Upon a Red Balloon [ON-HOLD]

Chapter Fifteen

Bruno's POV:

We both switched looks, worry and fear in our eyes, then we fixated our looks back on the phone booth.

"You think?...." Danielle questioned. "Probably." I answered. I jumped up on my feet, using my good hand, and started walking towards the phone booth. Danielle followed my steps and we reached the booth, where the phone was still ringing. I doubted if I should pick it up, but Danielle already picked it up.

"Hello?" I asked nervously when Danielle didn't talk. We got both of our heads close to each other's, touching briefly, and putting our ears to the phone.

"You promised, daddy."

My heart broke in to million pieces and I didn't even try to stop the tears. "And daddy will make it sweetie, I'm coming for you, I swear." I said as tears went down. "Are you ok baby girl? Did they harm you?" I asked worriedly. "No daddy, I'm still fine. But I'm scared." She said with fear. "Daddy will save you. I promise sweetie." I said to her. "They told me that if you won't do what they're saying, I'll become a butterfly." She said and I could hear her tears rolling. "I won't let them touch you sweetheart," I cried loudly. "I love you." I cried.

"Mommy is a butterfly, up the hill." She said before the call suddenly ended.

And I realized...

How smart my daughter is, and how haven't I thought of this before.

FLASHBACK

July 8th, 2026

"C'mon daddy, you're slow!" She said as she ran up the hill.

I giggled as I carried the picnic basket. "I ain't slow, you're too fast!" I said and smiled. She reached the top of the hill and I did too, a minute later. "Ha-ha! I beat you!" She mocked me and stuck her tongue out. I giggled as I spread the blanket on the grass. "Oh yeah? You think you're so fast?" I asked. "Let's see you now!" I said and started running at her. She laughed and started running. I chased her, letting her run a bit before I caught her and picked her up. The sound of her laugh was like music to my ears.

I laid her down on the blanket. "Now say you're sorry!" I said. "I'm sorry..." She said. "Sorry that you're too slow!" She said and giggled. "Oh no, you asked for this!" I said. "Tickles monster attack!" I yelled and started tickling her at the sides. She laughed hysterically and I giggled between tickling her. "S..Stop d...daddy!" She begged between her laughs. "So what you're saying is..." I teased her as I tickled. "I... I'm so-rry! S...Stop!" she said with her laughs. I stopped tickling her and kissed her cheek as she breathed slowly.

"This place is beautiful, daddy." She said as she was eating on her sandwich, looking around at all the beautiful flowers and butterflies. "I know, it has a lot of meaning to me." I said, looking around the surrounding of the beautiful, mysterious piece of nature I found a while ago, an hour away from Bakersfield. "What is it?" She asked.

I smiled, thinking back. "In this place, this is where I proposed to mommy." I said. She smiled a sad smile. "Why mommy isn't here?" She asked. "She is here," I smiled. "Look at those butterflies." I said. She looked. "One of them, this is mommy. She is watching us." I smiled. "But butterflies are worms, that turns in to pupae and then they become butterflies!" She said.

"And so do us, baby squirrel." I said. "When we are young, we are like worms - we don't know anything. But then we're studying what's right for us, and we're living happily inside our pupa." I said. "And then, when our pupa can no longer hold us in - it lets us go and we turn in to a butterfly." I said.

She looked at me and she was amazed by my words.

Then, a beautiful butterfly landed on her little hand. It didn't move, as if it found comfort there. "Is that mommy?" she asked quietly. I smiled. "I think so." I said. "Can we keep her?" She asked, referring to the butterfly. I shook my head. "We are still pupae, sweetie." I said.

"And pupae needs to learn how to let the butterfly go." I added as the butterfly flew away.

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A/N: one of my favorites chapter I've wrote in this fanfiction so far...

The flashback got me in tears. Bruno would be the best father ever.

And oh my gosh guys I saw Rio 2 today! :')

Bruno was so funny, and I swear Roberto is the funniest character there! I never knew Bruno could make voices like what Roberto was making but omg he was so funny! And so does Felipe! I found that ironic that Bruno's character and Phil's character are kinds of enemies lmaoo but that what made it even funnier to me! And I also saw it on 3D, which made it even more perfect! If you haven't seen it yet - GO NOW!!

On another note, HHI Israel was AMAZING! I didn't compete, but the crew of my studio won the first place on the Mega-Crew Division and I'm extremely proud of them :')

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Inbar <3