‘I’m not angry,’ Joel fired back. ‘I just don’t like talking about it.’
‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked,’ Emily said quickly. She turned over and pulled the covers up. ‘Let’s just forget it and go to sleep.’
Joel remained silent for a long time. She could hear his heavy breathing, but had no idea what he was thinking.
‘Emily, I’m sorry,’ he said at last. ‘I shouldn’t take it out on you. But you don’t understand. After my parents died, I lost everything I’ve ever known. Everyone I ever cared about. I’ve been alone ever since.’
Emily turned back over to face him, but did not speak.
He inhaled deeply again. ‘Things didn’t work out too good with my first foster family. We were always fighting. So they sent me to this new one. But I really hate it. There are loads of other kids and my foster parents are always yelling. I have to share a bedroom with four other boys. They are always stealing my stuff.’
‘Can’t you ask to go somewhere else?’ Emily asked.
‘I’ve tried talking to my social workers, but they always say no. They say I should be grateful to have a place to live. They don’t care what it’s like there.’
‘No wonder you want to run away,’ Emily said thoughtfully, ‘I would too.’
‘And I will. Right after we get Pegasus healed.’ Joel reached out to stroke the stallion. ‘Maybe he’ll take me away with him when he goes.’ He paused and his voice became dreamy. ‘Pegasus and me. Now that would be a dream come true.’
11
Long before dawn, the skies opened up and awoke Emily and Joel with shockingly cold rain. In the time it took them to find the flashlight and guide Pegasus back into the garden shed, they were both soaked to the skin and shivering.
Huddled together in the shed, they looked out at the heavy rain beating down on the roof.
‘At least there’s no lightning,’ Emily said through chattering teeth.
‘That would be all we need,’ Joel agreed. When he saw how cold Emily was, he moved closer. ‘I don’t think we should stay up here much longer. We’re both soaking wet and freezing.’
‘But I don’t want to leave Pegasus alone.’
‘Me either,’ Joel said. ‘But we won’t do him much good if we both get pneumonia.’
Emily reached out and stroked the stallion’s neck. His skin was warm to the touch. He wasn’t shivering at all.
‘You’re right. I’m really freezing.’ Emily stepped closer to Pegasus, ‘We’ll be back soon, Pegs,’ she promised.
Then she and Joel dashed across the roof and towards the stairwell door.
Back in the apartment, Emily borrowed some of her father’s clothes for Joel, while she went into her own room to change. When she returned to the living room, she found Joel sound asleep on the sofa.
Pulling down a throw blanket, she covered her new friend. After a moment’s hesitation, she went into her bedroom and sank into bed. Within a minute she had drifted off.
The rain continued all the next day. Despite it being early summer, with the rain, the temperature dropped, keeping Emily and Joel from spending the entire day on the roof with Pegasus. Instead, they split their time between the roof and gathering food for the stallion in the kitchen.
‘We’re now all out of sugar,’ Emily said. ‘And corn syrup, cereal and honey.’
‘I’ve never seen such a big appetite,’ Joel agreed. ‘That horse doesn’t stop eating!’
‘Don’t let him hear you calling him a horse,’ Emily laughed. ‘He hates that.’
‘He does, doesn’t he,’ Joel chuckled.
Joel crossed to one of the apartment’s many windows. ‘The rain is letting up a bit,’ he said. ‘And I can see down on the street a couple of the wholesalers are opening.’
‘With no power?’ Emily asked as she joined him.
‘Looks like it,’ Joel said. ‘Where is your nearest grocery store?’
‘There’s a big one a few blocks away,’ said Emily. ‘Dad and I usually go there on Saturday.’
‘I’ll go there,’ Joel said. ‘We’ve drained your kitchen and Pegasus needs more food. Besides, your dad is bound to notice everything missing.’
‘How are you going to manage?’ Emily said. ‘Joel, there’s no power. No elevator. If the store is open, you’ll be carrying heavy bags up twenty flights of stairs. Remember how we felt the first time we did it?’
‘I know, but I have to try.’
‘Then I’ll come with you,’ Emily said. ‘That way we can carry more.’
Joel shook his head. ‘Thanks for the offer, but I don’t think you should. You know how upset Pegasus gets when you leave him. You need to be on the roof with him. I promise I won’t be long.’
Emily really wanted to help, but she knew Joel was right. As Pegasus healed, he was becoming more and more agitated. It was becoming difficult to keep him in the shed.