An Enticing Begining

Meeting Mr Ross has inspired me to attempt to write an enticing beginning, something which "makes you want to read on"!

Thick ropes thrummed in the wind. Snapping taut and then whipping from left to right. The huge hot air balloons which they tethered down filled the sky with sunset pinks, fresh greens, opulent blues, canary yellows, rich oranges and thick purples.  Men, women and children of all colours and ages slid down ropes and traversed ladders. They grouped in tight masses under the shade of the mammoth wooden houses which hung from the balloons. Each house had an intricate pattern of painted lines and pictures, no two were the same. Penelope Cross looked on, the small window which sat in the wall above her bed framed the scene. She watched as the large groups slowly became one, congregating near the city gates. Penelope sat back, her view now obscured by her headboard, she glanced around her room. It was small. A pile of clothes sat on a wicker chair in one corner, to its left her doorframe was filled by a dirty sheet. The walls were bare save for a few scrape marks. Penelope drew in a deep breath and placed her feet on the floor. Her Lemon yellow dress shifted awkwardly on her tiny and bony body. Womanhood had yet to take hold of her and the bust of her dress hung awkwardly even though it was pinched with a pin. She reached under her bed and pulled out a cracked mirror, she tried smiling at her reflection. She was discontented. Her light blonde hair was slowly slipping out of its delicate bun, there were some smudge marks on her face. She was thirteen, in her last year of school and lived with her mother and brothers. Though she loved them, she dreamed of leaving, seeing the floating towns of Rhyn, meeting the Snow Harooms, climbing trees! She knew it could never happen, she was old enough to understand that the government never let people leave Niriim.

I hope y'all like it! Any feedback would be wonderful! :D Thankies!