
Cliff the Arid Sheeta has won the Pet Spotlight!

Wooo how exciting Cliff won! :D
It is definitely open to interpretation! You guys are all actually super close. When I wrote it I had in mind that Cliff already passed away, a long time ago in fact. He's the spirit of the mountain, Years ago he made a flying machine that ended in his demise and he protects travelers from making a mistake like his. In the story you encounter him because the character 'you' are is contemplating jumping, things like "you didn't come up here to see the 'beautiful scenery'." might give away some of that. The balloon at the end is supposed to symbolize hope, as in Cliff hopes he made a difference.
I don't think you read it wrong, it was a deceiving story about "flying away" until the end
It sounds like he fell and the balloon separated from him
Congrats on An OldStory We've All Heard Before, it turned out to be two-in-one.
Did... did he turn himself into a balloon? :o
CONGRATS, HUN!
A super cute boy!!! Grats!
Someone please explain the story, since I am thick. I kept reading it as "I was bullied, I made a flying machine, and now I'm going to kill myself"...
Cute story, and I like the profile too!
Well done! I took it as, he made it (learned to fly), so...he cut himself loose from the balloon and flew out of sight...