A Song in the Cotton Clouds

The round hatch of Moonship swung shut with a firm, cosy thunk. Inside the cabin, everything was neat and tidy. Knut wiggled into the pilot's chair and smoothed down his spacesuit, which looked just like an enormous, snug pair of underpant shorts. His pink, love-heart-shaped head gave off a soft, rosy glow that chased away all the shadows. Right beside him sat Dinkabel, her square head bobbing as she checked the map. Her rainbow-coloured skin looked bright in the instrument lights, and her neat braids bounced against the collar of her favourite blue tunic.

"All engines ready, Captain Knut?" asked Dinkabel with a cheerful grin.

"All engines ready!" Knut chirped. In the pockets of his suit, he felt the reassuring rustle of the sweet-smelling warming flowers they had gathered from the garden. Under the bench lay their woolly blankets, and right on the dash rested the shiny brass compass, its needle pointing straight toward the sky. Knut pushed a round green button, and Moonship's bubbling thrusters let out a happy pop-pop-pop. The little white ship lifted straight up off the ground. Through the circular viewport, they could see their round dome home growing smaller below, and the giant Martian shell sitting proud in the garden.

Up and up they went, leaving the dusty ground behind. Soon, the blue air turned milky and cool. Giant puffs of cloud rolled across the glass like sleepy, woolly sheep. They tumbled over the nose of Moonship and brushed past the portholes with a gentle shhh-shhh-shhh. Knut leaned his heart-shaped head to the side, carefully steering around the biggest, fluffiest mounds. He did not want to bump any dreaming clouds.

"Look at that one," Dinkabel giggled, pointing out the window. "It looks just like a giant bowl of vanilla pudding!"

To make their flight even cosier, Dinkabel unscrewed the lid of her thermos. A delicious cloud of steam puffed out, carrying the scent of warm cinnamon and rich, sweet honey. She poured two little cups of starlight tea and handed one to Knut. Knut took a careful sip, feeling the warm honey tickle his throat while he watched the white hills of mist roll beneath their ship. The higher they climbed into the cloud-wrapped realm, the sweeter the air outside became. Through the tiny pressure vents came a faint, sugary breeze that smelled exactly like pink spun sugar at a fairground.

Suddenly, something went tap-tap against the thick glass of the cockpit. Knut sat up straight. "Did you hear that, Dinkabel?"

Floating right outside the window was a tiny object made of polished brass. It was no bigger than an apple, spinning slowly in the mist. Tiny little cogs and wheels were turning on its side—click-whirr, click-whirr. And as it spun, it played music. It was a lovely, tinkling bedtime song, chiming like little silver bells through the misty air. The gentle music made Knut's shoulders relax and made Dinkabel's round eyes sparkle with delight.

"A floating music box!" Dinkabel whispered. "Quick, before it drifts into the cloud banks!"