flight of a blue balloon

Once upon a time, I released a balloon into the air. It was ordinary
blue, but you could see your pupils reflecting off its
smooth surface, when you looked at it, if you looked it square
in the eye. It lifted off clumsily, knocking into power lines and tree
limbs on its path to the sky. It was attacked shortly thereafter, by a vicious
balloon shaped into a raccoon--you can form a raccoon using two
grey balloons inflated and tied together, black mask and stripes
painted on. If you stare raccoon balloons in the eye you get nothing
but a stretchy latex smell. Watching it sink its malicious teeth into
my beloved pet, I thought of all the pupils that might have left
their prints on the balloon, and how they are now plummeting
to their shrunken deaths. If there ever is a next time, I will release
a purple balloon instead, as raccoons are not particularly fond
of the color purple.