hang lanterns in the main streets of the village. She had completed everything so fast she could hardly believe it. Normally she was not done before the sun started to dip, but now she had the rest of the day to fly wherever she wanted.
Her eyes looked back up the tall mountain. It stretched so tall into the sky; it seemed unbelievable to actually make it to the top. With a swell of joy in her chest, she decided today was the day. She would fly to the top of the world.
Tearing out her ponytail, letting her dark hair spill out wildly, she raced back to her house for lunch. Before her mother could say a word, Elisa had half a sandwich down her throat and was running back out the door. “See ya mom! I’m going to the top of the mountain!”
A faint echo of, “Oh dear,” was all her mother could say before her daughter was but a speck in the sky speeding up in the air.

Elisa tore through the sky; she quickly entered the clouds that always kept the top of the mountain hidden. She had never gone this high or this far before, but the higher she climbed the better she felt. This was her nature; to be in the sky, among the clouds, nothing short of total freedom.
The clouds grew darker and thicker as she climbed. Looking back down, the village was but only tiny dots on the land far below and yet she knew that she had much farther to go. As the clouds became so thick and so dark that she started to wonder if they would turn into solid forms, she burst through into dazzling sunlight.
Soaking up the warm sun rays, she spun with delight, kicking at the white tufts of cloud as she skipped towards the top of the mountain. As she drew closer she noticed something that looked very strange. There was a building on top of the mountain. The closer she came to the building the more detail became clearer. It wasn’t just an ordinary building; it was actually a giant castle. Tall turrets rose above the main structure, reaching even further into the sky as if they could not get high enough.
Elisa flew around the castle a few times before going closer, mixing in and out of pearly clouds. She dove under a bridge that separated the main structure from one of the tall towers and followed the twisting stone up to the very tallest peak. A blue flag whipped in the harsh winds as it stood taller than anything else. Having too much fun, she held on to it with her hands and spun around on it like a twisting dancer.
With a great exhausted sigh, she landed on the shingled top of the tower, letting her feet dangle in the air. Her red polka-dotted rainboots carelessly smacking against each other as she looked all around, her wild eyes looking at the strange new place she had discovered.
“I wonder who lives here?” She asked herself out loud. As she contemplated why someone would build a castle on top of a mountain, she had the feeling that someone was watching her. Her head spun all around trying to find the peering eyes she knew were out there. She must have looked at every block of stone that could be found, twice, before a little cough gave away the person’s location. Someone was right below her dangling legs.
Like an acrobat, she did a flip over the front side and came face to face with a boy just about her age. They both seemed just as surprised to see one another, as they openly gaped at each other.
The boy shocked and nervous grew red in the face before suddenly bolting back inside the castle, slamming the door shut on the balcony and Elisa’s face.
“Hey! Come back, who are you?” Elisa yelled, confused and hurt by the boy’s rash actions. After waiting a minute and getting no reply, she floated off with a disappointed frown. Why had the boy run away from her? She wasn’t that scary looking was she? Her thoughts did not improve as; she suddenly lost the joy of being the first person from her village to see the top of this mountain.
With one last look back up at the castle, she wondered if the boy and her could be friends. Sinking into the cloud’s gray cocoon, a feeling of deep sadness overcame her.
The mist that had begun such a wonderful day for Elisa had now turned into a steady downpour. 

Listen to the Rainboots theme song Below

READ CHAPTER 2 HERE: http://stewstunes42.blogspot.com/2014/10/rainboots-chapter-2-escape-with-me.html