(8) Back To Texas


"Noah get out your binoculars and keep watch on Hope please," said Grandma. "Jake, please get out yours too. Be on the look out for any suspicious trouble coming in our direction from below."

"Okay," they both said. They got out their binoculars and were vigilant doing as Grandma requested.

It seemed no time at all before they were back over San Antonio, Texas. As they had discussed on Runaway Island they hovered under the cover of the clouds to finalize the next step.

"Are you still okay Hope?" Grandma inquired. "Yes," replied Hope. "Douglas flies very smooth and I am able to hold on tight."

"Good," said Grandma very relieved to know that her precious Hope was safe and secure. "We will go down in the Hot Air Balloon first and talk to the people. Once we have the community calm, we will signal you and you can fly down and join us."

"How will you signal?" Asked Hope.

"I don't know. I haven't been able to figure how to send a signal up to you. We need to launch something in the air but I don't know what or how." Said Grandma.

"I know, I know," said Jake. "What?" Asked Grandma.

"Noah can kick his football. He can kick the ball better than anyone." Said Jake.

"That just might work," said Grandma. "Do you think you can kick it high, Noah?"

"Sure, Grandma I can kick my football high into the sky," said Noah smiling and happy that Jake had remembered he was an excellent football kicker.

"Then that will be the signal Hope. When we are ready for you to come down, Noah will kick the football high in the air." Grandma was nervous at the thought of leaving Hope up in the clouds with Douglas.

But before she could say anything, Hope said, "Don't worry about me. Douglas and I will be fine. Go down and make the people understand that Douglas doesn't mean any harm."

"Okay," said Grandma. "I love you" and with that they untied the rope that connected Douglas to the basket and slowly descended down to San Antonio, towards the Golden Arches of a nearby McDonalds.

Hope pulled in the rope and held on tight to Douglas. She waved one hand and said, "I love you too. See you soon."