Wings of Courage

Chapter 1: Catch Me If You Can!

The most ordinary ambiance of Caleb's Public Middle School permeated the sweltering sun beating down on the black top. Students sat outside in the shade of the few pom trees in the campus watching the taller kids dunk on the shorter ones. The basketball hoops were shoddy at best metal poles with broken wood backboards and milk cartons for hoops they shook violently as the basketball clattered through them. A small radio played some recent pop hits giving the school yard a bit more energy despite the horrific heat. A few girls stretched getting up from their spot under the bleachers attempting to step out; they jerk back as the sounds of sneakers pounding into the pavement rushed past them.

A small group of boys wearing a mishmash of loose basketball jerseys chased after the huffing smaller boy. He was a rather infamous kid, known for one thing, being ridiculously fast. So much so that despite his chronic asthma he challenged the entire school, and if anyone were able to catch him and bring him to a teacher before he escapes off of school grounds they'd get no homework for a week. Today people looked on in awe and suspense, a few students cheered for the chasing gaggle of athletes. Despite his ragged breaths the nimble kid managed to slip by and around the few students who tried to slow him down.

Weaving through groups of other kids trying to enjoy the last few minutes of school, and as he dashed around one corner he saw an open window into the gymnasium. His lungs hurt and his vision was beginning to dance ever so slightly. With a short intake of oxygen he sprinted towards the window leaping through with a dive into a messy roll against the warm hardwood flooring. The sounds of squeaking shoes halted abruptly upon his disheveled landing. The pause lasted long enough for him to stand up and catch a quick breath. Then a voice cut through the hazy air "Mihai!" The track coach had stepped out of the storage shed and he spotted the young boy. He stood, hands on his knees slightly bent over trying to catch his breath. His hair was long stopping short of his shoulders, and his hair was that of a light brown glistening in the summer rays. Mihais eyes were a warm amber color carefully assessing his surroundings. His skin tanned easily and as if rejecting his financial status his skin was flawless.

"Hey coach!" the wind blew through letting Mihais hair dance within the gentle breeze "Mihai! I swear if you don't get over here right now!" "Sorry coach, but I gotta run, you know how it is!" With that, before a single person could comprehend the sheer audacity to ignore a teacher, Mihai was already out the door; his original pursuers having run around were just behind him. Their fingers lurched every now and then as he simply kept pushing forward the balls of his feet quietly pushing him forward towards the school's exit. "Just let me catch you!" one kid yelled trying to grab him from around the corner of a car parked just inside the premises. "No! You're not a hot chick!" Pushing himself over the car Mihai slid across the hood and past the ambusher. Finally reaching the gate he stepped onto the sidewalk looking at the heaving athletes behind him.

"Better pay up, you know the rules" his hand was left open and waiting for the money to be deposited by the challengers. There was one more rule to this game, if you failed to catch him you would owe him 10 dollars per person chasing him. The five boys, still desperately attempting to fill their lungs with fresh air, dug around their pockets and bags before handing Mihai 50 dollars total. He smiled once before he took a hit of his inhaler and as he did so his face cleared the blush he'd gained from a lack of oxygen. "Thanks for playing!" With that he decided it'd be best to wander on home.

Mihai had been living in this backwater town called Bleak Creek in nowhere California. The shimmer of heatwaves on the road gave him something to look at on his walk back to his home. He and his mom and siblings lived in a small 3 room house a little bit off the side of the main road through town. They often spent nights eating dinner on their roof enjoying the stars. And with his small boost to his pockets he could pay for dinner tonight. Mihais mouth watered at the thought of pizza, or even maybe some tacos, or a burrito! He'd kill for a burrito. With a bit more pep in his step he began to clear the distance to his house quickly. Making it home he opened the door quietly. Just like usual his two younger sisters and his younger brother were cuddled up in a pile with the T.V. quietly finishing up an episode of some cartoon. His mother was off in the kitchen cleaning the plates so they could use them for dinner.