3 of 21

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 4

in a new Mexico. I don't really know. My older sister moved there to Los Animloss, or something. Those are hard names to say."

"Los Alamos, New Mexico! My Dad works there, and I'm going to Albuquerque this weekend, too."

"Really? No way!"

"Yes, really; we're going to the hot air balloon fiesta. Eddy's going, too. I'll see you in twenty minutes," Jinx said. He hung up the phone, told his mother where he was going, and jumped on his bicycle.

"Can I go?" Philo asked.

"No, not this time, it's too far," Jinx said.

"You're going to that girl's house, aren't you?" Philo asked, and pouted as Jinx rode away on his bike.

"Where are we?" Eddy asked.

"Somewhere over Colorado, I would guess," Jinx answered, looking over the edge of the gondola. Eddy was getting more annoying by the minute. Jinx regretted asking Eddy to come along, especially since Alex had come to the balloon rally with them.

"I wish we could fly over Los Alamos to see the secret facilities," Jinx thought.

"Why do you call the basket under the balloons, gondolas?" Eddy asked. "They aren't gondolas. We studied about gondolas in school. They're funny looking boats in Venus," Eddie had said, when Jinx was telling all about balloons from his online research.

"That was Venice, Italy, not Venus," Jinx had said, trying not to sound annoyed, but he was. Now, high above Colorado, with Philo and Alex in the gondola with them, Jinx wished that Eddy was still back in Kansas. Jinx hit the propane burner switch and hoped they had enough propane to get them over the mountain, coming up ahead of them. Just ehn, the wind switched directions.

The uniformed men arrested the three as soon as they landed the hot air balloon, took Philo away, left them in the room, and then men in suits came and asked them questions. One man did most of the questioning. Jinx did most of the answering.

He explained how they had come to be in a hot air balloon, without a pilot. He told them who his father was, and what he did, to the best of his knowledge.

"So," the man asked, "How did you manage to fly a hot air balloon all the way to Los Alamos?"

"I don't know," Jinx answered. "It's a mystery."

Just then, Jinx's father walked into the room, followed by Philo. "Hi, son," he said. Jinx ran to hug his father, then Philo, and tried to explain it all.

"Easy, easy," his father said. He assured the other kids that their parents were on their way, and it would all be fine, soon. "Now, General," he said to the man. "Let's see if we can figure out what

• << previous page
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Short stories: A geography mystery?
We want to hear your view. Write now!