As they were boarding the hot air balloon Hannah looked over her shoulder and there was Talbot turning looking in the direction of the cave where the trunks were stored. He started in that direction when the pilot shouted, "Hurry we must take off now the wind is picking up." Talbot stopped dead in his tracks, made an about-face and ran towards the balloon. Jumped in. As they were lifting off Talbot looked with longing eyes at his trunk being left behind. Feeling he had lost it twice in one lifetime.
The pilot of the vessel and the other two passengers were very comfortable. Talbot and Hannah felt differently. Never had they experienced such a thing. Their wildest imagination would never have put them in this place. Would they suffer in the sea again?
As the balloon rose from the ground Hannah clung to Talbot with both arms around his waist and her head on his chest. She was frightened. He was squeezing her with his arm around her shoulders.
"You've survived worse than this Love." He reassured her. He though very brave was a bit apprehensive about this voyage. Unlike any other that he had ever taken. As they got higher and higher the island got smaller and smaller. It began to look like a toy. The fire that was burning and the smoke rising up looked like smoke from a cigar. It got so small. The sea on the other hand grew. The next thing they knew they were surrounded only by water as far as the eye could see.
"Sure you know what you're doing?" Talbot asked in a jovial sort of way.
The three men started laughing, "Yes, we have done this many times before." Assured the pilot.
Hannah was pale. Would they plummet into the sea? This time there was nothing to save them. There was no ship. There was no cove. There was no island. Hannah kept glancing over at the three men to see their facial expressions. They seemed calm and confident. She looked up at Talbot's expression too. His was calm but not so sure. They smiled at each other with that smile of hopefulness.
A short time later Hannah shouted, "Look! Land!" There stood Cuba, rising out of the water like a great sea monster. Sitting waiting for them patiently. The land began to grow and get larger and larger. Then buildings appeared, then people appeared. They were running along the beach and jumping up and down and waving their arms and laughing and talking with each other. Expressions of disbelief of what they were seeing.
Then there were those that knew the three men that departed. They were staring in disbelief of another kind. Three departed in the hot air balloon, this they were sure of. Now they stared in disbelief because five returned. They looked at the balloon with their mouths open and their eyes wide. They looked at each other with the same expression.
How was this possible?
The craft landed on the shores of Cuba safely. Hannah and Talbot disembarked on dry land that was populated. When they were sure footed Talbot took Hannah into his arms and embraced her, they embraced each other in ecstasy, thrilled that they had made it back safely to civilization.
