World of Whims

            A typical school day. Lara is standing in the hallway, waiting for her brother.                                     - "Where the hell is he hanging around?!" - the girl thought, snorting irritably. She leaned against one of the lockers, apparently it was Nikola's locker, her twin brother. His name was carved on the locker. Lara snorted again, and opened his locker. There were books, textbooks and comics, but not what she expected to see. Lara closed the locker, and at that moment, Nikola ran up to her, out of breath. He rested his hands on his knees and breathed quickly, as if he was short of air.                         -Where the hell have you been?!" the girl was indignant, crossing her arms over her chest. The guy did not answer right away, still gulping air.                   -Do you think it's easy to look for you all over the school? - the guy asked breathlessly. The girl snorted irritably again and turned away from her brother.       -Lara, come on, you're always sulking over trifles. So what if you're 5 minutes late? It's a break after all, - the guy answered kindly and warmly. The girl didn't answer, but simply turned to him. The guy smiled good-naturedly at his sister.       -Listen, do you remember that man who gave us a man with ears and a tail instead of a kitten? - the girl asked, leaning against Nikola's locker.       -Yeah, I think I remember... Nirli called him Figura, I think... Oh, that three-meter man, right?! - the guy suddenly exclaimed.       -Yes, exactly him. I heard on the news that another group of tourists or hunters disappeared in that forest where they took us... -Lara said and turned away from Nikola.       -What?...       -What did you hear. And the girl went to the chemistry room.The boy stood in the hallway for a while and went into room number 35. The bell rang and the boy quickly ran into the room. The teacher explained something for a while and then handed out papers to everyone. Nikolay wrote something down without thinking twice and handed in his work in about 20 minutes.                   The brother and sister were leaving the school. The leaves rustled under their feet. Someone threw a small stone at them. Lara turned around and sent the person who threw it far away, muttering angrily under her breath.       - These first-graders have already gone crazy ... - the girl muttered quietly, irritably squeezing her jacket.       - That's true ... - Nikolay picked up - And by the way, did you forget to ask what school Chris goes to?       - Hmm ... I think it's in 15, in the Meat Processing Plant area. - The girl said uncertainly.       - Let's go to him. Let's take him and the three of us go to the forest, - the guy said with a grin, as if he had already decided everything for them.       - And where are we going to get a car, huh? Master of plans, - the girl grinned.       - We'll borrow one from Mickey, it won't take long.       - From Mickey? You're crazy! He'll never give it to us! - the girl exclaimed.       - Come on, - the guy threw it out. They both left the school grounds. Nikola took out his phone and, using the navigator, went to the Meat Processing Plant area. Nikola carefully looked at each house and school number, hoping that it was a school or the house of his old good friend. A strong wind blew in their faces. Their hair fluttered in the wind. Their hats flew off their heads, so they had to tie the hood. One-story houses, small shops and the same small schools appeared on the street. School #11, #3, #15... Wait, school #15!       - Yes, that's the school Chris goes to. Logically, his classes are over now, - the guy said. - Oh, so you can catch Mickey and Nearly right away. A loud bell rang in the school, which could be heard 30 meters ahead. Nikola flinched and dropped his phone on the asphalt. After a few seconds of petrification, he picked up the phone and examined it for scratches. There was a scratch on the screen all over, luckily there was protective glass. Nikola exhaled, simultaneously with relief and irritation. Relief that the phone was intact. Irritation that the ringing was so loud.       - "Damn, how did Chris not go deaf there?" - the guy thought to himself, grimacing with irritation, looking at the school. Lara's eyes darted to the school doors. Her eyes lit up when she saw Chris. The girl lightly nudged her brother in the side, pointing her palm at Chris walking from school. A slight, joyful smile appeared on the faces of the brother and sister. Chris did not pay attention to them. He held his head down. His light-brown hair was braided into a short ponytail and fluttered in the wind. His bangs fell on his face. Chris constantly pushed his bangs away. His hands were in gloves, despite the fact that it was still quite warm. The boy came out of the school gates, and immediately collided with someone's side, falling to the floor.       - Hey! Look where you're fa- The boy interrupted himself, seeing his friends. He quickly got up from the ground. Chris smiled weakly at them.       - Well, let's go? - said Nikola with a grin.       - Oh, where, I'm embarrassed to ask? - Chris said with disdain.       - To Mickey. "Borrow a car,"- the brunette replied. Chris only looked at him with distrust, but nodded. Lara, in turn, sighed humbly. The trio quickly crossed the road to Mickey's small shop. Entering, they saw a man wiping tables.       - Oh, my! Mickey! - Lara screamed, looking at the now adult but emaciated man. Nikola nudged her in the side. Mickey sighed with humility and spoke quietly:       - If you came, it means you need something, right? The man turned to them.       - Yes, Mickey. Can I borrow your car? - Lara asked cheerfully. Mickey immediately perked up and frowned.       - No. Only over my dead body! - Mickey exclaimed, looking sternly at Lara.       - Well, why? - the girl asked again.       - Because God forbid you crash it! "Lara, I definitely won't let you drive, got it?" the man said sternly.       -"Well, seriously, Mickey. Just for a couple of hours. Please. You're the only one we can ask." Chris added pitifully and imploringly. Mickey sighed humbly. His eyebrows relaxed. If they had something in mind, they couldn't be stopped. Which meant they wouldn't leave Mickey alone either. After a few moments, he continued, but in a resigned voice:       -Okay, but only if Nirli and I go with you, got it?"- the boy said just as sternly, but more quietly. Nikola sighed quietly with relief and smiled warmly.       -Thank you, Mickey, you helped me out,- the boy said with warmth in his voice.             All four of them were waiting for only one - the oldest of their group, Nirli. It was already getting dark. The moon was not visible in this area. Mickey gathered his hair under a cap so that it wouldn't get in the way on the road. Ten minutes later, a familiar figure finally appeared - Nirli.       - Well, finally! Where have you been for so long?!" -the girl exclaimed out of habit, but immediately fell silent under the cold gaze of the elder. Cold blue eyes drilled her gray-blue ones with a piercing gaze. The girl, without thinking twice, turned her head away from him. Only Mickey could withstand such a frightening and piercing gaze. Nirli passed by them. He no longer drilled Lara with his gaze. In his hand, as always, he held a notebook and a pen.They approached Mickey's car. A silver Kia Rio.       -Nirli, maybe you could sit in the middle with Nikola and Lara, huh? We don't need them to do anything else there,- Mickey asked with a smile and his usual shyness.       -Okay. Then Chris will sit with you,- Nirli said coldly, and sat in the back seat with his brother and sister. Mickey got behind the wheel and started the car, and Chris sat in the front passenger seat. At first they drove in silence, but then Nirli handed Chris a flash drive, apparently with music. Chris inserted the flash drive and the music started playing, which all five of them liked. Nirli opened his notebook and started drawing and signing something. Lara leaned over the notebook and began to examine the drawings that she didn't understand. Nirli abruptly closed the notebook and almost hit her on the head with it. Luckily, Nirli doesn't hit girls.       -Have you been taught that it's indecent to look into other people's notebooks and phones, young lady?- Nirli said coldly.       -Yes, we have.- the girl said quietly, turning her head toward the window.       -Then why the hell are you bothering me?- Nirli said in the same tone. There was an unusual anger in it.                                                                         ***                   Mickey pulled onto the side of the road. He stopped the car and got out. Chris got out of the car. Everyone else did the same, and Mickey could calmly close the car.       -So, we all came here because you want to visit someone, right?- Nirli asked with the same coldness.       -Yes. Do you remember that man who brought us here?- Lara asked hopefully.       - And that one, who instead of a cat slipped us some kind of junk? - said Nirli, and after these words, a woman, whom he had just called "junk", attacked him with a roar.       - How dare you call me junk? You, a dirty man! - the woman cried out. Before the others could do anything, Figura pulled her away from Nirli and helped him get up.       - Hey, is everything okay, guy? - the man asked with concern that Aurora had managed to harm him. Nirli only nodded coldly.