I stood there at the county fair, the dust of Kansas swirling all around me. I gazed to my left, eyeing the Ferris wheel. My eyes widened as I saw Beth Chambers looking up at it, watching it go round and round.

I started towards her, intending to ask her to join me for a ride. Only to stop a moment later as Warren Delaney appeared at her side. She took his hand, smiling up at him, shattering my heart.

I turned away, hurt, disgusted, that she would be so captivated by such an unoriginal, plodding lunkhead. But his father was the richest man in town so those things could be overlooked. I was the son of a blacksmith and, with three others in town, not sought-after in the slightest.

My gaze turned towards the endless waving grasses surrounding the fair, the town, the state. I put my hands in the back pockets of my patched pants and thought about heading home. I turned to do exactly that and that was when I saw it, the hot-air balloon, larger than I had imagined and far more beautiful.

The envelope was a striking shade of emerald green, dazzling in the midst of so much beige. I moved toward it as if pulled by the same bright yellow ropes that held it fast to the earth. The aeronaut’s back was toward me as I approached.

I cleared my throat and, much to my surprise and delight, the aeronaut was a young woman, about my own age. Her hair was raven black, her eyes as green at the balloon, enhanced by her attire, jodhpurs and ruffled shirt, the very same shade.

“Would you like to take a ride?” she asked, her voice a purr, startling me with her directness.

I could only nod as she held out her hand, leading me to the basket and deftly slipping inside. I followed suit, my heart mending itself, beating stronger than ever.

“Are you ready-?” And here, she hesitated. “I don’t know your name.” She blushed and smiled up at me through her lashes.

“Oscar,” I offered. “Oscar Diggs.”

“Oscar Diggs,” she echoed, her hand caressing my cheek. “Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime?”

Nodding dumbly, I forgot that I knew nothing about her, not even her name. I was so dazed that I didn’t see the flash of the blade she produced from her side until she had slashed one of the ropes.

“What are you doing?!?” I cried out as the balloon jerked, longing to break free.

She ignored me and moved towards the other rope. Then, she seemed to reconsider, handing the knife to me.

“It’s your choice, Oscar.”

I looked at the knife, then down at the little town that had been my only home. I could almost see the blacksmith’s shop that was my future.

My eyes came back to rest on the dazzling stranger before me.

And I cut the other rope.