Predict

How will Ikarus react to the way others treat him?

He swept through the schoolyard like a slow-motion instant replay. But the other kids were not impressed. One girl grabbed the basketball. A boy stuffed the handball in his pocket. Somebody nagged, “Nobody likes a show-off.”

Their words sent Ikarus drifting into the sky, away from the glaring eyes and the pointing fingers.

I waited for them to point back at me as I watched Ikarus float farther and farther away.

Walking home from school, I knew how he felt, how lonely he must be. Maybe I should have said something to those mean kids.

I knew how he felt …

I ran through the streets with my eyes to the sky, searching the clouds for Ikarus.

He struggled to stay in the air. His wings drooped and his head hung low.

He landed heavily on the edge of a building and sat with the pigeons. Pigeons don’t make fun of people.

A policeman passing by blew his whistle.

“You with the wings, come down from there! Stay yourself on the ground. You’ll get in trouble. You’ll get hurt.”

It seemed to me Ikarus was already in trouble and hurt. Could the policeman put him in jail for flying, for being too different?