The Red Balloon
The Red Balloon.
Everyone that knew Jon Walker knew that he loved photography. His camera was almost as important as his friends and family. Everyone also knew that his favorite piece of art was Ryan Ross.
It never surprised anyone when Jon would invite Ryan to go on photography trips where they would walk around for hours upon hours searching for the perfect thing. Ryan would be amazed at the things that Jon saw as beautiful. For instance the red balloon above the railroad tracks.
Ryan had told Jon for the past four days that it was his favorite picture. He found it just as amazing as Jon had.
Jon couldn’t help but feel sorry for Ryan as he heard him babbling to himself in his bunk. After waiting a few moments and deciding if it was the right thing to do Jon decided to go take a look at what had upset Ryan this time.
“Ry?” Jon questioned softly and pushed the curtain aside. His eyes widened with shock as he saw the empty pill bottle and heard Ryan muttering incoherent phrases to no one.
Ryan was sitting up against the wall with his arms wrapped tightly around his small legs. Tears were leaving marks on his face and it drew Jon in.
“Ry? Can you hear me?” Jon asked quietly and Ryan continued on with the nonsense that left his mouth.
“Andandand…the train was so pretty. I thought it was going to hurt me but I got off the railroad tracks just in time…and then there was this pretty red balloon and I went after it but tripped and the blood that came from my knees matched the balloon.” Ryan’s eyes darted around the room and landed on Jon.
“Do you remember the red balloon, Jon?” He asked while turning his head to the side.
“What the FUCK are you on?” Jon was becoming worried at Ryan.
“Do you remember when I was standing on the railroad tracks and the cuts on my arms? They were so deep, Jon. But the blood matched the red balloon. I want another red balloon.” Ryan whispered the last part quietly.
Jon watched helplessly as Ryan reached under his pillow and brought out the shiny, silver object. His eyes were still on Ryan and he was frozen in his spot as the smaller boy began to thrash at his skin with no emotion on his face.
The tears were still streaming down his face when Jon realize what was going on. By that point it was too late. Ryan had cut too deep and the blood began to seep into his dinosaur sheets and turned them a dark color.
“I want the red balloon. I want the red balloon.” Ryan repeated himself and Jon looked at the cuts that now covered his friend’s arm.
“Why didn’t you give me the picture of the red balloon?” Ryan questioned softly as his eyes slid shut.
It never surprised anyone when Jon would invite Ryan to go on photography trips where they would walk around for hours upon hours searching for the perfect thing. Ryan would be amazed at the things that Jon saw as beautiful. For instance the red balloon above the railroad tracks.
Ryan had told Jon for the past four days that it was his favorite picture. He found it just as amazing as Jon had.
Jon couldn’t help but feel sorry for Ryan as he heard him babbling to himself in his bunk. After waiting a few moments and deciding if it was the right thing to do Jon decided to go take a look at what had upset Ryan this time.
“Ry?” Jon questioned softly and pushed the curtain aside. His eyes widened with shock as he saw the empty pill bottle and heard Ryan muttering incoherent phrases to no one.
Ryan was sitting up against the wall with his arms wrapped tightly around his small legs. Tears were leaving marks on his face and it drew Jon in.
“Ry? Can you hear me?” Jon asked quietly and Ryan continued on with the nonsense that left his mouth.
“Andandand…the train was so pretty. I thought it was going to hurt me but I got off the railroad tracks just in time…and then there was this pretty red balloon and I went after it but tripped and the blood that came from my knees matched the balloon.” Ryan’s eyes darted around the room and landed on Jon.
“Do you remember the red balloon, Jon?” He asked while turning his head to the side.
“What the FUCK are you on?” Jon was becoming worried at Ryan.
“Do you remember when I was standing on the railroad tracks and the cuts on my arms? They were so deep, Jon. But the blood matched the red balloon. I want another red balloon.” Ryan whispered the last part quietly.
Jon watched helplessly as Ryan reached under his pillow and brought out the shiny, silver object. His eyes were still on Ryan and he was frozen in his spot as the smaller boy began to thrash at his skin with no emotion on his face.
The tears were still streaming down his face when Jon realize what was going on. By that point it was too late. Ryan had cut too deep and the blood began to seep into his dinosaur sheets and turned them a dark color.
“I want the red balloon. I want the red balloon.” Ryan repeated himself and Jon looked at the cuts that now covered his friend’s arm.
“Why didn’t you give me the picture of the red balloon?” Ryan questioned softly as his eyes slid shut.