Glass Ceiling

Chapter 1-2. This Night Goes Crazy

Why didn't anyone consider his opinion when they were talking about adoption, or rather when they simply informed him that he now has foster parents? There they are, those two. Why…

"Mum, Dad... Take me back with you," he silently pleaded into the darkness. And aloud, he replied, suppressing the urge to let out a heavy sigh:

"Fine. Pick me up. I'm by the park where we were yesterday."

Only about 10 minutes had passed when Ingrida was already at the designated spot. Harold was slightly surprised because "near the park" was a rather imprecise location...

"But no one is keeping tabs on you!" he immediately told himself. "They simply saw you from the road, and that's why they stopped right here."

Harold silently took a seat in the front, although he had initially planned to sit in the back. However, it was completely occupied by packages, boxes, and bags, making it impossible to squeeze in even a corner.

They drove in silence for about 15 minutes. Harold despised cars with a fierce hatred, and it annoyed him greatly that Ingrida and Justas seemed to be trying so hard and so often to get him into their car.

Were they mocking him? Or did they think he now had some kind of phobia that needed to be treated? They had it all wrong...

"How was your walk?" Ingrida broke the silence. She said it in such a casual tone as if Harold had grown tired of being indoors and simply went out to have fun with friends.

In reality, it was no secret to anyone that all he did was wander the streets. Well, except for this week when he decided to try riding a scooter.

The strangest thing was that his "new parents" actually allowed him this indulgence. They even let him skip school (once again, a new school for him) and study individually. However, Justas hinted quite clearly that it was temporary and wouldn't be a permanent arrangement. But Harold couldn't care less. "Harold!" Ingrida called out to him, noticing that he had drifted off into his thoughts.

"I'm fine," he replied curtly, resting his head against the cold window and crossing his arms over his chest.

They continued the rest of the journey in silence.

And it was fortunate that at this very moment, they were driving so far away from the central part of the city and the park within it - exactly where Harold had left the rented scooter.

Because there was a perfect chance to find out earlier than everyone else why the clouds were racing across the sky at an unusual speed tonight.

Although there was almost no wind - why would they fly like that... At least, not something incredibly strong that could add even a drop of logic to what was happening.

"Wait... wait... Please, just wait!"

A radiant figure emerged right out of the air, quickly looking around and swiftly running off into the distance. Running... Sometimes it truly seemed as if she were running on the ground, and other times it was as if she were gliding, like a swan on a river.

In this dazzling glow, one could make out the arms and legs, the head, and the long, slightly disheveled hair, if one looked closely enough. But no one did, because the park was completely deserted.

"Wait! Can you see me?" a second voice, much lower, echoed from somewhere in the darkness. If a random passerby had overheard this brief and emotional conversation, they might have thought that the visible figure was a woman, and the voice of the unseen person belonged to a man.

"It would be more accurate to say I sense you..." the figure spoke slowly, slowing down her run and trying to catch her breath. "As always. But if you're curious, I can also see you."

She pointed in the direction of the person she was addressing. Within a second, another figure suddenly emerged from there just as abruptly, equally radiant. They ran towards each other (though it would probably be more accurate to say they flew because they moved way too quickly) and the second figure said: "I can't do it anymore. Just like you can't! I don't know how you're still holding on. And still managing to restrain me!"

The glow disappeared. The faint flickering light of the street lamps outlined the bodies of two... people? Indeed, a man and a woman. Outwardly, they appeared ordinary, like any residents of this city - even their eccentric clothing wouldn't have attracted anyone's attention in this twilight. And probably not even during the day, considering all the interesting fashion creations these streets had seen...

"I want to figure this out, and you know that very well," the woman said, staring intensely into the eyes of her interlocutor. "It takes time."

"We've already spent quite a lot of time, there's no point in waiting any longer."

The man took the woman's hand and led her, clearly trying to stay ahead. "I have to warn you. It's terrible," he whispered.

They slowly walked past a small hill to their right, where under the light of the lanterns, peculiar structures could be seen. They ignored a signpost with arrows, not paying any attention to it, and silently, unhurriedly, they moved along a narrow path paved with gray bricks.

The man shielded the woman, looking around attentively. The unusual silence made their heads spin slightly. Suddenly, the strange beings stopped in their tracks and, without exchanging a word, took a few steps back. Not far from them stood a small and indistinct building with two flags fluttering above the closed doors.

"Laréyene!" the woman addressed him, placing her hand on his shoulder and stepping out from behind him. "I was just here recently, I'm not afraid."

"And what brought you here?" Laréyen responded darkly, trying to push her back, to protect her, although he himself did not fully know from what. The woman forcefully pushed his hand away, causing him to stagger, then resolutely took a few steps forward and turned to face him.

"I don't know what happened here!" she shouted, her voice echoing. "Please, understand, I don't know!"

She clearly wanted to say much more, but the man approached her closely and embraced her. The same glow appeared around them again, but this time it was faint and lasted only a few seconds.

"But I intend to figure it out!" the woman continued. She quickly, yet cautiously, extricated herself from his embrace and walked ahead without looking back.

"And didn't I come here with the same purpose?" Laréyen's breath was taken away. He frowned, angrily scanning the park with his eyes, and moved forward, catching up with the woman.

"I'm ready to risk my life, my health — everything I have," he gestured emphatically with each word as if tearing the air apart with his hands. "But not my freedom. And not you!"

Despite uttering his last words with uncontrolled emotion, at that very moment, even the echo suddenly fell silent, as if realizing that his active presence there was entirely inappropriate.