Boy Dragon

Shouting, screaming, crashes and bangs coming from the hallway outside a small boy’s room. Rustic white paint falling off the walls, ripped up beige carpet, and a rickety metal framed bed that was the only item in the boy’s room. No toys, no drawers, no books, and he was only 3 years old. He looks out his square bedroom window with red eyes from lack of sleep to see a tree blanketed in fresh glistening snow from earlier in the day. Putting his tiny boney palms on the window to feel a little closer to the snow which looks like it would be so much fun to play in, and if only he was allowed. It seems that that is the only relief that the boy can get as his parents argue aimlessly for reasons that he can’t understand. His parents have struggled with paying their bills and keeping steady work as layoffs have continued to occur in Surrey B.C. Canada. They have continuously argued over simple things, like “why didn’t you make dinner” and “why are you in the bathroom for so long”. The boy never seemed to understand why they are always so angry about simple things, even though those issues aren’t really the problem at all. He thinks to himself, still gazing out the window, “I wonder if I’ll ever escape this place, I’d love to meet new people that are different.” 8:00 P.M. now, tiptoeing over to his bed, laying down, and looking up at the ceiling. His parents still screaming at one another, “I hope I dream of a far away land”, thinking to himself as he starts to fall asleep, shutting his tearful eyes.

Ruffling, stomping, crashing – the boy wakes up, looking around aimlessly. “HELLO”, he shouts, and is unsure where he is or what is happening. The boy exhales and shivers, feeling something hard behind his body and head. Looking up and behind, he notices that he’s laying against a gigantic ancient oak tree that seems to touch the skies above. He’s thinking, “Why did I wake up outside?”, as he continues to look up at this seemingly old looking giant tree. The sound of clashing, tree branches falling, and bushes crackling. Looking out towards the darkness in the forest, with only shadows in sight from the shine of the moon, he says, “What is that noise? What is that thing?”, as an object becomes clearer in the boy’s small teary eyes. An object within the darkness approaching that seems as tall as the giant trees themselves --- moving towards him. His eyes widen in fear, his blood pumps heavily, sweat drips from his brow, tears starting to drip from his eyes, not knowing what will appear. “Who’s there!!”, he shouts as if to protect himself from the giant object coming nearer.

“Boy, why do you tremble so? I will not harm you.” The boy, in silence, stairs up at the giant creature which had appeared from the darkness. The object, the creature, the one so fearfully mobbing through the forest was a Dragon. Three stories high, horns 10 times larger than the boy, sharp spikes surrounding most of its body and a tail as long as the ancient oak tree that he lays his small body upon. “YOU, YOU, You are a dragon!!?”, the boy exclaims, and shivers in fear, wondering how this was possible or whether he might be in a dream. With a menacing deep stern voice, the Dragon says, “Quiet boy!! You are lucky it is me and not some other creature that has come upon your presence. Breathing aimlessly without control, “I can’t believe what I’m seeing, and you talk? This can’t be real… I was just going to sleep in my bed and I just appeared here.” The boys so unsure if this could be real, and so it does seem that this may just be a dream after all. The Dragon looking at the boy, also curious why it is that he came across him. The ground shakes beneath the boy as the dragon speaks, “My name is Aster, what is your name boy?” Still seemingly shivering in fear and confusion, he answers, “I’m Toby. Whaa.. wher.. where are we? Is this a dream?” He trembles out enough courage to ask the dragon where he is. Aster answers swiftly, “You’re not in your dimension anymore Toby, this dimension is full of creatures beyond your wildest dreams and nightmares. Your kind has never existed here. Enough questions for now. We must leave this area to seek cover from those that might hurt you at this time of night. Come now.” Aster picks up the boy with a claw the size of his entire body and lays him upon his back. Still fearful, but accepting of this kind dragons help. They walk off into the darkness of the trees, the moon light reflecting off of the trees in several directions, as it seems this dimension has a few moons in the sky, each one lighting a different crevice. They disappear into the thick darkness of this ancient forest.

Eyes opening with sleep hardened on his lids, light glaring through a hole the size of a three bedroom home, Toby wakes up. He feels like he has slept for ages, as he doesn’t remember a time he slept so well in his short little human life. Toby, having just travelled through dimensions was very tired. He easily fell asleep upon the giant scaley back of Aster on their way to Aster’s home. You may think that it was too rough of a surface to fall asleep on, but to Toby, it was like falling asleep in the lap of a loving parent that he had never felt before this point. Waking completely, gazing at what seems to be a cave with ancient markings on the wall, rocks of different shades, different levels, and Aster sitting above him. Toby asks with shock and sleepy eyes, “Where am I now Aster?” Proudly Aster says, “You’re in my home Toby, this mystic cave is older than time itself. Even older than me, and I am thousands of years old. Come and look at these markings on the wall.” Aster leads Toby to the largest wall in the cave, towering over Aster himself. Aster explains, “These images depict a great battle of a boy fighting against the Aracto. They are the beings that torment this dimension, but they come at random and we can not determine when or where. Once they are done with our dimension, they may very well come after yours. I feel that there is a reason for all of this, a reason you have appeared in this dimension. There are greater powers involved, even greater than the Aracto I believe. You are too young to understand, so I will raise you here until the right time, when you are ready to train in combat and war.” Toby, unsure what was even being said, what was even going on, not sure if this was still a dream or not. Looking perplexed. He walks with Aster to the opening of the cave to see a great sky with islands floating above a massive tormenting ocean. His human eyes could not see the end of it. He and Aster were themselves on a floating island, floating above this dark blue, raging, unforgiving ocean with waves 100 times the size of the largest tsunamis that have ever existed on the face of our dimension and planet. These floating islands can only be reached by those with wings. Aster looks down on Toby, “This is where you will live until the time is right, and I will show you these lands.” They both look out at the rising sun, warming their skin, warming their blood, connecting them, as this sun only shows itself once a year. This sun has powers of mystic magic.

Time is passing by, three years by now, but slower in this world. Flying over a dry desert, with no water or light to be seen. Both Aster and Toby flying together, Toby holding on for dear life on Aster’s back, using all of his strength to hold onto Aster’s scales. Landing in the middle of the flattest part of the desert. Aster lets Toby down. “Do you hear that Toby?” “No, I can’t hear a thing.” It is completely silent, no wind, no water, no light, pure silence. Toby is only six, but he has matured to the likes of a full grown man. He has been tested by his fears whilst climbing to the tip of mountains that have no limitation in height, and are colder than the deepest caverns of the oceans of our dimension. He has swum in the unbearable giant oceans with tsunamis that made up the normal sized waves. It doesn’t seem possible for a boy of his age, but there was a power inside of him, something that woke up the moment he entered this dimension, and it is that same power that brought Aster to him, attracted Aster to him. Aster has watched over him throughout these trials, as to make sure that he was okay. Now he feels that he is ready, ready to know what he must for future trials, ready to fight. Aster looks at Toby with deep firey eyes, “Do you know why we’re here Toby? Do you know why I’ve brought you here. To this desolate place.” Not completely sure, Toby replies, “I have an idea, yet I can not say for sure. I am young, but I have felt a power grow inside of me that doesn’t seem possible. I believe this place will open up this power. Is that why?” Surprised by his answer, his dragon lips curled in a smirk, scaly eyebrows raised, “That is exactly why Toby. You are ready.” They both look at each other and appreciate the silence, appreciate their friendship, appreciate what they believe is possible. They understand each other and look deep into each other’s souls. “It is time, you are ready and I am sad to say that we must part ways. You can only reach this power through meditation in this place. I will only be a distraction and will stop you from reaching this goal”, Aster says this crying as he knows what he must do.

“I must go now Toby.” Aster looks out onto the never ending desert and in that moment, a circular vortex floating in the air appears before their eyes in the cold misty air 100 yards from them. Toby looking in complete awe and fear at Aster, knowing in his gut, what is going to happen next, “You can’t GOO, what am I supposed to do, how am I supposed to fight the Aracto without you?” Exhaling, crying oceans from his young eyes, Toby exclaims, “I can’t do it without you Aster!!!” Taking a deep firey breath, Aster replies, “You Must, and You Can”, as Aster now gallops and soars towards the mystic vortex.

“DON’T GOOOO ASTER!” Toby runs and trips in the thick sand and lands face down. Looking up, the vortex was gone, and Aster with it. Perplexed, now gazing at the stars, thinking whether or not Aster might be up there now.

Toby, alone now, asks, “What do I do now?”

To Be Continued…….