Balloon Girl

Balloon of Memory

"Mark!" Azu shouted desperately, trying to fight back stubborn tears. "Why are you going?"

He couldn't be leaving. Not now, when she needed him. Why was her brother leaving? Did he not like her anymore?

With a pang in his heart, Mark turned and saw Azu's sobbing form on the floor. He couldn't leave her like this.

He noticed a cart of balloons on his right, an unusual sight at a place with so many soldiers.

"Hey!" He strode to the vender. "How much?"

"One dollar," growled the old man. "Cough up."

An exchange was made. Mark dug around in his pocket and dug out a golden ring.

"Azu," called Mark. "C'mere."

Wiping her puffy eyes, she looked up and stumbled to him.

"Azu, look," he explained gently, "I have to leave because I love my country."

"But wh-what about m-me?" stammered his sister.

"Azulia, I love you more than anything in the world." He caressed her glistening cheek. "I want to make this country a better place for you to grow up. I promise you, when you're older, I'll come back, and I can explain better. But now--"

The train pulled in, and they could see generals already on board, waiting.

"--now, I must leave." He tied the balloon's string around the golden ring. "This is for you," announced the young soldier. "This balloon is my favorite color, red, and you won't forget that, will you?"

"Brother M-mark, it's b-beau-t-tiful!" sobbed Azu. "You're the b-best broth-ther in the w-world! W-when I'm eighteen, j-just like you, I'll g-give you b-back your r-ring, a-and-" She collapsed into his arms with renewed sobs. Her big brother was leaving her. Why?

With one last ounce of willpower, they broke apart.

"Mom... Azu... I love you."

He lugged his suitcase onto the train, and the doors slammed shut, completing the barrier between them.

Azu felt as if she would never stop crying.