So I Run

Jessalyn hadn’t expected to come across something so beautiful so soon. It seemed all a little surreal to her; as though she were dreaming and would wake up at any moment in her cold and lonely bedroom. However, as she stood beside Bessy, staring into the field on the other side of the road, taking in all of the bright and wonderful colours, she knew that somewhere in the back of her mind it was all real. Things like this did happen in real life and it wasn’t her fault that she was only just realizing this fact now.

The balloons were of colours so bright and cheerful that she had almost forgotten they existed. She smiled as she watched them swaying softly, anchored to the floor but soon to be released into freedom. Jessa couldn’t help but draw parallels between the balloons and herself. After all, only twelve hours ago she had been tied down, anchored, trapped, waiting for someone to slash through the rope binding her to what she knew and tell her that she didn’t have to follow her neighbours into the endless circle. Now, here she was, and the morning sun was warm on her face and the grass tickled against her legs and the air had never tasted so wonderful.

To her, the balloons looked like giant flowers. They were all of bright, summery colours, reds and blues and yellows. It brought a smile to her face and she turned her head up to the sky, taking in the bright blue expanse above her. It would certainly be a wonderful day to go up in one of the hot air balloons, because Jessa was willing to bet that you would be able to see for hundreds of miles once you got a bit of altitude.

There was someone standing next to her – she could sense it. However she didn’t feel threatened, if anything she felt more at ease. She could picture that the person next to her was doing the exact same as she was; looking up to the sky and simply enjoying the fact that another warm summer day was on its way. Jessa stole a glance out of the corner of her eye, to see a girl about her own age. She was very petite and extremely pretty, wearing a long, flowery summer top over leggings, with a pair of pastel yellow sunglasses resting on her head. She noticed Jessa’s look and lowered her face from the sky slightly, smiling.

"They’re beautiful, aren’t they?" she asked, pointing a pretty manicured hand towards the balloons, which were swaying lazily in the light breeze.

"They are," Jessa agreed sincerely. "I’ve never seen anything quite like them before."

"Every year," the girl smiled. "See the yellow one there? It’s my uncle’s. He’s had it as long as I can remember and every year a group of enthusiasts get together and take them up, show off a bit. You know, like boy racers and their pimped out cars, except it’s old men and their hot air balloons."

Jessa giggled a little more than she had anticipated. There was something about the girl’s airy attitude and calm presence which made her feel very happy and content on the inside.

"I’m Melody, by the way," Melody said, holding out a hand, and Jessa shook it and smiled.

"Jessalyn," she replied. "Or Jessa. Whichever you prefer."

"Are you passing through?" Melody asked, eyeing Jessa’s rucksack and helmet, which were balanced on Bessy’s seat.

"I am," Jessa agreed. "Though I’m not really sure where I’m going yet."

Melody’s face lit up with excitement.

"You’re a traveller?" she asked, her voice slightly breathless. "Oh, you’re so lucky. I’ve always wanted to do something like that, but I’ve never had the money, or the nerve, really. My escape is today. Going up into the air and seeing everything as though you were a bird. It’s freedom."

Melody’s eyes glistened with passion as she looked towards the brightly coloured balloons and the freedom of the sky above them, and she sighed happily as the soft breeze passed over them, rustling the grass around them.

"It must be wonderful," Jessa agreed. "Especially on a day like this. I could see the balloons from miles away and I was trying to work out what they were for a while."

"I guess it’s great riding on a day like this, too," Melody said, glancing at Bessy. The turquoise paintwork glittered in the sunlight. "My mom would never let me get one of those."

"Bessy," Jessa introduced, patting the scooter and laughing. "My mom wasn’t too pleased, but it got me out of her hair. Allowed me to get a decent job, too, so I guess she couldn’t complain too much."

"Does she know that you’re on the road?" Melody asked, and Jessa paused, sighing slightly.

"I guess she does now," she replied softly. "I mean, I don’t know if she saw it coming. I never did tell her; because it’s not something she would have agreed with."

Melody seemed to sense the worry and uncertainty in Jessa’s voice because she smiled kindly.

"People always seem to think that they’ve done something wrong when they don’t get along with their parents," she said quietly. "But my mom always told me that not everyone is born into the right place. She used to tell me that some people get mixed up – they’re put into the wrong environment and it’s not their fault. She told me that these people would grow older and find their own families. They’d find a place where they belonged."

Jessa was silent for a minute or so, taking in what Melody has said. In a touching and gut-wrenching way, it made a lot of sense, and she could feel tears glittering in her eyes.

"Your mom’s a wise woman," she eventually said, and Melody nodded and smiled.

"She is," she agreed. "For someone who’s so sick, she has a lot of optimistic things to say."

"Sick?" Jessa asked, and although she had never met the woman before she felt sadness wash over her. "I’m sorry."

"It’s OK," Melody said brightly. "Mom isn’t the sort of person to let something like this beat her. I have a strong feeling she’ll be all right. At any rate, she’ll be interested to hear about me meeting you. She’s always wanted to meet someone who proves her point. You know, about people finding their own place in life."

Melody turned back towards the balloons, the smile still playing on her face as she watched their soft swaying, and Jessa was suddenly struck by how beautiful the reflection of the colours in her sunglasses were. She smiled softly, going to her bag and fumbling through it until she found her camera.

"Do you mind?" she asked Melody, as the other girl turned to see what she was doing. She smiled and shook her head.

"Go ahead," she replied. "I like taking photographs too. Sometimes the moment just hits you."

Jessa grinned at the understanding and placed her camera to her eye, focusing it so that the background around them was slightly blurred, but Melody’s glasses and the reflection of the balloons were in sharp focus, as well as the camera itself. She softly squeezed the button and captured the picture, and Melody bounded over to take a look.

"That’s so cool," the other girl giggled. "Hey, when you find where you want to go, you should look me up. I’d love to see what other photos you manage to get."

The idea formed in Jessa’s mind as Melody spoke. She had to keep an account of this somehow, and she now knew just the way to do it. It was time to truly make her photography tell a story – her very own story.

"I think I might just do that," Jessa replied, excitement making her words bounce together. She replaced her camera carefully back into her bag and pulled out her little notebook and pen, handing it to Melody without a word but with a huge amount of understanding. Melody picked up on it and wrote her name down on one of the pages, as well as her cell phone number.

"Make sure you let me know how you’re doing," the other girl grinned, as she handing the notebook and pen back. "And Mom, of course. She’d love to hear about what you’re up to."

"I will," Jessa promised, and as they turned to look back at the balloons, the first of them rose into the air, a splash of orange against the great blue sky.

Jessalyn didn’t feel so nervous anymore. After all, now she had something to do on her travels. Something to do gave her motivation, motivation gave her purpose, and purpose gave her hope.