Hot Air Balloon Adventure part 1

Part 1:

It was a bright, sunny morning in the middle of July when Layla and her best friend Sara arrived at the Cascades Hot Air Balloon Port, bubbling with excitement for the aerial adventure they had booked as Layla’s special sixteenth birthday present. As soon as Layla caught sight of the vividly colored hot air balloons being inflated around the launch field, she could barely contain her enthusiasm. She had been mesmerized by hot air balloons since she was a little girl, dreaming of one day floating high above the ground in one of the giant, fabric-draped baskets.

After checking in at the welcome desk, Layla and Sara were introduced to their highly experienced pilot, Tom. Tom was a licensed hot air balloonist with over 3000 hours of flight time who had been operating balloons in the Cascades region for the past fifteen years. He thoroughly reviewed all the safety information, operating procedures, and potential risks with the girls before helping them climb into the large, woven wicker basket that would carry them skyward. Layla’s heart pounded with exhilaration as the deafening roar of the propane burner shattered the dawn air, shooting tremendous flames into the balloon over their heads and causing the voluminous, colorful envelope to fill with hot air.

In what felt like mere seconds, Layla's feet lifted off the ground as their balloon ascended with surprising speed into the clear cerulean sky. She was stunned by the sweeping, breathtaking views of forests, vineyards, and snow-capped mountains expanding in every direction below them as Tom skillfully maneuvered the balloon using blasts from the dual propane tanks. Sara eagerly snapped photo after photo with her phone to document their incredible journey above the Cascades countryside.

About twenty minutes after takeoff, Layla noticed some dark, ominous storm clouds gathering on the eastern horizon and pointed them out to Sara and Tom. Tom confirmed he had also just spotted the huge thunderheads developing in their flight path, likely signaling an approaching storm. As the wind speed at their altitude began to increase, Tom quickly determined they needed to prepare for an emergency landing right away. He fired up the burners to gain elevation, allowing him to scout for a clearing or field large enough to safely set the balloon down.

Suddenly, the light breeze rapidly shifted into volatile gusts of wind and heavy rain started pelting down through the overcast sky. Layla's heartbeat thundered in her chest as violent turbulence tossed the balloon precipitously, making it nearly impossible for Tom to control their direction. Visibility was poor and options for landing were quickly running out. Just when Layla thought the situation couldn't possibly get worse, a brilliant bolt of lightning cracked through the gloom, striking the crown of the balloon! Layla and Sara screamed in horror as the fabric envelope instantly ignited, sparks and flames devouring the balloon over their heads.

Thinking and reacting instinctively, Tom pulled hard on the red vent rope, opening the parachute valve and allowing a huge burst of hot air to escape from the top of the balloon. They began descending dangerously fast as the fire spread rapidly toward the basket below. "Brace for a rough impact landing!" Tom yelled over the raging storm as the sopping wet field raced toward them. Terrified, Layla locked her knees and gripped the basket with white knuckles, bracing for the bone-jarring collision with the earth below.

Seconds later, they slammed into the muddy field with a thunderous boom, the balloon envelope collapsing down around them like a deflating bouncy castle. Stunned, Layla opened her eyes, overwhelmed with relief to see that she, Sara, and Tom were rattled but miraculously unharmed. Though the impact had been intense, their last minute descent had slowed their speed enough to survive the perilous fall mostly intact.

As Layla took in the enormity of the disaster they had narrowly survived, she noticed flashing emergency lights and the wail of sirens rapidly approaching. Help was on the way. Though the adventure ended horrifically, they had somehow managed to cheat death this time. It was a birthday she would never, ever forget.