I wrote this for a song-inspired short story challenge from the forums. It's inspired by (the English version of) "99 Red Balloons" or "99 Luftballoons" by Nena.

Nova_Zura is going to compile the other stories from the challenge into an anthology book. When it's posted, check out the other stories. :)

This is... not my best work. It's cheesy. Also I was kind of inconsistent with the child-like misspellings, mostly because actually writing everything the way a little kid would, would a) take more work than I'm willing to put into this, and b) make it a pain in the butt to read. 

I don't really want criticism, 'cause I'm not really interested in fixing this, but y'all are welcome to give it if you want. :) 

4/8

99 balloons wasn't enough to lift our Flying Machine.

Next goal: to save up for the 120 pack.

Next birthday: 364 days

_

4/9

Maya says when we're older we'll be heavier too so we need to buy even more balloons unless we build a lighter Flying Machine.

Next goal: get cardboard box

_

4/10

We got more balloons at Target. And our naybors downstairs threw away a box and we took it. So we can try the machine tonight when Mom is at work.

_

4/11

We're grounded... our naybors told on us!!

Our mom said we aren't allowed to make a Flying Machine anymore. She said she's sorry we miss Joey, but we can write letters on balloons instead of trying to fly to him.

That's stupid!! I want to actually fly up there and meat him! I don't want to only write him letters!

We can just get another box, stupid mom.

_

5/15

Dear Dad,

Mom is making me write you this stupid letter and send it to you with a balloon because she won't let me make a flying machine anymore. Maya and me are making a flying machine to go see you in hevin, but the neighbors saw us testing it and they told mom that we almost fell into their patio but theyir stupid liars because it almost flew. Anyway Mom is stupid she took our machine away and she almost took away our heleum machine too but when we said we made the Flying Machine to visit you she said to use the balloon to send you letters instead.

Love Amy

_

4/21

I HATE MOM.

Yesterday I logged into Mom's iPad and saw she was googling boarding school for young girls.

she's going to send me away because I made a flying machine.

I don't want to go away. Unless Maya comes too and all my friends from school but that won't ever happen.

I hate mom.

_

4/21

Mom keeps saying the war is getting serious, and I hate that, because the war is already serious! It killed Joey! That's serious enough! She's just trying to scare us! I hate her!

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5/14

Dear Joey,

I'm sorry, but it will probably be a long time before I can send you this letter. We are running out of helium, and we can't buy it at the store anymore.

Mom says, instead of sending you a letter every time I write one, I should write my letters and then I'll send a whole bunch of them at once, when I really need to.

She said that, in the meantime, I should make sure to write nicely and use good spelling. She said you would be really proud if I use the spell check and edit my letter to have really good spelling, because you really loved books.

I didn't even know you liked books. I only knew you liked to play Shoots and Ladders with me and Maya. But I haven't seen you since I was four.

I like books, too. Mom says you really like the book Huck Finn, and so I should read it. But I don't like books about boys. No offense.

Love, Amy

_

5/15

It's Maya. Mom is sending away Maya.

She said it's for safety. California where we live won't be safe anymore because the war is serious. She wants us to go to schools in the country because they won't bomb the country they bomb cities.

She said she's going to send me to a different school when she finds one that accepts me.

But I don't want to go to a different school then Maya!

We're going to run away together so she won't have to go! We'll fly away together and go to Joey's friends and help them fight the communists together! And we won't have to deal with stupid Mom anymore!

_

5/17

Maya is gone. Mom wouldn't even let me come to the airport to say goodbye.

6/3

Dear Maya,

I sent you a letter in the mail too but I saw on the news a mail truck got attacked by terrorists so I thought it would be safest if I sent you a letter with a balloon too.

Maya, I miss you! I hate it here without you! All the kids in school went away too! There's only 5 kids left in our class!

I'm really scared. I need you're help to make a new flying machine because I'm not good at tying the balloons.

Mom says you're safe and I can see you when the war is over, but I'm still really worried about you.

Love Amy

_

Dear Diary,

Mom says I don't have to go to school today but I'm not allowed to watch TV.

She says we're going to have a mommy-daugter date to stay inside, eat puding, and do something relaxing like singing songs and writing in our diary.

We used the last of our sugar to make pudding. And it's not really pudding. It's milk mixd with coco and sugar.

Then mom said I could just eat the rest of the sugar because it was almost all gone.

I let her eat some too.

Mom lay next to me in bed and rubbed my back for a long time, like she used to when we were little.

It's nice, but it made me miss Maya. And Joey.

I don't really hate Mom. I love her. But I hate that she made Maya leave.

I miss Maya.

_

Dear Diary,

There was a bomb.

Our house is gone.

The naybors are dead.

There's a lot of fire.

We've been walking for a longtime.

It's night but the fires are so bright it was like day.

Mom says we can rest now.

She said to keep my diary so the world can see what we did.

She said to draw pictures of what I've seen. But I can't draw that.

_

Maya...

There's a big, red balloon in the sky. I bet Joey sent it. I bet Joey got our letters in heaven and he's sending it back.

All the way down. Slowly, slowly down.

Or Maya... was it you? Did you get my letters? Did you send one back? Are you coming here to get me and take me to where it's safe in the country?

Are you safe in the country?

The balloon is sinking, down and down and down. It hurts to move my fingers, but when this balloon sinks, I'll be ready to get it.