Dragon Lore

There weren't always dragons in the Valley, but I have always been fascinated by dragons and hope one day to see a real live, fire breather with wings, the size of its body equal to that of four horses. Oh but to dream.

I have read about our national museum that houses the only known dragon skeleton to ever be found and my parents are taking me today, to see this magical creature. I can barely sit still for the excitement.

Finally, we are ready to head off and I chatter frantically, in my eagerness, during the hour long car trip. I see my parents smiling at each other, happy that I’m happy. This is going to be the best day ever.

Once the car stops, I race towards the front doors of the museum. I don’t need to wait for my parents, after all I’m a fully grown thirteen year old boy. They’ll know where to find me.

It doesn’t take me long to find exactly what I am there to see. I am in awe of the size of this beast, as the skeleton takes up half of the entire ground floor of the museum.

I find myself whispering that I would give anything to see a real live dragon, when I notice what seems like a small hive of gnats, or flies, flittering in and out of the bones. There’s a good dozen of them hovering and dashing over and under the different pieces of the large dragon sculpture.

They suddenly see me standing here alone and flutter towards me. I don’t feel any fear as they are so tiny, they couldn’t possibly do me any harm or so my young mind convinces itself.

I hold still as this swarm gets closer and flitters around my face. They seem curious rather than anything scary.

As I get used to them studying me, I begin to study them back. Oh my, what a surprise. On a closer look I realise they are not flies or gnats — they are in fact, tiny little dragons with the smallest, whimsical wings, fluttering around my eyes, my brows and around my ears.

I am so pleased that I am alone in this room with these tiny creatures. A wish come true but who has ever heard of tiny miniature dragons? I wonder if they can breathe fire. Oh, I hope they do not do that near my face.

I begin backing away but have only taken a step when I realise, these miniature creatures where whispering something into my ears. They make the barest of noise. I find I have to concentrate and really listen to hear their words.

I freeze while concentrating on their whispers. It seems they are looking for a friend. Someone that will look after them and help them escape this building. Someone who will hide them away and learn their Dragon Lore. Someone that will promise to keep their secrets.

I couldn’t stop the ear splitting grin that stretches across my face. I would be honoured to be their someone. I promise them, then and there, I will be their keeper of secrets.

I couldn’t help but giggle as they, one by one, land on the seam of my shirt’s front pocket and from there gently make their way inside, where they will remain hidden until we arrive back home.

I am over the moon and can’t wait to leave. So with this in mind I begin to hunt down my parents. Imagine their surprise when I said I’ve had enough and ready to head home.

Of course they were surprised and they question me but I am adamant I’m ready to leave.

Once home I rush up to my bedroom, gingerly remove my shirt and hold the front pocket open to allow my new friends to fly free. They flitter and dash repeatedly around my bedroom, exploring this new landscape. They seem to think it is acceptable.

I spend hours in my bedroom as my friends begin whispering into my ear. They tell me their stories of how they became to be, their past history and their newfound wishes. This seems to be a win win for us all.

I can’t wait to go to school in the morning and show my best friend. Wait, no that can’t happen. I promised I would keep their secrets and it’s the least I can do.

The next morning, once I’m dressed and ready to head to school, four of these tiny dragons whisper that they will travel in my pocket to school with me. The other eight decide they will stay hidden in my room and wait for us to return home. I’m in seventh heaven, feeling like all my dreams and wishes have finally come true.

I arrive at school and everything is normal for a typical Monday morning. Typical for everyone else that is. For me, I waltz through my morning with the biggest grin plastered across my face.

At lunch time I head to the bathroom before making my way to the canteen to eat. I want the privacy to check on my friends but to my horror I realise, there were only two tiny dragons, comfortably sleeping in my pocket. Oh no, where have the other two dragons disappeared too?

I wake the sleeping dragons and ask the question but they tell me not to worry, the two missing were safe and will be back later.

On that note we breeze through the rest of the day and then head home, where I remove my shirt, hold my pocket open to let the dragons out, but my pocket is empty. I am upset and very confused.

However, one of the dragons left convinces me all is well and so I put my worry to bed. That is until I arrive at school the next morning.

I waltz down the hallway, pleased that I am the only person that knows I have four more dragons hidden in my pocket, when I come across a boy who sits next to me in first period. This boy doesn’t look at all well and if I didn’t know better, I would say he has what seems to be scales growing on both his cheeks, his forehead and his chin. When asked, this boy explains he’d woken up like that and he really was feeling fine, even if he didn’t look it.

As I enter my second class of the day, I freeze just inside the doorway as I come face to face with a fellow student. A girl I sat with at lunch yesterday and she too seems to be sprouting scales. Her scales cover her arms and hands.

What in the world?

Twice more throughout the day I come across a student that I had interacted with yesterday, in one class or another and both are showing signs of growing scales on some part of their body.

It is then that the realisation hits me and it hits me hard. The four missing dragons from my pocket yesterday. Somehow they have something to do with this.

I hurry home after school to talk to my tiny friends but as I undress and open my pocket, I again find it empty. Oh no, I have a feeling that when I go to school tomorrow, I will find four more students growing scales.

How can this be?

I look at the four dragons that I have left and ask them to explain. That is when I learn the utmost secret of their Dragon Lore. Of course, this is now my burden to carry, as I made the ultimate promise of keeping their lore a secret from all others.

I’ll explain it as it was explained to me.

“If one of these tiny dragons where to gain access inside a human being, that human would slowly begin to turn into a full sized, winged dragon for all of eternity. What type of dragon they will become depends entirely on the personality of the affected human. If that human is full of rage, then their dragon will be a horrendous fire breathing monster. If a human is full of love, then they will become a beautiful, courageous, gentle giant and so on and so forth.”

Oh what have I done?

By promising to look after, care for these tiny dragons and keep their Dragon Lore a secret, I have helped turn eight of my friends into full size dragons, which we won’t know until they have converted fully, what type of dragon their personalities will define.

I have either helped destroy the human world as we know it or make it a much better place.

Only time will tell!

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Originally posted on Medium