Pulled Out To Sea

She is floating in a sea of clouds. Help her.

I am the father.

The old man continued

Uncork the bottle and let the cloud rise to the sky. If it is frowning, repeat the process starting from the paper crane (repeat until the cloud is SMILING). When your cloud smiles, build a castle in the sand. Make sure it is large enough for your cloud; he will return in one year seeking shelter. Protect this castle from the waves of the beach. Remain vigalent in defending your castle!

2 seconds to impact

There it stood, a looming giant, the ice palace

I wonder what's inside.

Reindeer were seen grazing on cloud all around. A light snow was constantly falling. He took a moment to taste the snow flakes on his tongue.

Tangy

He mustered up courage, and trudged slowly towards the looming palace; he was nothing but a single drop of paint in a mural.

Tornado! Run for you life!

The old man looked very old now, especially in the fading daylight.

Listen to the puddle carefully. Take detailed notes. Bottle it up, corking it with a 7 year old wine cork (from a bottle of red wine!). Keep the bottle with you and follow the detailed notes you have recorded. When you finish, bury the bottle in the sand at the beach and dig it up three days later. The puddle will have evaporated. Uncork it.

3 seconds to impact.

A memory:

Grass as high as his knees. He is walking. He realizes, I am not old anymore; I am 18 again. How strange. Floating. Floating endlessly. Above the ground. Through the trees. Up into the clouds.
The ice palace looms in front of him.

Scared of Scarecrows

The boy did as the old man had told him. He followed the ashes to the ends of the Earth and back.

The old man continued,

Your orders as such begin! Take the cranes ashes and sprinkle them into a day old puddle from the first spring rains. Listen closely to the puddles instructions!

Sir, my hat is a cow!

Said the old man to the young boy,

Boy, listen well! Take a letter, sent by a lost lover, and fold it into a crane. Whisper to it, it feeds on your words. In the stillness of night, tell it your dreams; hopes; fears; all the secrets in your heart. Now, this is very important. Are you listening? Boy! I tell you pay attention! Take the crane and carefully burn it in a flame, gathering all the ashes and saving them. Throw them to the wind boy and then follow your dreams!