WEBVTT

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The world below smelled of damp earth, crushed

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clover, and the sweet promise of daybreak.

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Leo leaned over the wicker edge of the

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basket, watching the patchwork countryside valley slowly stretch

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and yawn beneath him.

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A faint morning mist still clung to the

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crop lines like a blanket of spun glass,

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stubbornly refusing to yield to the creeping warmth.

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Above his head, the giant canvas skin of

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the balloon glowed in rich, saturated hues, crimson,

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marigold, and cobalt, snapping softly in the thin

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air.

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It was a masterpiece of geometry and color,

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cutting a striking silhouette against the vast, awakening

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sky.

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As they drifted higher, caught by an invisible

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current of wanderlust, the golden hour light caught

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the intricate, heavy weave of the fabric.

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Every stitch seemed to pulse with a whimsical,

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adventurous energy, turning the simple act of flight

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into something magical.

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Leo reached up to pull the burner cord.

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A sudden, fierce roar of liquid propane shattered

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the quiet, breathing a column of pure fire

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into the belly of the beast.

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The balloon surged upward, clearing a ridge of

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ancient oaks just as the sun crested the

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horizon.

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Rays of liquid gold spilled across the valley,

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setting the dew -soaked fields ablaze with diamond

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brilliance.

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Far down below, a tiny tractor puttered along

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a dirt lane, its driver oblivious to the

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vibrant traveler floating overhead.

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Leo smiled, wrapped his hands tightly around the

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braided rim, and let the wind carry him

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further into the golden unknown.