Chapter I - How I met a real Pegasus

It was supposed to be an ordinary day at an educational center for juvenile "delinquents" in some backwoods, somewhere in the state of Texas. The board should read, "You're lost, moron. Look for a map". The only (liquor store) about 10 miles from the resort – total isolation.

I felt this suction in my stomach for the first time and the tray fell out of my hands. The Yorkshire pudding in the bowl fell out of the tray and glued itself on the sticky linoleum.

- You can throw away my lunch too – muttered my friend June, stirring the pudding with a spoon – It still tastes like shit

- It doesn't matter. Can you help me clean up? I replied, sighing

You could say that food accidents are a kind of tradition at my place, even a habit. The obligatory navy blue tie (an element of a scratchy uniform) has often landed in a glass of juice or in a bowl with pumpkin cream.

June handed me a cloth and went to get a mop. I sighed very deeply and started cleaning up this mess. Then I got this sucking in my stomach again, but much more intense.

With a hiss, I dropped the rag on the wet floor. I grabbed my stomach and fell my ass down on the linoleum. June came back with the mop, but immediately left it against the wall and ran to me.

"You're not going to faint, are you?" June asked, leaning over me and then grabbing me by the armpits – At least you're not heavy or a fatass

June sat me down in her chair, took a mop, and cleaned up the mess with the agility of a cat, the speed of a cheetah, and the grace of an elephant. Then she took all the equipment with her to put it back in its place. It was not worth counting on the janitor – a fat woman, with shabby nail polish, would start saying random bullshit in front of the computer monitor, playing solitaire online.

When June was gone, the sucking in my stomach stopped, but I had an irresistible feeling that something was threatening me. That I was in great danger. At first, I thought it would be Brad, strikingly similar to Ryan Gossling, with a tan to look like a LA lifeguard. Most of the girls sighed for him, June included.

But I was immune to this love magic, and Brad set his sights on me. I already knew that he wanted to make me fall in love with him. After 2 weeks, he would abandon me, throwing me out the door like the evening garbage.

And I wasn't going to afford it.

June's return took me away from my intrusive thoughts. Unfortunately, it was not without curious glances from people from the queue. As if they had nothing to do (e.g. pushing through the queue with the excuse "Elders have precedence"). However, she seemed to don't give a shit about what others say.

June, although she was black, suffered from vitiligo. If she had those patches of white skin on her torso, the uniform would easily cover it. It would be without prying eyes. However, these spots were also on the left cheek and on the right temple. This attracted the attention of the public from the outside. She also had shiny black hair, chocolate eyes, and a warm smile. One that will always lift everyone's spirits.

In terms of appearance, I'm almost the opposite of June. My hair is black, which looks too much like the night sky, blue eyes like ice, and pale skin that has often burned in the sun. I was nicknamed "Queen of the Night" or "Lady of Ice". At first, I had no idea why, and then June explained that my facial expressions and look resembled a mask forged from ice. Hardened, unmoved and cold as ice – like the Snow Queen from "The Chronicles of Narnia". 

Such looks irritated me mercilessly. The very fact that June could withstand it surprised me.

"I cleaned up the mess for you. There's nothing to thank for," June said, throwing the first-grader off his chair. The boy sobbed with resentment, pulled himself together, and then ran away. He had no idea what it meant to be in an educational center for young recidivists – How do you feel? Must we go to Miss Lawson's pit of hell?

The pit of hell was a nurse's office. Every meeting with Miss Lawson was torture – worse than 2 hours of math in a row, first thing in the morning. Everyone who left this office suffered seriously mentally and emotionally.

- There is no need for this – I replied, hiding my little nausea from sucking in my stomach – We can go to the classroom

June was content with that statement, for which I was grateful. I didn't want her to drill holes in my stomach with questions. June took my backpack in her right hand and turned around on her heel.

I looked at the window on the left as I got up from my chair. As usual, I forgot to return the plate for return. But something else caught my attention – for a few seconds my wings flashed, like those of some pegasus.

I had no doubt that I had seen it for real. Am I getting high or starting to suffer from schizophrenia?

"Are you coming, Sophie?" June called to me as we left the cafeteria. She had never seen anything like it, even if she was looking at the same place as me

- I'm coming! – I shouted back, running to close my chair and forgetting to carry the bowl to the window with the return of the dishes. The dishwashers will kill me

However, I couldn't resist – I felt in my bones that it really happened. So why the hell didn't others see it, and I did?!

I didn't know the answer to this question.

Outside the window, on the left, the shadow of a pegasus flashed.

*

The double biology lesson dragged on like cheese on pizza. Everyone sat here as if they were a punishment – June was already snoring loudly in the middle of the first hour and muttering something about river nymphs – and it was.

Whoever ended up here committed a crime – big enough to be sent here, in the middle of nowhere, but not a big enough offense to be sent to custody.

Most of the kids were imprisoned here for petty things like theft, small robberies and running away from home on a larger scale. Depending on the scale of the offense, the duration of the stay in this prison for children was determined.

In addition to regular school, there were also "re-educational" classes.

This meant acquiring useful skills such as hunting a fox, weaving dandelion wreaths and jumping through bushes full of thorns. At night there were secret training in the use of firearms – once every 2 weeks. We all hated these activities with passion.

Within 3 months you could have one visit. June's parents often bothered to shower her with all sorts of expensive gifts.

My (non) biological father, Uncle Randolph, my dad's half-brother, often forgot that he could visit me. Our conversations weren't colorful or full of hugs – most often my uncle asked how the secret my martial arts "trainings" were going. If I said I was doing fine during those secret trainings, he would nod his head, give me $50 and then get into his Passat. And he rode off into the distance.

Why worry about an orphan from New Orleans who is in specific trouble with the law?

I knew it was horrible of me, but when it came time to visit, I could hardly rejoice in June's happiness.

I didn't know my father, nor my mother – I didn't even see an old photo of her, from her youth. As if she never existed. Instead, I had an uncle who was fixated on martial arts and a habitual alcoholic. And nothing, apart from that.

No relatives, close acquaintances or even interests other than flying airplanes from old newspaper clippings. Or taking pictures with an old Polaroid camera. Fortunately, I had plenty of them.

When it came time for June's parents to visit, I would go for a longer walk – I often met Tenn, a kid with a severe case of ADHD. When he had time for something other than kicking the asses of tormentors, we practiced together, sparring. Classes at night, in the use of shotguns or pistols, were heaven on earth for Tenn'a.

If Tenn didn't have time, it was Perses most often – his mother was forced to marry a rich man she didn't love. Because he wanted to keep his wife, Dana, on a leash, she could only send letters.

He sat on an empty basketball court and read letters from his mother, drinking the only stolen bottle of whiskey. I sat next to him and supported him in a way. Is it best to support someone, even if they are doing even worse?

Coming back to the story – it was half of the second hour of biology, and then I was free. I managed to get an exemption from re-education classes – so I could go back home after school. And then Saturday and Sunday off.

I lifted my head and looked to the right. Outside the window, on the roof of the center, there was a pegasus – from flesh and blood. I rubbed my eyes, but the creature was still there. Others were also looking at that place, but it looked as if there was an empty place there. And there was a pegasus, as if from some myths or fantasy books.

I turned my head abruptly and my hand shot up. I risked angering Mrs. Cockroach, but at that moment I was not interested. I had to run there to confirm this view. That I don't have any horrible delusions or hallucinations.

- Can I go to the toilet? I asked breathlessly, tense as a string

- You can – Mrs. Cockroach smacked her lips in disgust and then with a gesture of her hand she told me to run to the toilet

I got up from my chair far too quickly and shot out of the classroom like an arrow. I ran like never before in my life – now or never. I had to see this pegasus with my own eyes.

I ran up the stairs to the top floor, and by means of a slip I opened the door to the roof of the center. On soft legs, I raised myself to my knees, and then I saw a pegasus. It had far too much detail to be a mere hallucination.

Next to me stood Tenn, Perses and a few faces unknown to me. The sight of them surprised me, and mine surprised them. We stared at each other in shock for a moment.

-What the hell?! - stammered Perses, not knowing what to say

- Ran out of language in your mouth? Can you kindly explain to me how you smuggled a hell of a huge Pegasus onto the roof of this prison? – I attacked Tenn and Perses with fury and shock

-Do you see him? – a girl with copper skin and fair hair froze in motion

- Of course I do – I replied as if I was saying the obvious

- Atalanta... you don't speak unless she's...- Tenn said, pale in the face, pulling his hand from the Pegasus' mane

- The answer is obvious. This girl belongs to 'this' world," Atalanta said firmly