Day 146: The Sky Solution

The Sky Solution
by
Matt Zurbo

 

Suki had a lot of problems.
(Little Asian girl.)

Kids found many ways to make her cry.
(One boy kneeing behind Suki. Girl pushing her backwards.)

But other kids could be treated like that.
(Suki, on her bum, watching two bullies do the same to a boy.)

Bullies also teased the homeless man a lot.
(Pulling faces at homeless man. Suki in the background, watching.)

And each other. They were weird!
(One bully pulling the other bully’s pigtail. Second bully sticking finger in first bully’s nose.)

Running never helped.
(First bully chasing Suki. Suki looking back at her. Second bully standing in her path.)

Nor hiding.
(Suki hiding under a park bench. Bullies pointing and laughing.)

Then, one day, Suki built a kite.
(Suki on ground, building basic kite.)

Oops.
(Kite torn in branches.)

Then she built another kite!
(Smiling, holding up bigger kite.)

(Kite caught on nose of plane.)

And another.
(Marching to park, determined. New, bigger kite under arm. This kite has a tail.)

Finally…
(Suki laughing, running, looking over her shoulder at flying kite.)

Suki loved flying her kite!
Suddenly, she could see the patterns of the wind,
(Long shot/image of Suki flying kite. Arrows and weather symbols everywhere in the sky.)
the rolls, dips and rises of the sky.

She watched clouds form.
(Kite in amazing clouds.)

Storms roll in…
(Darkness approaching as clouds build. Ray of light on kite.)

Gradually, Suki began to notice what was going on around her less and less.
(Other kids playing, cars honking, etc, Suki on small hill above them all, flying kite, happy.)

Soon, all she could hear was the rush of wind.
(One bully shouting up at her. the other blowing a raspberry her way)

Until, finally, there was no noise at all.
(Suki, smiling, holding string, looking up.)

“Why do you fly that stupid kite?” barked the bullies.
“It’s my escape from you,” Suki replied.
Which was not the smartest thing to say.
(Bullies wrecking her kite.)

So she built another.
(Bigger, prettier, three tails and some colour.)

Then another.
(Bullies in background stomping on kite. Suki is painting an even more amazing kite, with swirls and dragons.)

And each time, the kites got better.
(Bullies tug-of-war with dragon kite. Suki building box kite, biting tongue in concentration.)

Until; “Hi. I thought I might do the same,” said Louie.
(Other bullied kid from start, holding a kite.)

Then Ahmid built a kite.
(Dark skinned kit laughing as he pulls hoop kite along.)

And Wahjah.
(Suki, Ahmid and indigenous kid, Wahjah running, laughing, flying kites. Wahjah’s painted with dot paintings.)

(Suki and two other kids helping each other build a big kite.)

And, before long…
“Uh… Um… I hope you don’t mind.”
(Bully looking bashful, holding small, basic kite.)

(Suki, holding her kite, smiling.)

The skies were glorious that summer!
(Double page spread of every type of kite, painted and/or decorated in every way, colour everywhere, in the sky. A few happy birds. One confused bird.)

Fantastical!
(Kite flying, surrounded by rosellas.)

(Kids walking with kites under arms, smiling, talking, as sun sets. One still flying their kite as they go.)

But each morning Suki would still sneak out.
(As described, kite under arm. Sun barely rising. Garbage truck working.)

(Suki carrying kite through cold, frosty morning.)

Just so she could be on her own with the world.
(Looking up at Suki, as she looks up at kite. The only thing around her is sky.)

 
The End