A FLYING HORSE?
There was once a little girl by the name of Brenda Sue who had just been sent outside to play, as so mom could begin the great Christmas feast she’s had planned since almost the beginning of the holidays. Heading out to her favorite spot in the backyard, she plucked an orange off a nearby tree as she went to sit down in her swing.
It seemed to no surprise that it was a very comfortable day so close to Christmas, however this was Florida in the USA. Prior orange rinds laid everywhere as she pointed the toes of her snickers in the sandy ground and continued to pull off bits of rind. She liked the makeshift swing that her dad had fashioned under this tree as she hummed a catchy tune she heard on the television. She was happily, Christmas was just tomorrow morning, and tonight Santa would be delivering presents under our very over decorated tree.
Then she thought about the school kids. Some of her classmates had told her out loud that they did not believe in Santa, this had troubled her somewhat. In a quiet kind of self-thought, she weighed out the pros and cons.
The sky got dark, as the sun seemed to go into hiding. Everything just seemed to dim out for a few seconds. In concern she looked up to the sun, and at that very moment, its brightness had suddenly returned, causing her to quickly avert her eyes. Waiting for the red and green spots to fade away, she had to blinking a few times. As everything began to come back into focus, her eyes lay upon the strangest sight. There before her stood a very tall horse. It was a tall white horse, and it was standing about ten meters in front of her.
Her jaw had dropped open as the orange rolled out of her hand and fell to the ground with a ’plop. Not even looking down, she began to study the rather huge animal, quickly noticing that it seemed to have feathers along each of its sides. This horse was so beautiful, she dared not even blink. In a sudden shift of hoof’s it seemed to turn profile. It’s entire coat was pure white coat, yet it’s mane and tail the color of shiny blonde white and silver hairs. It actually looked as if it had wings!
Just about the time she did blink, a seemingly kind man’s voice seemed to pop in her head. The voice seemed oddly old and very wise, and yet for some reason, his voice seemed quite friendly, like a grandpa.
“Hello, Brenda Sue, I’ve been sent here by Santa. He needs your help in taking some presents to special kids that he believes really deserves them.” At first, she could not speak. She was so in shock. Had she heard words that seemed to be coming from this horse? Nevertheless, they were in her head. Almost stuttering she spoke up,
“Um, my, my parents told me not to talk to any strangers.” Brenda Sue said in a nervous answer, none the less staring.
“And your parents are wise to teach you so. But, I only ask that you remember the dreams that you’ve been having over the last few nights,” The voice in her head clearly spoke as this horse seemed to be looking directly at her. Stunned at this request, yet feeling no fear of it, she thought about what the horse had asked of her.
In a short flash of memory she realized that she HAD been having dreams that she was on a large white horse like the one that stood before her. Yet, there was something else, something much different,
“In my dreams I was on a horse, but, I was flying, do you have wings?” Brenda Sue said, as in that instant, the horse unfolded and spread out the most beautiful set of wings she had ever laid her eyes on! “Oh my goodness,”
“My name is Pegasus,” The voice spoke again, as the horse stomped its front left hoof into the sandy grass, adding, “and I’m just hoping you’ll take the time to hear me out.”
“Oh wow, such pretty wings. You can fly? …Like in my dreams?” Brenda Sue asked, looking and hoping it to be true.
“Of course,” The voice responded proudly, as the horse quickly refolded comfortably his wings. Her eyes had gotten so big and yet it seemed, a tad of fear had suddenly set in. Seeing this, the voice again spoke,
“It alright Brenda Sue, I’m not here to hurt you,” The voice stated, sounding as if it feared that she would suddenly run away screaming. Yet, the little girl just stood there, shaking her head from side to side, answered,
“Oh no, I’m not afraid, I was just wondering if you are real?”
“Of course I’m real, you may come and pet me and make sure, if you’d like,” The voice softly floated inside her head.
“This is not a dream. This is not a dream...” she stated, slowly climbing out of the swing as if in a trance. The horse stood perfectly still. Stepping cautiously towards the towering animal, her hand slowly reached out and made contact with this animal, in a very quiet voice she spoke, “Oh my… your real.” As her breath huffed, as the reality set in.
“Yes, and as I said before, Santa sent me to find you.” The voice of Pegasus floated back into her head.
“There is a flying horse in my backyard, and it’s real… and it just told me that Santa is real too,” Brenda Sue seemed to be talking to herself, yet, inside she was so happy she was about to jump out of her skin. “I’m petting a flying horse. This is not a dream. I’m actually petting a horse that has wings… wings that can fly!”
“Brenda Sue,” The voice almost whispered as the horse backed away a step from her.
“No. No, no don’t leave.” Brenda Sue said thinking she had somehow startled him, as he just backed out of her reach.
“I just want you to listen, and hear me out,” The voice said as the horse shook its head at her and again stomped it hoof in the dirty grass covered sand.
“Sure, Listening, Whatever you say… Hey, did you just say that Santa is real?” Brenda Sue asked, recovering from the fact he wasn‘t going to just disappear.
“Yes girl, as I’ve been telling you, Santa is the one that has sent me here to pick up a rider to deliver some presents.”
“Santa sent you to pick up a rider?” Brenda Sue almost mimicked, barely believing any of this could be happening.
“Okay, Brenda Sue, time to catch a grip here. First, take a deep breath…” Pegasus said waiting for her to do so, “Now then, I’m going to try and say this one more time. SANTA, Saint Nick, my friend, has sent me to have you, help him, and me, to deliver some presents.”
“…Me, help Santa?”
“Oh-boy, must be something wrong with this one,” Pegasus said, rolling his eyes at her and continued by adding with a sigh, “looks like I’ll be moving on to my next one the list,”
“No-no, stay! I’m fine, really. Honestly, just give me a second,” Brenda Sue pleaded, taking more deep breaths to clear her head. Pegasus watched her closely. After a few deep breaths, “Okay. Yes, I’m okay now. So, Santa needs my help to deliver presents.” Brenda Sue said focused.
“Good, at least you’re listening. Yes. He, well actually, we need your help to deliver a few presents to some of the especially deserving kids around the world.” Pegasus stated.
“Especially deserving kids? I don’t get it?” Brenda Sue questioned.
“Yeah, well okay, see every year a few of the letters he gets, and well, they come in a little too late. Some of them are very special. Yet, ‘somehow’ they never make it on the great list. Happens every year and this year, it would be up to you and me to help Santa get those few gifts overlooked to get delivered.”
“Okay…” Brenda Sue said as if waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“...And that’s only if you decide you want to do this.” Pegasus said realizing that this rider might become unsuitable if she fainted. Then Pegasus would just move onto the next one.
“You and Santa want me, to help deliver presents for some special kids, and I get to fly on you back while we do this?” Brenda Sue stated the impossible.
“Um, that is… once we get your mothers permission of course.” Pegasus said surprised she was still standing, as he tossed even more impossible odds at her. “You need to get my mom’s permission?” Brenda Sue could just see her mom’s reaction to being asked anything. The thought of her seeing a white winged horse in her own backyard. Oh man,
Pegasus was sure she was going to faint, throw up, or run away screaming. “You alright,” Pegasus said, almost ready to fly away, But she surprised him,
“Um, yeah, I just don’t think that’s a very good idea. There is no way she’s going to let me do this.” Brenda Sue stated as fact, her eyes looking straight into his as the ‘sparkle’ that showed her worth began to fade. Pegasus was glad to see this ‘twinkle’ in her eye (Santa himself had taught Pegasus what that meant).
“Not to worry, I know a few things about your mom that Santa told me. And I’m pretty sure I can get your mom’s permission, if this works this right.” Pegasus said, almost with a chuckle.
“You’re sure, how?” Brenda Sue questioned, looking at the ground.
“Of course I’m sure you just leave it to me.” Pegasus confirmed with stout in his voice.
“Okay, what do I do?” she stated hoping to get some great part in this plan of his. She was beaming with eagerness as he spoke her part of the plan, like this.
“You just got to go and get her. Oh and it just might help to point me out to her,” Pegasus told her. Her smile nearly fell to the ground, it was the ‘stupidest plan’ she ever heard of. There was a blank stare at each other for a few seconds, then Brenda Sue turned towards the house saying,
“Hope you know what you are doing, Mom’s pretty tough when it comes to me...” She said stepping away towards the house. She just knew her mom was going to say ‘No’.
“Hey! Do you want to fly up to meet Santa and help me to deliver these presents, or not?” The voice of this horse Pegasus questioned inside her head.
“Doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, anyway, ...it’s you’re funeral.” Brenda Sue stated out loud, not even bothering to look back at him as she walked toward her own back door.
“Doesn’t mean it can’t, Oh and by the way, I’m immortal... I can’t die.” Pegasus snidely spoke in her head. In a slight daydream she thought of riding on his back and flying high in the clouds suddenly popped into her head, just like in the dreams she’d been having.
“Immortal, doesn’t mean you can win over my mom, trust me.” Brenda Sue said taking one more look back.
“Of course I can,” Pegasus stated. This made her really mad,
“You asked for it, and I’m even going to say it truthfully… But, it still won’t matter anyway, she’ll say No...”
