Week 2, hot air balloons and Nirvana...Keb eyed his wife warily as they stood on the ridge watching the balloons begin their journey across the canyon.
Keb and Fen had shared a heartfelt hug, but Jaya had just nervously patted the six year old boy's head as she loaded him and his belongings into the basket.
"You be good for your next mamma and pappa, Fen. Just as you were for us." Polite words.
The boy smiled and waved, too excited about the balloon ride to notice Jaya's apathy. Fen turned to face his destination. This third trek across the rift was just the next step of his growing up.
"Maybe, this time, Golda will come back to us." Jaya strained to see the balloons that were floating their direction, children waving as they passed each other mid way.
"Jaya, you know it's unlikely, the..."
"But it could happen! It has before." Jaya looked at him with desperate hope.
Keb kept his thoughts within. Their self-born daughter had left after her second birthday, just as she was meant to. Jaya had grieved herself into depression, barely attending to the toddler boy they'd received later that day.
He'd prayed for a girl child two years later, in hopes that Jaya would come around. Four year old Fen had turned out to be a perfect fit for him. Jaya played her role, barely.
"Look! The balloons have landed, Keb!" Jaya shook with anxiety. "Go see, Keb, see if it's her."
Keb followed the chart at the landing area. With a smile and hug he collected his next cycle child. A six year old girl.
They returned together to Jaya's post. Keb's joy turned to despair at Jaya's crestfallen face. She recovered enough to run one caramel colored hand through the girls curls.
"What pretty blond hair you have."
Interesting glimpse into this tale. It's strange to look into a life that's so different, and peer in the middle of it. Nice.
ReplyDeleteThank you for dropping by! Yes it would be a strange thing to "switch out" one's children. It was not uncommon, at one time, to apprentice children very early to different villages. This premise just takes it a step further.
ReplyDeleteWhat a heart wrenching piece Renee, great premise, I imagined that Jaya was kind of an anomaly in this world wanting to fight the tradition. The caramel colored had in the blond curls was a great, great image.
ReplyDeleteThank you! You caught exactly what I was trying to portray.
DeleteWhat a great piece of fantasy and a concept I haven't read before. I like the contrast between the thought of balloons as a happy thing and the disappointment the mother feels each time a new child arrives.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Angela! Actually I think I remember seeing or reading something similar once. I just took it in a different direction with the mother unwilling to let go.
DeleteOh, that's kind of sad. The concept was really interesting. And the last few sentences, wow! Loved the wording.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Yes, sad, I couldn't really imagine the feeling.
DeleteNicely done. The premise is a good one, the whole "village to raise a child" sort of thing, but at a very steep cost. It would be interesting to meet someone who had been through this system and reached adulthood, and see how he/she reacts to his world through adult eyes. Adjusted well? or maybe one of many children who never learned to develop social skills enough to have a long-term relationship with anyone? There's enough subplot options to keep a reader busy through a novel's length of story I think. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Shelton! The "village to raise a child" came to my mind as I wrote this. If it was the norm, well adjusted might be the expected outcome. I don't know. Interesting to contemplate.
DeleteWow, Renee. This is a terrifying concept. As much as I complain about my grumpy little monster, the idea of packing him off in a balloon? I shudder.
ReplyDeleteHi Cam! Then you can understand Jaya's feelings.
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