Mariana Nichols and the Cerelian Ring

Phoenix

I'm set to start school on Monday, so Myles volunteered to show me around campus, seeing as I get lost so easily.

"Well, this is the main yard..... It's usually a lot more crowded than this, but it's a Saturday, so...." Myles droned off as we passed through the empty yard. "Oh! And over here is the barn." He led me to a big, blue and brown barn.

The barn itself was nearly the size of all of Red Valley High. I couldn't believe it. As you step inside, through the double doors, there is a circular room with a 30 foot ceiling, bales of hay scattered for people to sit on, or for the animals to eat, I'm not sure. The room split off on either side into wide hallways.

Myles pointed to our left. "Down there are all the sheep, and chickens, and everything. The agriculture classes use them a lot. And if you go this way..." Myles led me to the hallway on the right. "You'll see where we keep the horses. You got here just in time to watch the equestrian team tryouts." I followed Myles down the row of horse stalls, spinning my new ring around my finger as we walked. There must have been two dozen horses here! He showed me his own horse, which he keeps here. As we neared the end, I noticed the clanking of a tall, beautiful white horse banging into the sides of his stall. "Oh, don't mind him." Myles must've noticed my staring. "That's just Phoenix. The school bought him over the summer, and hasn't been able to fully train him. No one's allowed to ride him yet."

"Hey, Myles!" A boy, who I assume is Myles' friend, called out as he passed by the stables.

"Ian, hey! Wait up!" Myles yelled back before turning to me. "I'll be right back, but feel free to look around." He told me as he began jogging backwards to catch up with his friend.

Regardless of what Myles told me about the white horse, I couldn't help but feel drawn to him. I nonchalantly made sure no one else was around before sliding the stall door open, quickly slipping inside, and shutting the door behind me. Holding my hands up in front of me, I slowly reached one hand for the brush which had been left on the floor. Phoenix seemed okay right now, but I knew it'd be best to listen to at least some of what Myles said. "Hi, Phoenix." I say softly, running the brush down the side of his neck.

Maybe I shouldn't have said anything, because Phoenix began thrashing his head, and I flinch away. "Get this thing off of me!"

"......Who said that?" I swear, it almost sounded like Phoenix was talking. But that's impossible.... Right? I must be hearing things.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the ring Aunt Wendy gave me was almost glowing, the dark red gems shining brightly under the dim lights of the stables. "Me! Now, since you are apparently the only one who can understand me, would you please remove the boulder from my back?" He asked angrily.

He talked. The horse talked. That's impossible, horses can't talk. I know. I'm dreaming. Or I'm just going crazy. Or... maybe I'm not dreaming, I'm not going crazy, and this is actually happening. "Um, yeah, sure." I answered blankly, still not entirely sure of what was happening. I try to figure out what Phoenix means by "the boulder." "Do you mean the saddle?" I gently lift the already loosened saddle off his back, and lay it down on the hard floor.

"Ah, that's better." Phoenix sighed, visibly more relaxed than he was previously. "Now that I can think straight, how in the world can you understand me?"

I glance down at the ring, which is still glowing, but much less brightly than before. "I don't know..... It must be my ring." Phoenix inspects the ring, as if he was expecting it to straight up say "Hey, look at me! I'm magical!"

"Your ring lets you talk to horses?"

".....I guess so....." I was still in shock. What if the ring has other powers too? I have to ask Wendy about this. Does she know? If she doesn't she'll think I'm crazy.

The sound of Myles yelling snapped me out of my thoughts. "Mari! Get out of there! It's not safe!" His screams got louder as he ran closer toward me.

"What do you mean, I'm not safe?" Phoenix snapped. "I'll show you who's not safe." He kicked his forelegs in the air, further proving Myles' point.

I slipped out of the stall before Myles reached us. "Relax, Myles, Phoenix was fine before you started yelling."

"Okay, but I told you-"

"And I'm telling you." I stopped him. "Phoenix is perfectly safe. He just doesn't like wearing a saddle. He was perfectly relaxed before you came over here." Even when I turned back to face Phoenix, he looked much more calm than when Myles first approached us.

I see movement out of the corner of my eye that immediately draws my attention. A tall, sickly pale man wearing a black coat stood creepily at the other end of the row of stalls. "Um, do you know who that guy is?" I asked Myles, pointing as casually as I could. "Or should I call someone?"

"That's Mr. Foster, the groundskeeper. He doesn't usually look so..... suspicious. But he is pretty much always around here." He paused. "Hey, how did you know to take the saddle off of Phoenix?" He asked.

"Um, he just looked uncomfortable." Man, I'm a terrible liar. "It made sense he wouldn't want that boulder on his back."

Phoenix laughed at my reference to our earlier conversation, and I nearly did as well. Of course, to Myles, Phoenix's laughter just sounded like a bunch of neighing. But happier neighing.

"Okay, then. Let's head home, Mariana."

"Yeah, it's been a day."