The sound of hooves clopping above my 3rd floor apartment. Hooves? In an apartment building? I tried to convince myself it was just my imagination, or maybe someone watching a western movie with the volume turned up too high
I never believed in mythical creatures. That is, until I moved into the Oakwood Apartments. My name's Jamie, and this is the story of how my life turned upside down – or should I say, took flight.
It all started on a gloomy Tuesday in September. I had just moved to the big city for college, and Oakwood Apartments was the only place I could afford on my meager student budget. The building was old, with creaky elevators and flickering hallway lights. But it was home, at least for now.
My apartment was on the 3rd floor, a tiny studio that barely fit my bed and desk. As I unpacked my boxes, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was... off about this place. Maybe it was the way the shadows seemed to move when I wasn't looking directly at them, or how the air felt charged with an energy I couldn't explain.
It was my first week in the new building when I noticed something odd about the 4th floor. Every time the elevator doors opened there, a gust of wind would ruffle my hair. Strange, considering there weren't any windows in the hallway. I brushed it off as a quirk of the building's ventilation system.
But then came the noises.
One night, as I was struggling through a particularly brutal chemistry assignment, I heard it. The sound of hooves clopping above my 3rd floor apartment. Hooves? In an apartment building? I tried to convince myself it was just my imagination, or maybe someone watching a western movie with the volume turned up too high.
The next night, it happened again. And the night after that. Always around midnight, always lasting for about an hour. It was driving me crazy. I couldn't focus on my studies, and dark circles began to form under my eyes from lack of sleep.
After a week of this nightly disturbance, I decided to investigate. I waited until I heard the familiar clopping, then crept out of my apartment and up the stairs to the 4th floor. As I pushed open the stairwell door, that familiar breeze hit me. But this time, I caught a whiff of something else - hay?
The hallway was dimly lit, with flickering fluorescent lights casting eerie shadows on the faded wallpaper. I walked down the corridor, my heart pounding so loud I was sure it would give me away. The carpet muffled my footsteps, but I could swear I heard soft nickering coming from behind one of the doors.
Suddenly, a door flew open. I jumped back, expecting to see a horse. Instead, a little old lady peered out at me. She was tiny, barely reaching my shoulder, with wispy white hair and thick glasses that magnified her bright blue eyes.
"Oh, hello dear," she said sweetly, as if finding a stranger lurking outside her apartment at midnight was the most normal thing in the world. "Are you here to see Pegasus?"
My jaw dropped. "P-Pegasus?"
She nodded and opened the door wider. "Come in, come in. Don't be shy."
Against my better judgment, I followed her into the apartment. And there, in what should have been a normal living room, stood the most magnificent creature I'd ever seen. A white horse with enormous feathered wings, its coat gleaming like freshly fallen snow under the soft glow of a crystal chandelier.
I pinched myself, sure I was dreaming. But as Pegasus trotted over and nuzzled my hand, I realized this was all too real.
The old lady smiled. "He gets restless if he doesn't fly every day. Would you like to take him for a ride?"
I stared at her, then at Pegasus, then back at her. "I... what? How? Who are you?"
She chuckled. "Oh, where are my manners? I'm Mrs. Whimsy. I've been Pegasus's caretaker for... oh, longer than you've been alive, I'm sure."
As if this situation couldn't get any more surreal, Mrs. Whimsy proceeded to explain how she'd been entrusted with Pegasus's care by the Greek gods themselves. Apparently, they thought he'd be safer hidden away in a modern city than on Mount Olympus.
"But why here?" I asked, still struggling to process everything. "Why a random apartment building?"
Mrs. Whimsy's eyes twinkled. "Oh, Oakwood isn't random, dear. Look closely at the wallpaper."
I peered at the faded pattern and gasped. What I had thought were just abstract swirls were actually tiny, intricate drawings of mythical creatures. Dragons, unicorns, griffins, and yes, winged horses.
"The whole building is protected by ancient magic," Mrs. Whimsy explained. "Only those with a touch of magic in their blood can see Pegasus for what he truly is. To everyone else, he looks like a large white dog."
I shook my head, trying to clear it. "But I'm not... I mean, I don't have any magic."
Mrs. Whimsy patted my arm. "Oh, but you do, dear. You just didn't know it until now."
Before I could argue, Pegasus whinnied softly and pawed at the ground. Mrs. Whimsy clucked her tongue.
"He's getting antsy. Would you be a dear and take him for a quick flight? I'm afraid my old bones can't handle the ride anymore."
And that's how I found myself, at 1 AM on a school night, climbing onto the back of a mythical creature. Mrs. Whimsy opened a hidden panel in the ceiling, revealing a shaft that led straight up to the roof.
"Hold on tight," she advised. "And remember, always return before dawn."
With a powerful leap, Pegasus shot upwards through the shaft. I clung to his mane, my stomach lurching as we burst out onto the roof and into the night sky.
The city sprawled beneath us, a glittering tapestry of lights. Pegasus's wings beat steadily, carrying us higher and higher until the cars below looked like toys. The wind whipped through my hair, and I found myself laughing with pure joy.
We soared over skyscrapers, dipped low over Central Park, and even flew out to the Statue of Liberty. All the while, nobody seemed to notice the flying horse and its rider. Mrs. Whimsy's words echoed in my mind – only those with magic could see us.
As the eastern sky began to lighten, we reluctantly headed back to Oakwood Apartments. Pegasus landed gracefully on the roof, and we descended through the hidden shaft back to Mrs. Whimsy's apartment.
"Did you have a good time, dear?" she asked, offering me a cup of hot chocolate.
I nodded, still breathless from the experience. "It was... incredible. But what happens now?"
Mrs. Whimsy's expression turned serious. "Now, you have a choice to make. You can forget all about this and go back to your normal life. Or..."
"Or?" I prompted.
"Or you can help me take care of Pegasus. It's not an easy job, mind you. There are... others who would love to get their hands on him. Dark forces that we must protect him from."
I thought about my boring classes, my struggle to fit in at college, the life I had thought I wanted. Then I looked at Pegasus, who was watching me with intelligent, gentle eyes.
"I'll do it," I said, surprising myself with how certain I felt.
Mrs. Whimsy beamed. "Excellent! We'll start your training tomorrow night."
And that's how I became the official Pegasus-sitter of Oakwood Apartments. By day, I was a normal college student. But by night, I was the protector of a mythical creature.
Over the next few weeks, Mrs. Whimsy taught me everything she knew about caring for Pegasus and defending against dark magic. I learned how to mix his special feed (oats blessed by Demeter herself), how to groom his wings, and how to cast basic protection spells.
But it wasn't all fun and games. One night, as I was taking Pegasus for his usual flight, I noticed a dark shape following us. It moved too fast to be a plane, its form shifting and writhing in a way that made my skin crawl.
"Faster, Pegasus," I whispered, and he responded immediately, putting on a burst of speed.
But the shape kept pace, drawing closer and closer. In the moonlight, I could make out gleaming scales and razor-sharp talons. A dragon.
My heart raced as I remembered Mrs. Whimsy's warnings about dark forces seeking Pegasus. I fumbled for the amulet she had given me, a small silver disk engraved with ancient Greek symbols.
"Αποκρούω!" I shouted the Greek word for "repel," just as Mrs. Whimsy had taught me.
The amulet glowed bright blue, and a shimmering barrier appeared around us. The dragon slammed into it with a screech of fury, then fell back, momentarily stunned.
Pegasus took advantage of the distraction, diving sharply and weaving between buildings. We lost the dragon in the maze of skyscrapers, finally circling back to Oakwood Apartments.
As we landed, Mrs. Whimsy was waiting on the roof, her face pale with worry. "Are you alright?" she asked, checking us both for injuries.
I nodded, still shaking from the encounter. "It was a dragon. Just like you warned us about."
Mrs. Whimsy's expression darkened. "They're getting bolder. We'll need to strengthen the building's protections."
From that night on, our routine changed. Mrs. Whimsy intensified my magical training, teaching me more complex spells and the art of potion-making. We reinforced the magical barriers around Oakwood Apartments, weaving layers of protection spells into the very bricks.
My college life suffered. I was constantly exhausted, struggling to stay awake in classes and falling behind on assignments. But every time I looked at Pegasus, every time I soared through the night sky on his back, I knew it was worth it.
Months passed, and I grew stronger, more confident in my abilities. I could now sense magical disturbances, spot mythical creatures hiding in plain sight, and even perform minor acts of magic without the aid of amulets or potions.
But the attacks continued. Harpies tried to snatch Pegasus during our flights. A chimera attempted to break into the building, only to be repelled by our enhanced barriers. Each encounter left me more determined to protect Pegasus and the secret world I had stumbled into.
As the school year drew to a close, Mrs. Whimsy called me into her apartment for a serious talk.
"You've done wonderfully, my dear," she said, her eyes misty. "But I'm afraid my time as Pegasus's guardian is coming to an end."
I felt a pang of fear. "What do you mean? You can't leave!"
She smiled sadly. "All things must change, Jamie. The gods have decided it's time for a new guardian to take over. Someone younger, stronger... someone like you."
Me? Guardian of Pegasus? The idea was terrifying and exhilarating all at once.
"But what about college? My family? My normal life?" I asked, even as I realized that my old life had ceased to be "normal" the moment I stepped into this apartment.
Mrs. Whimsy took my hand. "The choice is yours, dear. But remember, with great power comes great responsibility. And great adventure."
I looked at Pegasus, who nickered softly and bumped his nose against my shoulder. In that moment, I knew what I had to do.
"I accept," I said, my voice steady despite the butterflies in my stomach.
Mrs. Whimsy's face lit up with joy. "Oh, I had hoped you would say that! Now, let me tell you about the secret room on the 13th floor..."
As I listened to Mrs. Whimsy reveal more secrets of Oakwood Apartments, I realized that my life had changed forever. No longer was I just Jamie, the ordinary college student. I was Jamie, Guardian of Pegasus, Protector of Mythical Creatures, and resident of the most magical apartment building in the city.
And you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way.
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