The Cloud No-one Liked

Mary-Ann ran outside one misty, cold morning. It was nearly Christmas and there had been frost on the ground the last few mornings, but there was no sign of any snow yet. Mary-Ann and the other children jumped out of bed excitedly each day, wondering if the snow had finally come. This morning, Mary-Ann was in so much of a hurry to find out whether she would be able to build a snowman outside that she didn’t even have time to put her coat on. Still nothing.

“The snow is taking its time this year, isn’t it?” said Mary-Ann’s mum, putting her arm around her shoulder.

Just then, they heard something. It sounded like… like someone crying very quietly. They looked all around – but there was no sign of anyone. All the windows were still dark. All the neighbours were making the most of their holidays and no-one felt like getting up on this grey, wintry morning. So where was the noise coming from?

“Morning!” Mary-Ann’s dad greeted them as he stepped out of the door too, handing Mary-Ann her coat. “You don’t happen to know who’s crying, do you?” He had heard the unhappy sobs as soon as he woke up.

They all looked around, but they still couldn’t see anyone. It definitely wasn’t the kind of sound a cat or a dog would make, either. In any case, all the local pets were curled up in their cosy beds and they couldn’t see any prowling around the neighbourhood.

“It’s me,” said a voice so quietly they could hardly hear it. “I’m up here,” it added.

Mary-Ann and her parents looked up at the roofs and chimneys around them. “Higher, higher,” said the voice.

“But there’s only the sky higher…