Advent

There weren't always dragons in the Valley, but no one will forget the day the streets filled with screams of terror or the thundering of massive wings stirred the atmosphere. What had once been nothing more than folklore and tall tales for children suddenly became a waking nightmare as flying monsters of fury and might engaged in combat in the skies over Chattanooga. Buildings were ravaged and the streets flooded with dragon fire as they clashed overhead. The dragons raged for a week before finally retreating into the mountains to tend to their wounds.

“...White house vocalizes concerns as recovery efforts pick up pace after Governor Tracey approves reactivation of nuclear power…” the words of the news reporter faded out of Lana’s focus as she sat against the wall of the Ringgold Community Center. The air felt thick in her chest as she attempted to shake the memories as if she were still choking on the thick smoke that filled the air in the city.

She pulled her legs close to her chest and hugged them tightly. Six months have passed since the event that led her family to flee their home. Her mother and little brother worked their way through the crowd and squeezed in next to her. "Lana, other cities have reported new sightings" her mom whispered, “government agents are traveling up from Atlanta searching refugee camps for marked people. We need to keep moving, sweetheart." Lana tucked her arm in close and tightened the bandages she had on her hand and wrist at the sound of her mom's words.

The advent of the dragons brought more than destruction: the earth itself has changed! Lana returned her attention to the TV screen. “Scientists and theologians continue to be baffled by reports of individuals with ‘magical abilities’ surfacing in various communities. The abilities appear to be manifesting in and around the regions where the terrifying beasts originally appeared. Local doctors are asking citizens with these strange new symbols or markings to please come forward.” the reporter uttered monotonously.

Lana’s mark had appeared just a few days after the attack. She had managed to keep it secret thus far by bandaging herself up since a lot of people had sustained injuries in the chaos. Passing it off as an injury was easy enough at first, but as time goes by it is becoming harder and harder to hide.

“Lana? Solana, did you hear me?”

“Yeah…did you hear the rumors?”, she whispered, “there have been public burnings in Rossville, Cleveland, and even in larger cities like Nash and Knox. It’s like Salem out there…”

Tears began to gather as she moved in close. “Mom, what….what if they find me?!

“Oh Lana!” she said, pulling her daughter in tightly. “Sweetheart, they won’t find you. We are going to run as far away as we have to! I’ll make sure of it! And if any one tries to touch you, I swear to God there ain’t nuthin’ this side of the Mississippi that can stop a mother from protecting her babies!”

Lana rubbed away the tears that formed on her chin, "When do we leave?" she said shakily.

"We leave in the morning. Thomas has offered to give us a ride out of town. He thinks he can get us as far as Huntsville."

“Huntsville? But I thought that was dangerous?!”

“It is. The whole damn state went into anarchy after Birmingham was hit. But there are less CIA, or FBI, or whoever the Hell these people are going around taking people...besides it’s only temporary. It’s the best path to your uncle’s place.”

"Ok...but St. Louis is so far away. How are we supposed to get there?"

“Don’t you worry yourself, baby girl,” she said as she gently wiped a tear away, “you just need a little faith. One day this will all blow over and it will all be back to normal! Until then we just gotta keep movin.”

Normal…the word hung in Lana’s mind like a body from a noose. I don’t know what normal is anymore… She thought

The hours passed by slowly. After dinner, everyone took their turns washing up in the community center bathrooms. Local officials have been trying to get portable showers set up but supply chains and red tape kept most of the much needed supplies in more populated areas.

After a couple hours in line, Lana’s turn finally came. The cold water streamed over her hands as she leaned over the sink. It was the only time she took her bandages off during the day. Her eyes rested on the mysterious lines that now sat on her wrist. It was strange but somehow familiar. She moved her hand over the dark lines, tracing the pattern with her fingers. As she stared at the mark, she felt mesmerized. After a few moments, she noticed a glimmer of red light begin to shimmer across the lines. She pulled her hand closer to get a better look when suddenly she began to hear whispers in an unknown language. It seemed as if it were coming from the mark! She pulled it up to her ear and focused in on the sound. From the strange cacophony of whispers she could hear a voice say, “Drökk’n Kédar…”

Bang Bang! Lana yelped in surprise as an aggressive knock shook her back to reality. A masculine voice yelled through the door, “Hey! Hurry up in there! We all need to clean up!” Lana looked back at the mark. No shimmering; no whispers. “Ugh…I’m losing it” she said to herself BANG BANG! “Alright, alright, just chill I’m almost done!”

She quickly dried up and dashed out the door, avoiding eye contact. Suddenly, she found herself slamming into the floor as a foot struck out to disrupt her balance. The young man that has been banging on the door sneered as Lana scrambled to stand up to her feet. She felt heat in her chest as she turned to face her assailant with fists clenched and eyes full of rage.

“Watch it, a-hole!” Lana said aggressively.

“You stop wasting everyone's time and wasting water you…woah!” he exclaimed as his eyes went wide. “What’s wrong with your hand?!”

Lana looked down and saw that beneath the bandages a reddish glow started to shine through the bandages. The light vanished almost instantly. “It…it’s just blood you, redneck trash dump. Leave me alone!”

Lana moved swiftly back to her mom. “Sweetheart you look frightened, are you ok?!”

“I don’t know, momma, I…” she paused suddenly, afraid of saying the truth aloud, “let’s just get some sleep. We can talk more while riding in the truck to Huntsville”

“O-oh…okay, dear.” she responded with concern in her eyes.

Soon the lights were put out and all was still in the silent, dark room where they all slept. It took weeks for Lana to get used to sleeping in a room with hundreds of others, but eventually they all adapted to the change.

Tonight, however, rest came very reluctantly as she lay in her cot. The hours dragged by until finally she drifted into dreams. In the depth of slumber, she gazed upon her once beloved city, whole and full of life. As she stared in bliss at all the people and the buildings, the ground began to shake and shift beneath her feet. The sky turned dark and fear gripped her throat! She fought to keep her balance but to no avail. She tumbled to the ground as the street before her cracked and ruptured. Suddenly, a massive scaled claw, big enough to wrap around her waist, reached up out of the earth. Dragon! Her heart raced and breathing ceased as adrenaline gripped her senses. She urged her body to move but her muscles were locked in place.

The dragon pulled itself up out of the ground and stood over her and it’s massive eye turned to face her. The slanted pupil widening as it focused in on her, taking in her form. An alien sensation filled her mind as an unknown voice invaded her thoughts. “Drökk’n Kédar,” the intrusive, foreboding words formed with her mind, "my kin need you…our worlds need you! Meet me where the three mountains meet and the river runs between. There, I will explain it all to you, but you must hurry!”

Lana woke with a gasp! As she sat up, she peered into the dark room full of sleeping people. All was quiet…

It was all a dream…it was all just a dream…

The doors burst open and the lights blinded her as dozens of armed personnel rushed in and surrounded the room. Panic suddenly took hold of the waking crowd. People began to scramble in terror as the armed personnel blocked off the entrances and windows with incredible speed. “Everyone stay calm!” A man in sunglasses belted as he walked into the room, “we are looking for anyone bearing the marks of the afflicted. This will be over quickly if you just cooperate. If you are marked, come forth quietly and you will be treated with the utmost hospitality…don’t come forward and we will be forced to be less than cordial.”

Lana felt her mom and brother crowd around her. “We have to get you out of here…” Her mother whispered.

“But how?! The doors are blocked!”

“I don’t know, sweetheart, but you have to get out…I won’t let them have you! You need to leave us and run! I promise we will find you wherever y-”

“No! I can’t leave you!”

“You have to! You have to stay safe!”

Lana felt her brother cling to her, his fresh tears falling on her arm. She knew her mom was right. If not for her safety than for her family’s…

Lana looked around the room as agents began inspecting people. Resolve steeled her panicked thoughts as she felt the heat rising in her chest again. Out of the corner of her eye she caught the young man from earlier talking to one of the agents. She watched as he gestured towards her and the agent began moving in her direction.

“I love you both!” she said as she kissed her little brother and handed him over to her mom. Lana lept from her cot and bolted towards the nearest exit!

“Stop her!” she heard from behind as she weaved her way through the crowd. She was nearly at the door when she felt a strong hand grab her wrist! She struggled to break free when she heard the man with sunglasses yell out, “stop resisting or else!”

Lana looked up to see an armed agent restraining her mother and brother. She stared in disbelief, now yearning with desire to get back to her family. She screamed out for her family and continued to fight against the man restraining her. “Fine then. Have it your way!” shwwaap! His hand collided against flesh and Lana watched as her mom was thrown to the floor at the impact.

“NO!” she screamed. Suddenly she was blinded as her scream of anger ignited into a burst of flames pouring from her mouth!

She felt the grip loosen and she broke free. She stumbled forward as several bodies flailed and screamed in pain, fire consuming their flesh right before her eyes. She glanced over to her family only to find her mother and brother holding each other on the floor with looks of sheer terror. Confused and panicked, she raced through the door and fled into the night.

The trees were a blur as she raced into the darkness, her feet carried by nothing more than absolute fear. Time became immeasurable as adrenaline pressed her forward into the night. Eventually she was forced to stop for rest as her oxygen deprived body demanded her to stop. It was only then that she noticed the gash in her leg and blood pouring to the ground. She grabbed at the wound, attempting to slow the bleeding. Her body was shaking from all the emotions that raced to catch up with her. With great despair, she let out a tearful wail. Her hand glowed to life and fire licked out at the blood at her wound! She fell backwards in terror as the flames shrouded her leg. But before panic could overtake her senses, she noticed that it did not burn. Instead, she watched as her flesh began to knit back together at the touch of the flames!

She stared in disbelief when suddenly, she heard the voice in her head once again saying, “Run, Drökk’n Kédar! I will help you save them. But right now you must run!”

Lana heard the sound of distant dogs barking and commands being belted out. “This way! The dogs have her scent!”

Lana scrambled to her feet and hastily resumed her escape into the cover of night. She did not trust this voice in her head, however she trusted her pursuers even less. Her mind flooded with questions but somehow she knew the answers lay where the three mountains meet and the river runs between.