Dragons and Other Disasters

There weren’t always dragons in the valley, but in a night of flood and fire, they appeared, ravaging one of the town's main streets. I was already awake when the screams and shouts started, but the monstrous screech was what set me up in bed. Soon after the sound, I saw a soft red light glowing behind the curtains. I went to the window and pulled back the curtains to find several buildings fully ablaze and people running in the street. Alarmed, I ran to the front door, stepping into my sandals before exiting into the hall and down the stairs in only my nightgown.

I saw the first dragon after making my way outside. It was standing in the intersection at the end of the street, amongst burning homes, shops, and bodies. As it approached, I found myself unable to move as others continued passing by. In seconds, it was in front of me, standing at least six feet taller and staring down. As the same red glow surrounding me grew brighter in its nose and behind its closed mouth, I knew I’d die in flames any moment. I closed my eyes and braced for the end, but the flames never came, even as I felt the temperature rise around me. Was I being smelled? I opened my eyes to find the dragon’s head level with me.

“Finally, one with sense.” A voice other than my own was present in my head.

Coughing from the smoke in the air, I asked, “did you just speak to me?”

“You can call it that. Tell your people not to attack, lest they hope to be destroyed.”

“That’s not why you’ve come in the first place?”

“It wasn’t, but it can be.”

By now, no one else was around. “I have to get away from this,” I said, motioning to the nearby inferno.

The dragon nodded towards the opposite end of the street.

As I walked away, it followed. “If you’re some type of telepath, then why didn’t you tell everyone at the start instead of burning the world to the ground?”

“This communication requires a sustained moment of eye contact to establish initially. Also, I can only do it with one of you at a time.”

“And no one looked at you?”

“Not in the eyes long enough before retreating or attacking.”

So I’m the only idiot, I thought.

“Is that what it was? I thought you were the only one to assess the situation before acting.”

“So you’re reading my mind now?”

“You don’t have to continue responding verbally.”

A group of survivors had gathered ahead, watching our neighborhood incinerate, waiting for the far-off sirens to arrive. “Perhaps you should stay here while I speak to them.”

“Agreed.”

I jogged ahead to the group, which regarded me with suspicion after seeing me with the dragon. “Listen, everyone. The dragon says it’s not here to hurt anyone.”

"You can speak to it?" Someone asked.

“Then why did it attack us?” Another man yelled, holding his arm. It looked like he'd been burned.

“It said it was attacked first. I guess it was scared.”

“More like offended,” I heard the dragon say in my mind.

What’s the distance limit on this thing?

“Far.”

“It says if we don’t attack it, it won’t attack us. It comes in peace.”

“What about the people it already killed? What about our homes?” Someone said.

“It’s sorry.”

“We’ll make it sorry,” said the same guy from before.

“Maybe, but with how much loss? If it was a misunderstanding, we need to find out what it wants first.” Another member offered. She was an older woman with presumably two grandchildren nearby.

The group argued and discussed amongst itself but was silenced when the dragon began to approach.

I went to it before it got too close. “I thought you were going to wait over there,” I said to it, motioning in the general direction.

“We need an answer.”

“None of us are spokespeople for the whole city, but as for this group, they won’t attack for now.”

I see. Call for me when your spokesperson arrives. Then, doubling its size with its wings, the dragon prepared to take off.

“You’re leaving?" I said, backing up. "What about needing an answer? What about the fire? What about the 'we'?” I called up as it began departing the ground.

It let out another piercing screech. From out of sight, there was a response in the air, followed by a deluge of rain over the burning sector. Then the dragon flew away.

The city opened a shelter for those affected with nowhere else to go, and business owners were advised to contact their insurance holders for water or fire damage. Several days of civil unrest ensued while rumors spread of some type of dragon speaker, ranging from miraculously communicating to summoning and blaming. I stayed hidden and out of sight.

The mayor is scheduled to speak, and the dragon plans to appear. But, unfortunately, it seems set on me showing up with it. Hopefully, it doesn't want anything weird.