The Clown in the Tree

The Magenta Orb

At first, it was just a blotch of color that seemed to not really be there—like when you look into the sun or at a camera flash. But then my eyes focused and there was something there—an orb, magenta in color, about the size of a bowling ball, suspended in the air.

The clown raced toward it and came to a halt. He pulled the orb down with both of his hands. Then he stretched it out like a sheet of taffy until it tore in the middle, revealing a dark gray hole. The clown strained as he pulled the hole down to be level with his hips. Then he climbed inside and vanished.

"Wait!" I tossed our bag of drawing supplies onto the grass and ran as fast as I'd ever run. The clown popped back up from the hole. I could only see his face and the top part of his jumpsuit. He gave me the most joyful smile I've ever seen. Then he disappeared back down the hole in the air, and then the hole itself disappeared.

"No, come back!" My mind was racing. How were we going to find him again?

I stood there waiting for the orb to return. I pushed and pulled at the air. I scratched and kicked at it. Suddenly, I could barely see. That's when I realized I was crying. I needed that hole to reappear—for me and for Gino and Mom...

"C'mon!" a loud voice said from behind me. Gino held our bag of supplies. It had grass stuck all over it. "Let's just go!" he said, in a defeated whisper. His ears were red.

I stood there just a little while longer, straining my eyes as if doing so would help me see the orb again. But there was nothing in the air except air.

We wiped our eyes on our sweaters as we walked back to the bus stop.

"I'm hungry," Gino said, flopping down in a seat on the nearly empty bus. "I want Mommy," he mumbled, and stared out the window.