an idea. I make a drawing of a New Town on parchment, and that, too, I fold into a little square.
In the morning I take the folded squares and place them under the pillow of Thaddeus Lowe. Thaddeus repeats out loud the sentence FLIGHT RETURNED TO TOWN and smiles.
Â
Thaddeus wore the light box
Â
on his head when he ascended in the balloon toward the holes in the sky. Beneath him the town was flames and dark smoke. It filled the sky around him. From a great distance, where the rest of the town was climbing up from the tunnels and into their new homes, they could see the balloon glowing with each pulse of flame and a box of light flickering in the darkness.
Whatâs going to happen to him, said one of the children.
Maybe heâs going to die, said another, throwing a large burlap sack of clothing onto the ground.
Heâs not going to die, said another child. Heâs going to be with the Creator.
Bianca was in her new home. She watched out the window the old town in the distance burn to the ground. She saw the balloon light and disappear, and she played the ancient game of Prediction. She saw a box of light sitting on the shoulders of her shouting father. The kites on her hands and arms burned. She wanted to throw the kites out from her fingers and into the sky and tie them to the balloon and pull her father back to earth. She saw the balloon ascend to the two holes in the sky. She saw the balloon stop.
Â
The top of the balloon
Â
was stuck. Thaddeus climbed out of the basket and up the side of the balloon. He had draped thick ropes there for this purpose. When he came to the edge of the hole in the sky, he pulled himself up and kicked against the balloon. He crawled on his stomach until he was completely inside a large room that looked just like House Builderâs home. It was dark except for a small lamp that sat on a desk. The room smelled like honey and smoke, and Thaddeus walked around a little before hearing footsteps and hiding behind the furniture. It was the girl who smelled of honey and smoke. She carried a steaming cup. She sat down at the desk and began to write. All around the desk were little squares of paper tied with blue ribbon.
Hello, whispered Thaddeus, peeking over a piece of furniture.
The girl who smelled of honey and smoke didnât hear him.
Itâs me, he whispered a little louder.
The girl who smelled of honey and smoke turned around.
You, she said. Go away. What are you doing here. Iâm trying to save you from February.
I know whatâs going on, said Thaddeus. I know that February lives here and he is a mean man who named House Builder and his wife February and the girl who smelled of honey and smoke.
She looked at him. Heâs not a mean man, she said. Heâs just confused. He didnât know what to do with your town. But Iâm helping now. Itâs over. February has given up. Iâm giving you a New Town and a new life. You really should go.
How big is our town, Thaddeus asked, looking back through the hole in the floor, the sky of the town.
I have no idea, said the girl who smelled of honey and smoke. I mean it when I say you should go back. Everything is going to be fine now.
Is February here.
Yes, but heâs sleeping.
Thaddeus said, I want to see February.
No, you canât. Thereâs no point in it.
I want to see February, said Thaddeus.
Fine, said the girl. But very quickly.
The girl who smelled of honey and smoke led Thaddeus into a cold bedroom. A man was sleeping under the sheets. His hair was brown and curly. He looked sad.
Thatâs him. Thatâs February.
Yes, said the girl. Are you happy now.
I hate him, said Thaddeus. I hate him for what he did.
Thaddeus stood. His chest rose and fell. He felt the sharp tip of the knife in his pocket.
The Girl Who Smells of Honey and Smoke Creates New Town
After the smoke cleared from the skies, the sun came out big and glorious and the leaves on the trees looked
In the morning I take the folded squares and place them under the pillow of Thaddeus Lowe. Thaddeus repeats out loud the sentence FLIGHT RETURNED TO TOWN and smiles.
Â
Thaddeus wore the light box
Â
on his head when he ascended in the balloon toward the holes in the sky. Beneath him the town was flames and dark smoke. It filled the sky around him. From a great distance, where the rest of the town was climbing up from the tunnels and into their new homes, they could see the balloon glowing with each pulse of flame and a box of light flickering in the darkness.
Whatâs going to happen to him, said one of the children.
Maybe heâs going to die, said another, throwing a large burlap sack of clothing onto the ground.
Heâs not going to die, said another child. Heâs going to be with the Creator.
Bianca was in her new home. She watched out the window the old town in the distance burn to the ground. She saw the balloon light and disappear, and she played the ancient game of Prediction. She saw a box of light sitting on the shoulders of her shouting father. The kites on her hands and arms burned. She wanted to throw the kites out from her fingers and into the sky and tie them to the balloon and pull her father back to earth. She saw the balloon ascend to the two holes in the sky. She saw the balloon stop.
Â
The top of the balloon
Â
was stuck. Thaddeus climbed out of the basket and up the side of the balloon. He had draped thick ropes there for this purpose. When he came to the edge of the hole in the sky, he pulled himself up and kicked against the balloon. He crawled on his stomach until he was completely inside a large room that looked just like House Builderâs home. It was dark except for a small lamp that sat on a desk. The room smelled like honey and smoke, and Thaddeus walked around a little before hearing footsteps and hiding behind the furniture. It was the girl who smelled of honey and smoke. She carried a steaming cup. She sat down at the desk and began to write. All around the desk were little squares of paper tied with blue ribbon.
Hello, whispered Thaddeus, peeking over a piece of furniture.
The girl who smelled of honey and smoke didnât hear him.
Itâs me, he whispered a little louder.
The girl who smelled of honey and smoke turned around.
You, she said. Go away. What are you doing here. Iâm trying to save you from February.
I know whatâs going on, said Thaddeus. I know that February lives here and he is a mean man who named House Builder and his wife February and the girl who smelled of honey and smoke.
She looked at him. Heâs not a mean man, she said. Heâs just confused. He didnât know what to do with your town. But Iâm helping now. Itâs over. February has given up. Iâm giving you a New Town and a new life. You really should go.
How big is our town, Thaddeus asked, looking back through the hole in the floor, the sky of the town.
I have no idea, said the girl who smelled of honey and smoke. I mean it when I say you should go back. Everything is going to be fine now.
Is February here.
Yes, but heâs sleeping.
Thaddeus said, I want to see February.
No, you canât. Thereâs no point in it.
I want to see February, said Thaddeus.
Fine, said the girl. But very quickly.
The girl who smelled of honey and smoke led Thaddeus into a cold bedroom. A man was sleeping under the sheets. His hair was brown and curly. He looked sad.
Thatâs him. Thatâs February.
Yes, said the girl. Are you happy now.
I hate him, said Thaddeus. I hate him for what he did.
Thaddeus stood. His chest rose and fell. He felt the sharp tip of the knife in his pocket.
The Girl Who Smells of Honey and Smoke Creates New Town
After the smoke cleared from the skies, the sun came out big and glorious and the leaves on the trees looked
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