Up In The Clouds by Tiffany Heiser (the snowy day read aloud .TXT) 📖

and hoisted him off the ground in a bear hug. “I'm going to miss you most of all, Jack.”
A huge smile covered his face as I set him down. “I'll miss you too, Sky. But I sure am glad to get a bigger room.”
I ruffled his hair as he started to walk away from Dad. I waved to them one last time and Mom and I made our way over to the buses.
Once we were out of ear shot, Mom pulled me to the side and away from the other normal looking students boarding the buses.
“Look Pumpkin, I don't know what you're going to have to go through, but if it at all gets too scary call me. I bought this from someone that knows what's it like up there,” she glanced up at the sky. “It's suppose to work anywhere, even in the unknown realms,” she said as she pulled out a cell phone.
I chuckled, but stopped instantly when I saw that she was serious. “Sorry, that just doesn't make sense. How can it work up there?”
She shrugged. “I don't know. There's some different kind of chip in there. I'm serious though. I know this is your fate, but if at any time you are in danger or scared you better call me.”
I nodded. “I will. I promise.”
“Okay, good.” She hugged me and kissed the top of my head. “I will miss you so very much, Sky. I'm not doing this to abandon you. I want you to have the chance to be with others like you and be able to be the strongest Skyler Daniels ever.”
“I know, Mom. I don't blame you for this. I bet it's great,” I lied through gritted teeth.
The truth was that I didn't blame her at all, but I didn't expect this to be some amazing adventure. And I also didn't expect to find my future at the school in the clouds. Nevertheless, I would never tell her that. So I said my good-byes, gave one last wave to the rest of my family, and bordered the bus to gods know where.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Hey Stephen, come and sit back here with us man,” a random boy yelled from the back.
“I will in a sec, Matt. Let me finish talking to Cassie,” the boy, Stephen, yelled back.
“Lena, I saved you a seat next to me,” a blonde girl yelled to someone else.
Great. A clique has already been formed. One of my nightmares, to be the outcast of a group of outcasts.
I took the seat closest to the front door of the bus and popped my headphones right in, but before I could blast out my nerves with music someone cleared their throats.
A lady stood at the front of the bus next to the driver. She was short and plump, with wavy thick brown hair. Her brown eyes glowed yellow around the edges as she spoke. “Okay students. Settle down. We have one more stop to make to pick up a few more kids, and then we will make our way to the portal. To the new students.” Her eyes traveled over the faces of the students until they stopped on me. “Welcome. Congratulations on being chosen to make the next step into learning your heritage. We look forward to seeing you all grow in your powers, and seeing which of you have been singled out by the gods,” she smiled at me.
I smiled back. But seriously why did she have to stare at me? I didn't have anything in the way of power, well not really, and if the god that gifted me could only hear thoughts then that would be lame.
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Publication Date: 11-28-2011

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