The Red Balloon

this is an assignment i did for a class... where i had to write in my own word the story of te red balloon.... enjoy

On a morning much like every other, a young boy set out on his usual journey to school. While walking through the alley near his house he noticed that high upon a lamp poll was a stranded red balloon. Very carefully the boy climbed the poll and rescued the balloon from its perch and brought it safely back down. Continuing his journey the boy and his new found friend made their way through the city. Stopping to wait for the bus he and his balloon drew a bit of attention from other waiting passengers. One such was compelled to pull him back because he was standing too close to the curb. When the bus finally arrived the balloon was not allowed to go onboard. Weighing his options the boy decided that maybe he didn’t want to ride a bus where balloons were not welcome. Knowing that he was going to be late for school because of his sudden transportation change, the boy began to run the last few blocks to school.

When the boy finally arrived at school he found that the front door was locked, knocking three times he waited the door to open. Running inside he entrusted his new friend to the janitor of the school asking him to please watch the red balloon until class was out. Then hurrying to class the boy left behind his new friend. Watching from a window on the second story the headmaster observed this exchanged with a wary disposition.

As the last bell rang the boy blissfully regained possession of his red balloon and set out on his long was home. Stepping outside of the front door however he was disheartened to see that it had begun to rain. Meekly he asked a nearby passerby if he would mind sharing his umbrella with him and his balloon. Agreeing to share his umbrella, the boy, the balloon, and the man walked down the street. When the man with the umbrella got to his stop the boy was forced to find a new person to share with him and his balloon. This continued for several more passerbies’s until they were finally home. Upon arriving home the boy’s nanny told him that the balloon was not to be in the house and promptly tossed it out the window. The balloon however remembered that the boy had saved it from its predicament that morning and stayed by the window waiting for the boy. When he saw this the boy opened the window and brought the red balloon inside.

The next morning the boy, knowing very well the balloon was not suppose to be in the house, opened his window and told his balloon that it was to meet him downstairs. When he emerged from the front door waiting there to greet him was his balloon and so they started on their journey again. This time the balloon was allowed to tag along behind him instead of being pulled. Making sure that he was not going to be late for school again the boy decided to take the bus and trust that his friend would meet him at the school. Out front of the school the arrival of the balloon causes a stir among the students causing the boy to get in trouble. The headmaster of the school puts the boy in detention and lets the balloon go thinking that this will solve the problem. The balloon having a different idea decided that it is going to follow the headmaster around. After a while and a very unsuccessful try at ignoring the bright red balloon at his back the head master tells the boy to go and to take his balloon with him. Being obedient and not wanting to get in anymore trouble the boy decides that it is best to head home.

The children from the school are very interested in the red balloon and decide that they want it for themselves. Hiding behind a small shed the children wait for the boy and his balloon to walk by. When the boy sees that he is being pursued he runs towards home. When he arrives at his building the boy let’s go of the string and runs upstairs to his house, and opening his window pulls his friend inside to safety. The children below are irritated at this and decide that the next time the boy and his balloon venture out into the city they will not be so lucky. Later that day the boy and his nanny walk to the nearby church, but the balloon does not want to be left behind and decides to follow. This decision however is not a good one the balloon is not allowed in the church. Not long after the boy and his friend leave the church behind along with the angry nanny and church officials. The boy has decided that church may not be so grand a place, who wants to go somewhere where balloons are not allowed.

While walking through the city the boy decides that a pastry is a good way to celebrate escaping both the church and the headmaster. So telling the red balloon to wait outside the boy leaves his friend once again. The children have been watching and waiting and this time they surprise the balloon and taking hold of its string they pull it away. When the boy comes back out of the shop he is confused as to where his friend has gone. So he sets out hoping that maybe it has just decided to go look around. Out of the corner of his eye the boy sees off in the distant the red balloon, he calls to it. Something is very wrong the boy decides so he starts walking to see what the problem is. When the boy reaches the balloon he realizes that it is being held captive. Calling to the balloon he tells it to come over the wall and he will UN tie it. Once it is free from the children the boy and his red balloon flee. Running as fast as he can the boy runs trough alley ways and around corners trying to evade the children.

Unfortunately he becomes surrounded and can do nothing as he watches the children through things at his beloved friend. One boy uses a sling shot and hits the balloon dead on. Everyone goes still as they watch the sad decent of the balloon to the ground. A particularly cruel child then stomps on the balloon releasing any magic that was still in its lifeless form. Alone and deeply hut by the actions they boy holds onto the broken balloon. His eye is caught by movement in the sky above him; to his amazement he witnesses the decent of balloons that have come to comfort him at the loss of his friend. Overjoyed the boy gathers their stings in his hand and lets himself be carried away by the only things in his world that have shown him compassion and love.