[ IP ] Into the Storm

Analisa had lived in the quiet town of Karnatas, Kansas for as long as she can remember. 
 
 Nothing really happens in Karnatas, either. Everyone keeps to themselves, even the kids. Or, maybe, they just did n't like Analisa. 
 
 Analisa is twelve, quiet like the town she lived in, and seemed to just radiate that she was different. The other kids were wary of her, for some reason that seemed almost primal, like prey of a predator. 
 
 They rode their bikes through the lazy, winding streets, from dawn to dusk. Analisa watched them as though they were flies. She did n't mind the other kids, she just felt they were just that, kids. She did n't belong with them; riding their bikes, eating popsicles and staining their faces and shirts. 
 
 In the brisk summer, her birthday came. Analisa's mother asked what she wanted, and Analisa answered with `` To go home.'' 
 
 `` Ay, mija'' her mother admonished, `` You are home.'' 
 
 `` No, mother. I am not home.'' 
 
 Analisa was very certain of this fact. Much like she was certain she was going to be thirteen, Analisa had come to the conclusion that she was not home. Something, somewhere had gone wrong, she decided. A grave mistake, perhaps. 
 
 On her birthday, the kids were invited to a party at Analisa's home. She was polite and thanked the kids for coming. Because an adult, Analisa's mother, was present, they all put on their best faces for it. Also, free cake and ice cream. After said cake was cut, passed out and smothered with vanilla ice cream, the gifts were presented. 
 
 A homemade bracelet from the girl next door. A basketball from the two boys from two streets over. A blue hardback diary with a unicorn on the front from the four kids down the street. Analisa gave her best smile and thanked them for the kindness, even though she knew it was from the parents, not the kids. 
 
 At long last, her mother came out, smiling and eyes aglitter. `` Okay, mija. Close your eyes.'' 
 
 Analisa covered her eyes and waited until her mother said, excitedly, `` Okay, now open them!'' 
 
 In front of Analisa was a shiny blue bike. `` Oh, mama!'' she gasped, `` It's beautiful!'' It was n't what Analisa wanted, but seeing her mama be so happy and excited to give her this gift made her want to make her mama stay happy. 
 
 Analisa took the bike down the street a few times, to show off how wonderful it handled, how smooth it rode. For once, Analisa felt what it was like to feel the wind tousle her hair. She understood why those kids liked riding their bikes all over town. 
 
 A few days after, Analisa decided that she wanted to go. She did n't know where, but she felt like a string was pulling her and she had to follow it. She grabbed her bike and rode down the street. The sky was light, and clouds hung precariously in the air, but she kept going. 
 
 She ended up riding for almost an hour before she began to see windmills, large and lazily spinning. The sky was getting fuller with fluffy waves of cloud, the sun struggled to peek through the horizon. The colors began to swirl, deep blues and dusty red oranges. They whirled together and wind began to whip Analisa's hair against her face until she pulled it away. 
 
 She watched this from her bike, in awe. 
 
 The string tugged at her again. She put the kickstand up on her bike and walked towards the vortex that seemed to be so close to the ground. 
 
 The wind was harder as she got closer, but the string was harder against her chest. She could n't fight it now, she was going home. She knew it, this was her ride home. She was swallowed up by the streaks of colored clouds, content that she might find where she really needed to belong to. 
 
 The bike stood there, shiny and new.
