Cloudboy

by Craig Kee Strete

Cloudboy was old enough to want to be older. He was old enough to want all sorts of things. But he lived in a house where things of any kind were in short supply. He dreamed that they had a shiny new refrigerator with a light that worked and a handle that wasn't tied with string. He imagined it would be full of lots of good things to eat.

He wished they had real store-bought furniture with soft cushions and all the legs it came with.

Mostly they sat on old lawn furniture they found along the road on trash pickup day. It was uncomfortable to sit on but at least it was very colorful.

His mother sometimes stuck her fingers in her ears when he wished and wanted all over the place.

She knew you could wish all day long but little ever came of it except night.

Even that didn't stop him from wishing and wanting.

Every day he wished for something new.

And nothing new ever seemed to come along.

But one day in the old shack next to their home a new neighbor moved in.

He was a tiny old man who walked with a stick and spoke in a loud voice because he couldn't hear very well. Everybody thought he was rich because he had not one but two new pickup trucks.

Cloudboy and his pet lizard wandered outside in hopes of meeting him. His lizard, Sandbaby, sat on his shoulder with his tail curled down inside his shirt.

Cloudboy had always wanted a dog. But dog food was expensive so that was out. His mother said Sandbaby could be a kind of dog that was good at catching flies. Flies came in the window for free.

The old man was sitting on an old rusty fender that had lost its car long ago. He seemed to be waiting for Cloudboy to show up.

117 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 21, 2023

About the author

Craig Strete is a Native American science fiction writer. He is noted for his use of American Indian themes and has had multiple Nebula Award nominations.
Beginning in the early 1970s, while working in the Film and Television industry, Strete began writing emotional Native American themed, and science fiction short stories and novellas. He has had three Nebula Award nominations: two for the short stories Time Deer and A Sunday Visit with Great-grandfather and one for the novelette The Bleeding Man.
REANIMUS PRESS NEW RELEASES
The Game of Cat and Eagle novel
If All Else Fails
The World in Grandfather's Hands novel
When Grandfather Journeys Into Winter novel
A Knife In The Mind novel
Dreams That Burn in the Night
Death Chants
Burn Down the Night novel
The Angry Dead novel
The Bleeding Man and Other Science Fiction Stories
My Gun Is Not So Quick novel
The Star Killer novel
To Make Death Love Us novel
Dark Journey
The Bouncing Bride novel
The Mammoth Project novel
Nobody Rides Forever novel
Paint Your Face On A Drowning In The River novel
Strete Food. A book of plays.
The Dinosaur Project novel
Cloudboy Juvenile
Russell Raven Isn't Scared Anymore Juvenile
Death In The Spirit House Novel
New Books.
THE DIRE WOLF PROJECT Novel
THE BLOOD OF OTHERS SF Novel

BLOOD TELLS ME ABOUT THE NIGHT and
THE NIGHT BROTHER
BY R. WRIGHT CAMPBELL AND CRAIG STRETE Horror Novels

MOOSE AND RACCOON
ALL GROWN UP UNDER A BIG MOON SKY
Juveniles

all the books are available in kindle, epub format from Reanimus press.

Reviews

[Janice Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute story, about wishes and their unexpected effects. Cloudboy lives in poverty. His mother manages to cover their needs, but can't begin to satisfy his wants. When he meets a man who seems to be able to grant wishes, Cloudboy thinks long and hard about just the right wishes. He chooses his wording carefully. But, as in "The Monkey's Paw," wishes can backfire. The writing is smooth and compelling, and the characters well drawn. The wish results are imaginative and humorous. A fun precautionary tale.