I could feel the heat from the balloons as I walk closer towards my friends, I could smell the heat as it drifted from the balloons all around me. This would be my first time going up in a hot-air balloon, and I was a bit worried, well more scared than worried. I watched as my best friend climbed into the balloon, he was a tour guide and was the reason I was doing this in the first place. He said I needed to get away from all the things that worried me, which I didn’t understand what he meant by that I had no problems to worry about in my life.
I soon found myself being helped into the balloon; I stood to my feet and turn to my friend; he smiled at me and pulled the string sending the flame into the balloon. “Here we go.” He said as the balloon lifted from the ground, I looked over the sides as we lifted through the air higher and higher. The other balloons on the ground soon began to lift from the ground one by one; it was such a beautiful sight. As we rose high into the sky, I looked out at the other balloons rising to the sky with the golden sun set behind them; I could understand why he enjoyed his job so much. To look out on such a beautiful sight everyday must be wonderful.
I turned to him “Wow this is amazing I’ve never felt so relaxed in my life it's wonderful up here. Thank you for making me do this.” He looked back at me with a strange look on his face, then turned and looked over the side of the balloon. “Well we all just wanted your last memory to be a good on is all.” He said, as he reached for something on the side of the basket. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked but he just looked at me, then pulled a backpack over his back and leaped from the balloon.
I looked over the side only to watch as a parachute opens, what’s going on, my mind started racing, is this a prank? I look around the balloon for a way to land it; I saw the down string and pulled it. The string detached with a piece of paper on it. I looked at it and there was something written on it.
“Your life is unfair you have been a success at everything you have ever tried and its time you failed at something for the first and last time, there is no way down on the balloon, it will continue to rise until you can’t breathe. And if by some chance, you do live until the fuel runs out the balloon will fall, and you will die. Sorry we had to do this to you but we need you gone.”
I looked around the basket for something that could help me get out of this predicament, but there was nothing but the flame thrower that was stuck in the on passion. I looked over the sides of the balloon. “I have never failed at anything in my life, and I’m not starting now.” I grabbed the side of the basket took a deep breath the hurled myself over the side I Yelled. “No one decides when it’s my time to die but me, and I’m not dying today.”
Falling through the air, I opened my hands; I saw skydivers do this to control themselves in the air. I pulled my shirt to from a pocket under my arms. I knew it would slow how quickly I was falling, and I knew it wouldn’t slow it by much. I had to figure out something, and I had to do it now.
I looked to my left then right in a panic afterwards I got it. Off to my right was another balloon floating up to me if I could get to it, I would be saved. I quickly angled my body and started heading straight for it, but I was falling too fast to land on it. Nevertheless, I would at least be close. WAM! I hit the side of the inflated balloon hard, almost being knocked out but I, caught a hold of myself and grabbed and gripped at the balloon as I slide down the side.
I look down and a few feet away the balloon began to pull in; I had to think quickly. I wasn’t holding on to anything sold, as soon as the balloon started to go in I would be falling again. No I wasn’t going to die, I looked behind me hoping there was another balloon close by. There was one, but it was right under the one I was falling off of, but I had to try.
I pulled my feet up bent my elbows and lunged myself to it; I instantly knew I wasn’t going to make it to the top. In fact, I might not make it at all, but I wasn’t giving up yet. As I hurled through the air towards the balloon, I searched for another one I could jump to.
I hit the side, this time I was prepared, I would be leaping for this one too in a few seconds, and was already planning my next jump. I spotted where I was going next and aimed for a place on the next balloon that would line me up for the following one.
I hurled myself once more, as I flew through the air this time I saw my friend far below me. I knew then I had to grab onto him if I was going to live. Hitting the next balloon feet first subsequently launching again. I had already planned it as I flew through the air. Once I hit the balloon, I was off again with less hesitation this time. One more to go after this, I thought as I flew through the air.
The final balloon I would be jumping off was far from me and took almost a minute to reach it. The ground seemed deadly close at this point but the next balloon was close, and my goal was closer to it. My feet made contact, and I knew I would only have one chance at what I was about to do. If I failed, I was dead within a minute.
I breathe in deeply as I sunk into the balloon, my knees bent preparing to jump at a moment’s notice. The balloon tightened under my feet and began to spring back to normal, the sinkhole I made started to inflate quickly. At the last second, as it pushed all the way out, I launched off it with all my strength.
Flying through the air, I flipped around so my feet would make first contact with the balloon. I put my hand out above my head and together as if diving into water; my feet hit the balloon, I bent my knees and wasted no time the instant I stopped sinking; I launched myself down and forward directly at my so-called friend. My body hurled through the air straight for him.
I opened my arms and grabbed on tightly to his legs, swinging, and dangling from his legs violently I held on for dear life then. TAUMP! We hit the ground rolling. “I’m alive YESSS!” I screamed out jumping to my feet.
I looked down at my fried after I had been running around yelling in joy for a few minutes. He had not gotten up as yet; he was lying on the ground crying as I walked closer. “I hate you so much, everything, every time; it never fails; it always works out for you. You were the one that was to die today yet here I am my legs broken, and you are totally unharmed."
I pulled my phone from my pocket, looked at the screen, and then dialed 911. “There has been an accident here at the Western Balloon Park; a sky diver has just gotten injured.” I said to the operator then give them the address. “You know my life is incredibly hard but I never once gave up or consider giving up as an option. It’s the reason I can’t fail it’s not an option for me. You were my closest friend but now look at you, going to jail with broken legs all because you were jealous.”
I stood to my feet and handed the letter that was still in my hand to the reporter that was running up to me, and walked away.
