Nina was eleven years old and had a secret heavier than a rucksack. She could catch air with her breath and then move it. It sounded strange, but it worked surprisingly simply. Today, after lessons, she stood behind the gymnasium. The pitch smelled of leaves and wet dust after the rain. She kept a whistle in her pocket, just in case. Her heart thudded like a ball against the asphalt. Next to her stood Olek, her neighbour and the only insider. - Are you ready? - He asked, holding the stopwatch on in his hand. - Just don't touch anything today, please,' Nina warned. She faced a pile of leaves and a rusty bin. She took a breath in, long and even as a school ruler. The leaves came up, whirling silently like paper cuttings. Then she took in air slowly, as if she were pulling a string. The basket squeaked and shifted a full foot. Olek blinked so hard that he almost dropped his phone. - 'I think you're really controlling the wind, Nina,' he said quietly. Nina nodded, but something shook the scaffolding of the old grille. The sound came from the basement inlet under the gymnasium. They both froze, as if someone had suddenly deleted the sound of the world. There was a chill of chalk and wet brick blowing from inside. - 'Did you hear that just now? - she whispered, wrinkling her forehead slightly. Olek pointed to a grate near the ground, just underfoot. A quiet, hoarse sound flowed from deep within: - Help, please... Nina suddenly felt her hair stand up on end. A moment later she heard her name, clear as a school bell. - How does it know my name? - choked out Olek quietly. Nina knelt by the grate, her heart still pounding hard. She bent down and caught the air like an invisible thread. With a slow inhalation, she began to carefully pull it out from inside. The grille trembled and the screws protested with a short metallic creak. - This might be a really bad idea,' hissed Olek. - 'Just a moment longer,' she whispered, not taking her eyes off the darkness. An air of thunder and rust flavour gushed from inside. The grille sprang open and a silver shape shimmered in the clearance. Something lay in the wind, as if it wanted to leave. - 'Nina,' whispered a voice, already almost right beside her.