Cloud Casters

Cloud Central

Charlie got up early the following morning. The sky had turned light. For a minute, he wasn't sure where he was, and then suddenly, he remembered.

He got off his bed and looked out of the window. The sky was a brilliant blue, and the sun shone brighter than he had ever seen it shine before. Charlie wondered what his friends at Whitewood would say if they found out what had happened to him. He was sure that no one would believe that he was in a place called the Cloud Country in the clouds.

He wondered if he should step out of the room when there was a knock on the door. 'May I come in, Charlie,' said Luma's voice as Charlie got out of bed.

'Yes,' said Charlie and stood by the bed as Luma came into the room. She was carrying a pile of books and a satchel.

'I came to ask you to get ready to go to Cloud Central,' said Luma, who set the pile of books she was carrying down on the writing desk on the opposite side of the room.

'Cloud Central?' repeated Charlie, 'you mean the place the Cloud Count mentioned?'

'Yes. It is where all those around your age go to study clouds,' said Luma, smiling. 'Studying at Cloud Central would be the best thing you could do to find your parents.'

'I will get ready,' said Charlie, who wanted to see his parents now more than anything else. Now that he knew that they could still be rescued, he was eager to do it more than anything. 'What should I wear?'

'You can wear the white cloak that has been left inside the cupboard,' said Luma looking at the clock on the wall. 'We better hurry if we don't want to get late on your first day.'

 'Yes, thank you,' said Charlie as he hurried to the cupboard to get the cloak out. I'll leave you to it,' said Luma, walking out of the room and shutting  the door behind.

Charlie dressed up and looked at himself in the mirror. He couldn't even recognise himself. He looked so different.

He put all the books into the satchel, slung it on his back, and walked out of the room.

Luma was waiting for him in the living room. 'There is no time to take a cloud carriage. We'd better light walk it to Cloud Central.'

'Light walk?' asked Charlie, who was getting used to all the strange words he heard.

'Yes, Light walk. It's when you turn yourself into a ray of light to travel to a place faster,' explained Luma as she held out her hand. 'Come on, hold my hand. You will learn how to Light walk and many other things at Cloud Central.'

Charlie took Luma's hand. Then suddenly he looked at his hand and saw that it was glowing like sunlit water.

Charlie blinked and found that he was no longer standing in Luma's living room. Instead, he stood outside a pair of tall silver gates that glistened in the sunlight.

The gates opened by themselves when Charlie and Luma walked toward them. Many others were there too. Charlie looked further ahead and saw a white castle that looked like it was made from clouds themselves.

See you later, Charlie,' said Luma, smiling. 'I hope you have a good day at Cloud Central. Someone will come and meet you in a moment.'

'Thank you,' said Charlie and waved goodbye. Luma disappeared in a flash of light.

A woman came walking toward Charlie and looked at his Red Ring. 'You must be Charlie, if I'm not mistaken?'

'Yes, I am Charlie Clark,' said Charlie, looking at the plump woman dressed in a summer-sky-blue cloak.

''Well, follow me, dear. All the new students are already assembled in the Hall of the Heavens,' she said, walking briskly away. Charlie had to walk fast to keep up with  her.