Elizabeth’s Survival

I’m inspired by Elizabeth’s survival. I’m inspired by the dragons by our side, the ones that left, the ones that returned, the ones in heaven, and the mighty one, fighting and surviving the hellish demon Oliver, a once-man. Inspired by a true story about the dragon by my side.

Oliver chased me, haunted me, and lingered in the shadows lapping up any chance he could to taste Elizabeth, the dragon by my side. Her shadow was his play place. My shadow was his lair.

Oliver approached Elizabeth on her way out from the forest; she was leaving, having finished hunting deer, our meal for the soon-to-be-star-filled night.

The dusk’s sunlight casted two shadows intertwined, one shadow, Oliver’s, the man of the abyss. And another shadow from Elizabeth, the dragon meant for my side, meant for our side.

She was gone…

Taken the day their shadows intertwined.

I’m inspired by the dragons that went missing, the ones that came back, the ones that haven’t arrived yet.

She was abducted, trashed, and tortured. Her name is Elizabeth…

The clashing sound of metal banging echoed in Oliver’s garage as Elizabeth’s wings flapped relentlessly, her flailing wings colliding with the iron cage.

A once-man laughed as she thrashed around her prison. He yanked her out by chain, then hovered over her. He let the chain slid out his hand, leaving his hands free of her tether.

Elizabeth's voice, her power, known as the once-fire, a single breath, used to ignite a family hearth was now draining. She felt the depleting essence, extinguishing.

" Are you frightened? " Oliver asked.

Elizabeth was taken without choice, so were the others, an endless number of dragons, our dragons, taken by the lustful, cruel, wicked, and monstrous creatures like Oliver.

Her breath, once used to cast prayers over the family table, was now dying. My sword was beginning to shine. Years of my future, shuttering, twinkling, and now dwindling.

Because he, they, the enemies, wrenched her from our house.

These types of monsters have tongues that lap out sin, slithering flesh, seeking out our mothers, sisters, daughter, and any other dragon by our side… my side.

Oliver’s strength was gained by shadows, deception, lies, and dishonesty, anything that could allow a person of ‘strength’ and ‘power’ to capture and contain a dragon.

Elizabeth was laid on the ground, stripped of dragon scales, bruised by hitting, whipped by his hate, tied down with rope then chain, probed by his false flesh.

Elizabeth had been gone now for twenty-four hours. I was emptied and filled with a vast shadow, blinded by thoughts of her prison, blinded by thoughts of infernal damnation, blinded by my own torture, and yet, stars twinkled, stories and prayers still dripped into my mind.

She cried and sang out “Amazing Grace”, a forbidden song from the dying religion of Christ. How sweet the song is, but for the other dragons, the other dragons by our side, what songs did they sing, what songs do they still sing? As they lay in front of dominant men who fill their voice with the absence of poetry.

These dragons with throats that once roared out prayers. Dragons that made promises with the fire in their lungs, each a flame igniting their voice, their brazier.

It’s nice to know that Christ fights dragon-slayers, men of the abyss like Oliver.

“ STOP PRAYING. NOW! ” Oliver screamed in the silent garage. A scream of horror aimed at drowning out the unwilling dragon’s prayer.

But Elizabeth didn’t stop her prayer, even if her voice was dimmed to a whisper, in her large ember dragon heart, blood was still pumping, and the prayer flooded her body. Her heart’s blood a fuel for her final breaths.

“ Apologizes. Please continue, ” God’s voice forced the man to speak.

“ I apologize but I’m not being myself. ” Oliver continued.

The bleeding Elizabeth began her labored breaths, her prayer reverberating in her heart, hidden inside.

“ Gain vocals! ” Oliver kicked her under her wing.

Elizabeth looked into Oliver’s eyes, her eyes filled with tears. Oliver didn’t know why, but he wanted her… He shook his head, looking down at the ground. Not another sound would have to leave her for him to know why.

His footsteps approached Elizabeth.

Her head was lifted up by his hand and he kissed the girl.

Tears from her mixed with the kiss, making the kiss salty, rich with the ocean’s tide.