The Call of the Clouds

Every night at midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky.

I watched them form out of thin air as the sun began to set and a low humming sound vibrated through the air. Something between a soft lullaby you might sing to a new born and the low buzzing of a disturbed beehive. It began to grow in volume as the clouds changed colour. Covering the entire skyline in an ominous dark purple, eclipsing the sunset.

Suddenly a blanket was thrown over my head, snapping me out of the hypnotic state I was in.

“Cover your ears, little one and stay under here until I get back.” My mother commanded, a note of worry in her eyes.

Obediently, I sat on the floor. Pulling the blanket all the way over my head and placed my palms on my ears. Muffling all external sound outside the blanket.

Soon Mother brought Cate and she huddled under the blanket with me, also covering her ears. We silently sat huddled together under the blanket, waiting for Mother to return.

Legend has it that the clouds are here to collect a sacrifice as a cost for our people being allowed to use magic. Only children between the ages of 2 and 16 years old can hear the call of the clouds. It’s happened every day for as long as anyone can remember.

Moments later, Mother uncovered us and smiled with relief as she laid eyes on the pair of us.

Uncovering our ears the three of us embraced in a tight hug before being sent back to bed. As was the usual routine.

One day, the routine changed.

I was colouring when I started hearing the familiar low hum, the call of the clouds.

Mother burst into my room, red in the face as she yelled. “Ears.”

Then frantically ran from my room to Cate’s.

As always, I covered my ears and waited for Mother to return.

But something was amiss.

Next, I saw Cate marching past my open door, down the hall.

Mother was scrambling after her, pulling at her arms and body. Trying to drag her back to her bedroom.

Curiosity getting the best of me, I followed.

Being sure to keep my ears covered, I poked my head into the hall to see the commotion.

Cate’s limbs were ridged as she marched onward, unfazed by the attempts of our mother.

Eventually sticking a stiff arm outward, to push Mother out of the way. With more strength than I thought possible for a 12 year old.

Mother fell to the floor and scrambled back to her feet. Tears streaming down her face as she screamed for help.

I continued to follow them to end of the hall, watching as Cate opened the front door and marched onward.

Father appeared, consoling Mother in a tight embrace. Rocking her as she sobbed in his arms. A single tear streamed down his cheek as he spoke with his lips pressed closely to her ear.

Mother erupted into a fit of anger and fear, attempting to leave his grasp but he held her more tightly.

Suddenly their eyes landed on me and they paused for a moment.

Father pointed a single finger towards the bedrooms. A worried furrow on his brow as he mouthed something I couldn’t hear. But I assumed it was something along the lines of “back to your room”.

I stood frozen at the entrance of the hall, unable to follow instruction.

In the front window behind my parents, I witnessed the purple clouds descending upon our village. Sitting low enough to touch the roof tops of every home and building in sight.

Taking the opportunity, Mother broke free of my fathers grasp and ran out the front door.

Scrambling he tried to follow. Stepping out the open door but freezing in the entrance.

I allowed my curious feet to carry me to the front window, where I had a view of the town square.

Others who had fallen under the same trance as Cate were lined up along side her. The purple clouds began to swirl and turn like a whirl pool, until they formed a funnel cloud. Which began to lower itself upon the people gathered in the town square. About to make its selection for the sacrifice.

It paused at Cate, her long blond hair whipping in the wind wildly as it neared her stiff body.

Suddenly a ball of fire was flying through the air and hit the funnel cloud, exploding.

The cloud reacted, lurching backward but then began its descent again. Seeming unfazed.

My eyes looked to the source of the fireball, as another one was launched and hit the funnel cloud. Scanning, my eyes landed on my mother as she ran with purpose towards the town square.

She formed fireball after fireball, launching each one at the clouds as she neared the ominous scene.

I looked to Father, who remained frozen on our porch. He looked pale and unwell, stricken with worry and fear.

I looked back to Mother as she continued her assault. Finally reaching the gathering at the town square.

Suddenly a bolt of lightening shot out of the clouds and struck my mother.

She froze, her body going ridged and then limp as she fell to the ground.

Then as though unbothered, the cloud finished its descent. Encapsulating itself around Cate and taking her away.

As suddenly as the ordeal began, it ended. The clouds dissipated and the blush sky continued into its usual sparkling sunset. Like nothing had happened.

I heard an ear splitting cry through my covered ears. Watching Father running through the streets, towards my mother as she lay on the ground.

I became distracted by the remaining sacrifices. As they began to snap out of their trances and stumble home in confusion. Feeling that was a sign it was safe to uncover my ears, I removed my hands and immediately regretted it.

I could hear my fathers pained cries echoing in the streets as he knelt over my mother. Pulling her body into his lap as he held her close and wailed in grief.

I watched for sometime, until the sun had fully set and the streets were shrouded in darkness.

Years went by as sacrifices continued to be collected, as they always had.

Father was never the same after that night, he no longer went to work. He never went back to his old cheery self, remained nothing more than the shell of a man he used to be.

He did a lot of staying out late at the tavern and I was left to fend for myself.

I had managed to avoid hearing the call of the clouds my entire childhood, by some miracle.

I grew up and finished school to become a full-fledged enchantress. With the goal of understanding why the clouds need a sacrifice and why it must be a child.