The Castle in the Sky

Belle was sitting in her favorite spot, in a field of Sunflowers. She had to be careful, for she could get herself lost among the sunflowers  if she wasn’t paying attention. The field was so big and the sunflowers so tall.

Reading and daydreaming among the sunflowers was so relaxing for her. It was her way of escape from that pesky Gaston.  He was so annoying. She would rather stay single for the rest of her life then to be with a guy like him.

Belle looked at her watch and she knew she had to get going.  She took one more look around and breathed in the fresh air making herself stand up.  Now which way did she turn again to get out of the field?

Belle was singing to herself as she baked pies.  The smells of the fresh pies baking made her smile. She would never get tired of the smell of a fresh apple or strawberry pie. She enjoyed making savory pies .

The door chimed as a customer entered the store. Belle heard the chime and came out holding a pie.

“Gaston, what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to have some of your delicious pies my little rosebud!”

Belle’s cheeks got red and Gaston said, ” Your eyes shine even brighter when your cheeks are red my lovely rosebud.”

Splat!

“Your face looks much more charming with pie splattered on it!” laughed Belle.

Gaston took his finger and wiped some off and tasted it. “As delicious as always my sweet little rosebud!”  Then he turned and walked out the door.

Belle shook her head, wondering if he would ever understand and give up on trying to win her affections.

The next day Belle packed a picnic lunch and grabbed her favorite book to take with her. It was the beginning of her vacation and she  was headed back to the Sunflower field. The place that made her heart happy!

As she drew closer to the field she couldn’t believe her eyes! What had happened! There was a sunflower that was enormous! It stretched the whole way to the sky!

She walked up closer to it and dropped her books staring at it with her mouth wide open.  How did it grow so tall overnight? All the other sunflowers looked normal size but this one was giant sized.

Belle was always curious and when an idea popped in her brain she usually went with it. She wondered for a few minutes if she should do what she was thinking of, but her curiosity got the best of her and she decided to act on her idea.

She started climbing up the giant sunflower and climbing and climbing! When she got pretty far up, she wondered if this had really been a good idea. The top of the sunflower disappeared into the clouds. What was at the top?  She paused to catch her breath and rest a little and she contemplated going back down, but she had come so far.  She couldn’t turn back now, or she would always be left wondering about what was hiding in the clouds.

Belle climbed and climbed some more, it was good that she had strong arms to keep pulling herself up.  Excitement and nervousness were building up inside of her. Her heart was starting to beat pretty fast the closer she got to the top.

She did it! She broke through the clouds and what a sight there was to greet her!

It was the most beautiful castle she had ever seen. A castle in the clouds, who would have ever thought?  A boldness took over as she opened the door, she just had to see what was inside.

She gasped as her mouth dropped open once again. There were beautiful golden fountains  all around, they resembled mini waterfalls. There were beautiful poppies, lupines, lilies and roses. It was like she had walked into an enchanted garden.

As she was trying to grasp it all she heard quacking and saw a goose come running towards her! It wasn’t your ordinary goose! It was golden!  Belle’s eyes got bigger as she stared at it with fascination.

“Lucy, Lucy, get back here!”

Belle looked past the goose and saw the most handsome guy she had ever seen! Was she sure she wasn’t dreaming?  His hair was golden like the sun and his eyes were a dazzling blue. Their eyes connected and Jack instantly forgot about Lucy the goose.

He opened his mouth to say speak, but no words would come out.

Then they both started talking at once.

Splash! Belle felt the spray of water hit her.

“Lucy!”

Jack grabbed her out of the fountain and apologized, but Belle couldn’t stop laughing.

” I can’t believe this! I climbed a giant sunflower and I am standing in an enchanted garden in a castle in the clouds getting sprayed by a golden goose! This is so crazy and wonderful at the same time!”

Jack smiled as he put Lucy down. He took Belle’s hand and said, ” Would you care to see more of my castle?”

“OH YES! Please, I would love to!”

They walked and they talked and walked some more. Belle had never seen something so exquisite, she never wanted to leave!

That night as she laid on a marshmallow cloud, she knew where she would be spending her vacation. She would be staying at the Castle in the Sky.