First, let me apologize for not posting this, as scheduled on Wednesday. My faithful editor spent much of the day getting his second Pfizer COVID 19 inoculation, so work ground to a halt.

Back to this scene, one of my favorites in the book—after struggling with her CP and dyslexia, after struggling to attain any level of freedom, after beginning to find that freedom and joy in the company of her mentor Pegasus, he was ripped away from her in a heartless land-grab that eventually led to a community uprising, as the people of Santa Monica stood up to stop the destruction of their iconic amusement park, which included the hippodrome in which Pegasus lived. But meanwhile, little Karen, little Kitten, dedicated herself to overcoming the emotional and physical shock of losing her mentor, and to returning to the place she last saw him, so she could rescue him. This is the scene where she calls upon her inner wisdom, her magic, and he responds, returning to her side.

Scene 19: The Calliope Was Silent

The calliope was still silent, and the hippodrome remained gloomy and dark, but now the high wire fence had a padlocked gate. Resting for a moment on a bench across from the hippodrome, she wondered if she could get in. The thick Friday–night crowd hurried by her, oblivious to the shuttered carousel.

Above the pier, though, the sunset filled the sky with profuse, otherworldly colors. Gazing up at them, she breathed deeply and released the discordant tension within herself. She had silenced her inner voice of discouragement. She had shaken the sadness from her spirit. She would find a way. She was ready to continue her search.

She left the bench and crossed the stream of people, back to the hideous hurricane fence. With the hippodrome windows boarded up, she could not see Pegasus or anything else inside. In her imagination, she heard the calliope and saw the flashing lights, but tonight it was dark and silent. She leaned on the fence, staring straight ahead, searching her heart for guidance.

Why did my strength blossom at this point—now, when I am wondering what they did with Pegasus? Where did they take him? What happened to all the other pretty horses?

Her heart replied that her strength had returned because of her newfound ability to visualize, and to make what she imagined into something real.

She turned away from the metal fence and the ugliness that surrounded the beautiful hippodrome. In spite of the Friday evening noise, in her perception she could hear only the distant ticking of the Bay City Building clock, just a few blocks inland from the pier, as it measured the minutes of life from its great height. Other than the sound of time passing, silence surrounded her.

Where was Pegasus? She forced her trembling legs back into action and hobbled through the crowd toward the end of the pier. Glancing at the rides and amusements, she saw nothing of him. She reached the end and looked out at the darkening Pacific, as the last light of the day faded to black. The distant sound of the clock disappeared, and she heard only the lonely sound of seagulls calling to each other.

She visualized Pegasus, just as she had visualized herself walking, again. Picturing and envisioning him, she saw him disentangled, unharmed and free.

Soon, he will be by my side.

Filling her lungs, she called into the wind, “Pegasus! Pegasus! Can you hear me?”

For a moment, she stood in silence. The sounds of the crowd and the gulls, the whisper of the sea disappeared. Then, in the distance behind her, she heard a soft sound, the sound of hooves on a wooden pier. Afraid to turn and look, she froze as the sound grew more powerful with each step.

Overcoming her fear, she whirled as her gallant rainbow stallion trotted up to her, the lights in his midnight eyes glowing like the stars in the sky above.

“Is it you? Is it really you?”

“It is I. I heard your call, and I came.”

©2021, Karen Lynn-Chlup. All rights reserved.