Gale Watch

by Grainne Ni Bhroin

The Next Night (14)

Haki lay in bed, his mind racing. He had slipped away from Gale’s bed early that morning to find his parents and told them what he had discovered. They told Gale’s parents and they had confronted Gale. All Haki heard from his room was Gale’s yelling, and then Gale’s crying. But it was 20 minutes after lights out now and he was waiting for that knock. Another five minutes passed but still no knock, now he was worried.

The zebra slipped out of bed and walked over to the door where he softly knocked on it and called out, “Gale?” When he received no response he tried the door and, finding it unlocked, entered the pegasus’ room. “Gale Force? You okay?”

The pegasus turned over as Haki approached his bed. He said nothing but as the zebra put his front hooves on the bed to climb in, Gale pushed him off.

“Gale?”

“I hate you.” He turned away from Haki and pulled the blanket over his head.

“Gale? What’s going on?”

His question was met only with silence and he stood there in shock. “Gale, I’m sorry. I just… I needed to help.”

He stood there a moment longer but when Gale still didn’t respond he walked back to his room and climbed into his own bed. With tears gathering in his eyes he pressed his face into a pillow and cried himself to sleep.