Girl in the Clouds by Kirra Reed

I am an only child from my parents Sophia and Apersius. My parents had me at the young age of 19. I suppose my parents were in some sort of trouble with some people because on my third birthday, while driving home from the lake, another car hit the side of the car I was sitting on-- the left side. I watched and screamed as the car slid into my side. My parents turned around and held my hands. Once this happened, everything around us slowed down-- I closed my eyes, and everything turned white. I saw my parents standing in the clouds when I opened my eyes. I ran to them and hugged them; they pulled away and my father swooped me up into his arms and tickled me.

“When you need us, talk to ‘them’,” my father said with a smile.

“The clouds are going to take care of you from now on, ok?” my mother said.

“Ok, mommy.” I responded with no question. My parents hugged me once more-- so tight that I had to close my eyes.

When I woke, I could barely open my eyes, “Ah it’s bright!” Then, suddenly, it was dark.

I opened my eyes. “Clouds?” I looked all around myself and saw nothing but white, fluffy clouds. With the stupidity of a child, all I thought to do was run around. I ran around the clouds until I was wasted and starving. Sitting down, I tried several times and happily succeeded in picking up a small fluff of cloud. I shoved it into my mouth, thinking it would satisfy my hunger, but all I got was a mouthful of gross water. I quickly spat it out and began to cry, knowing that I had no food. With this, I finally realized that I hadn’t seen my parents all day.

I called out for them but got no response. All that was left for me to do was continue to cry.

Then, a cloud drifted toward me and formed into a body. It hovered, face to face with me, and held out an apple. Seeing this, my tears stopped.

I slowly reached for the apple, “Thank you,” I said softly.

The cloud proceeded to gesture its hands in a way I didn’t understand, so I looked at it sideways. The cloud pointed to the apple and gestured the same thing.

“Apple?” I asked.

The cloud nodded in agreement and gestured “apple” again. After I took a bite, the cloud signed once again, holding its hand out below its face and pulled it close, almost like holding a baby. This gesture I already knew as “welcome” or “you’re welcome.”

As time went on, I met more clouds which had also formed themselves into human-like figures, and as I grew, they taught me more and more. They couldn’t talk and had no actual ears or eyes, but somehow, they could sense sounds and sights that even I sometimes couldn’t. Being around the clouds, I hadn’t forgotten my parents, I just didn’t call on them because I knew they were gone.

Planes and helicopters always flew by during the day. I’d jump up and down and wave hoping someone would wave back, but no one would. At night, when they passed over, the clouds would form a huge blanket and protect me from the loud noise so that I could sleep.

One may wonder how I can write and speak so well if I was only three when I stopped learning to do both. My parents read many books to me, regardless of where I was. This meant I learned language rapidly and my vocabulary was exceptional, especially considering I was three. One may also wonder how I can understand the clouds, too. I speak English aloud, but the clouds use a language called American Sign Language, so I sign to them as well.

Occasionally, I can walk on the solid ground of Earth. But, for the most part, it hurts to walk on Earth because the ground is so much harder than the soft, bouncy clouds I’m used to. Feeling the ground that I used to walk on every day brings back some of my memories from before I joined the clouds. I mainly think about the day I lost my parents, which is why I don’t go down there often.

Though recently I met a boy.

Well, I didn’t really meet him, we both saw each other. We didn’t talk to each other directly but we both asked others in the market on the mountain about each other. Ever since then I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I feel so isolated, but I don’t think that I should continue to go down to Earth.

I turn 18 tomorrow and I guess I should be excited.

I’m not excited because-- I’m lonely up here.

Every night, as soon as I close my eyes, I see that boy. I’ve had these ‘dreams’ since I was eight years old. I used to think that he had them too, but I’ve come to realize that’s not how dreams work.

Ever since the day I ‘met’ him, I’ve been in love. The boy understands me. He understands my life.

Waking up today feels different. Rolling over onto my left side I see—

Him.

“No need for you to be lonely anymore. I am and will always be next to you, Sophia.” He said softly with a deep voice.

“As will I, Apersius.” I concurred with a smile.

A year has once again passed, we’ve been living in a small house for the past 10 months. A few of months after we left the clouds, we found out that I was pregnant. Pretty soon I’ll be having a baby girl. I don’t know how many children we’ll have but--

Sorry I stopped abruptly, I had my daughter and just to keep it short I’ve been busy. Today is her third birthday and so we decided to go to the lake.

“Mommy, mommy! Come on, let’s go home!” she yells at me.

“Alright Sophie, I’m coming, I’m coming.”