Fire

There weren’t always dragons in the valley. Things used to be simple.

But they’re here now.

Dragons, of course, being the new drug dealers in town. Aptly named for the “Fire” they sell—a newly-created drug that, in addition to some very pleasant (and a few unpleasant) mental and physical effects, allows the consumer to breathe fire.

“It’s so fucking cool, dude! You HAVE to try it,” exclaimed Matt, obviously having tried the drug.

“It’s like ecstasy meets adderall meets… meets… oh, I don’t even know. Something incredible. It’s unlike anything else.”

“And you get to breathe fire,” Tara chimed in, drawing emphasis on the last two words. “Of course, the burning feeling you get in your stomach the first few minutes kinda sucks…”

“Guys, you know how I feel about drugs. I don’t care that you guys do them, but leave me out of it. Even talking about it makes me feel weird. And doesn’t it make you grow scales or something?”

Shawn shrunk as the words left his mouth, familiar feelings of guilt and fear rushing through him as he heard the words 'ecstasy’ and ‘adderall’. Drugs were, after all, something only “bad” people did. Not him, certainly.

“Oh, relax, Shawn. Don’t be such a prude. The scale thing is a myth to scare people off from using it. Just because society thinks drugs are bad, doesn’t mean they actually are. Just look at all the shit big pharma is forcing down your poor grandmother’s throat! How can those drugs be ‘good’, and the ones that actually help people be ‘bad’?”

Tara talked with her hands as she spoke, waving them about with obvious frustration.

“Because the bastards are making fat stacks off the ‘good’ drugs.” Matt answered, making air quotes as he said the word ‘good’.

“They spend a lot of money dictating public opinion so they can profit off the poor souls who spend their whole day watching the news and listening to doctors. I wish more people would wake up and think for themselves.”

Shawn ignored Matt and looked at Tara defensively.

“I’m no prude, dammit! I just… I don’t know… everyone I know that smoked pot is a shitty person now. They all turned into alcoholics or heroin addicts. I don’t want that for me.”

“Hey!” Tara lashed back, offended. “We’re not addicts!”

“Or shitheads,” Matt added, matter of factly.

“Oh, right, sorry. I didn’t mean you guys. I guess you’re the only people I know who were able to take drugs and not let them ruin your lives.”

The three of them were sitting on a hillside overlooking the Wenatchee river. Rolling fields of apple orchards and farm houses dotted the horizon, eventually giving way to Wenatchee city.

It was a breath-taking view. Especially tonight, with the starry night sky and nearly-full moon poking through patches of puffy gray clouds, illuminating the valley.

Shawn took a deep breath. The cool mountain air smelled like Spring, with wildflowers littering the hillside they sat on.

“Aaaaaaaanyway, there’s a party happening tonight at Kelly’s house. You coming? It’ll be fuuuuuun!”

Tara drew out her words with a cute smile on her face and a captivating look in her eyes.

She was beautiful—if in a weird, nerdy, crazy kind of way. Shawn loved the dragon tattoo that wrapped around her shoulder, slightly covered now by her long pink hair. She was wearing a black tank top and obviously getting cold.

It was obvious because, well, she wasn’t wearing a bra.

“You guys go, I have to study. Exams comin’ up on Monday,” Shawn answered.

“Yawn! Exams ex-shmams. We all know you’ve studied every damn word in the textbook. You’re making excuses. Come with us!”

Matt stood up, brushing the grass and dirt off his ass as he spoke.

Matt always looked cool. He could play guitar and sing. The ladies loved him. It was probably because of his natural jet-black hair—and the fact that he worked out. Or maybe because he was a wicked-smooth talker.

Shawn couldn’t quite figure it out.

“I don’t think—woah!” Before he could finish his sentence, Tara grabbed Shawn by the hand and pulled him to his feet.

“No talk-e, just do-e! You’re coming—no if’s, and’s, or but’s.”

---

Later that night, Shawn was staring in a mirror, trying to make himself look halfway-decent for this party he didn’t want to go to.

Or rather, t’s not that he didn’t want to go—it’s just that he was nervous. He was worried there would be drugs there. Drugs…

And girls.

It was his first college party; what was he supposed to act like?

Tara popped into his view in the mirror and put her hands in his thick brown hair, ruffling it around and making it messier.

“Dude, you look like a choir boy with your hair all perfectly combed and your shirt buttoned up. Let loose a little!”

After making his hair look a bit ‘cooler’, she reached down and unbuttoned the top button on his green flannel.

“There! Now you don’t look like such a prude.”

“Ugh, you and the prude thing. I told you I’m not a prude!”

“Whatever you say, choir boy!” Tara shrugged as she said it, then turned and half-walked, half-skipped out of the room.

A car horn honked in the driveway. “Let’s gooooooo! I’m not getting any younger out here!”

Matt was driving them. He lived right next-door to Kelly’s house, so he could just bring everyone there and walk over.

“Shotgun!” yelled Tara, running outside to hop in the front seat. Shawn got in the back, and the car rolled out of the driveway.

---

“Jesus, there are a lot of people here.”

Shawn was even more nervous now. There must have been over two hundred people here. It was a big house—Shawn guessed about 15 bedrooms, give or take—but it still looked dreadfully cramped.

And loud.

Tara ignored him and took the lead, dancing her way to the front door. Matt grinned and followed behind her in kind.

Well, here goes nothing, thought Shawn. He ran after the two and entered the party house.

The front door opened into a giant common room, obviously built to house a lot of people.

In fact, everywhere he looked, there were people doing all sorts of things. Dancing, chatting, watching some sports game on the TV, taking shots, playing cards—the usual party stuff, Shawn imagined.

Straight ahead, he saw Matt and Tara heading over to a table with drinks on it, and walked over to joined them.

“Tara, you made it!”

The three of them turned to see a tall, slender woman with long blonde hair wearing a stunning black dress and high heels. She opened her arms to give Tara a hug.

“Kelly!” Tara smiled, returning the embrace. “Sick party, girl. How did you even get this many people here?!”

“Two words,” Kelly said, grinning wide and holding up two fingers.

“Dragon duels.”

---

“Dragon what?!”

Matt and Tara had no idea what she was talking about. And if they didn’t have a clue, Shawn certainly didn’t know what she was talking about.

“Dragon duels! It’s all the rage right now, no pun intended. It’s a tournament where you take Fire and see who can burn stuff the fastest. First pile of ash wins.”

“Woah, cool!” Tara exclaimed.

“Sounds dangerous,” Shawn chimed in. “What stops them from burning the house down?”

“Oh, it’s not dangerous at all! We made a special fire-proof room with a fire-retardant viewing glass for the guests to stand behind and watch.”

“Sounds expensive.” Matt said, clearly intrigued.

“Yea, super expensive. We had a few underground investors give $100k just to build the room. But that’s nothing compared to the prize money.”

“Underground investors?” Matt asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Prize money?!” Tara jumped in.

Kelly laughed, “Calm down, Tara! I’m getting there. Yes—we found a few underground investors to put in some money to take advantage of the development of Fire and the new Dragon Duels students are playing all over the country. It’s super hot right now—pun intended that time—and there’s a lot of money to be made.”

Kelly grabbed a drink off the table and took a sip.

“It costs $10,000 just to enter and you have to win locally, then regionally, then nationally to take the prize money.”

“$10,000? Jesus Christ.” Matt said.

“Spit it out already! How much can you win?!” Tara had a fiery determination in her eyes as she asked.

“Oh, just $10 million.”

All three of their jaws dropped.

“$10 million dollars?! That’s insane!” Matt exclaimed, shocked.

Tara still stood with her mouth agape, speechless—kinda weird for her. She usually always has something to say.

“Yup! And anyone can enter—provided they pay the entry fee, obviously. This party is all about getting interest and spreading awareness. Secretly, of course—Fire isn’t exactly legal, strictly speaking.”

Kelly turned and started to walk away, but then glanced back at them.

“Let me know if it sounds interesting to any of you. I’ll be around.”

With a wink, she turned her head back and disappeared into the sea of party-goers around them.

Tara finally closed her mouth and shook her head, processing what she’d just heard.

“I need $10,000!” she gasped, and took off into the crowd before the other two could respond.

“Tara, wait! What?!” Shawn yelled after her.

But it was too late—she was already too far away and it was too loud for her to hear him.

Shawn knew Tara. He’s known her since he was a boy. She was serious about this.

“Well, she’s on a mission. No sense chasing her now.” Matt shrugged, then turned to Shawn. “Let’s have a drink!”

Matt grabbed two drink cups off the table and handed one to Shawn.

“I wasn’t really planning on drinking,” Shawn complained.

“Too bad. It’ll calm your nerves! Just drink it and let’s find something to do.” Matt said, before looking around, spotting one of his friends, and heading towards them.

Shawn begrudgingly took a sip and followed behind.

---

After 15 minutes or so, the two of them had finished their drinks and were playing cards at a table with Matt’s friend Brent.

Brent was a larger guy, but not quite fat. He looked like he’d make a great football player or something.

“It’s so fucking hot in here,” Matt said. “Don’t they have AC?”

“Yea, dude. It’s on full blast,” Brent said. “I feel fine.”

Now that he mentioned it, it was really hot in here. Why was it so damn hot?

Shawn stood up. “I gotta use the bathroom,” he said, hoping to splash his face with some cool water.

“Second door on the left down that hallway,” Brent said, assuming Shawn didn’t know the house.

As he walked down the hallway, Shawn felt oddly… happy? Really happy, in fact. Happier than he ever remembered feeling. Happy—and fearless!

A beautiful girl was standing outside the bathroom door, seemingly waiting for whoever was inside to come out. They made eye contact.

“Hi! I’m Shawn. Your dress is stunning!” Shawn said, shocked with himself. Was he… flirting?

The girl blushed.

“Oh, thank you! That’s funny—my name’s Shauna. I’m, uh… waiting for the bathroom. They’ve been in there a long time.”

“Hopefully they’re OK. Let me check,” Shawn said, moving to the bathroom door.

He knocked loudly and shouted, “You OK in there? There’s a line waiting!”

Once again, he was shocked at how forward he was. There’s a line waiting? Sheesh! What a jerk thing to say. Or was it just the truth?

They heard a moan from inside.

“Sorry, coming! I just had a wicked stomach ache,” replied a voice on the other side.

The door opened and a man walked out, holding his stomach. He looked down, slightly embarrassed and obviously in pain, and shuffled off without another word.

“After you!” Shawn gestured to the door.

“Such a gentleman! Thank you.”

Shauna was about to walk inside when she got a phone call. Whoever it was sounded really upset.

“Oh no, I have to go help my friend. Uh, thanks for helping!”

With that, she turned and took off before Shawn could respond.

Well, that was odd.

Odder still—now he was really hot. Sweat dripped from his brow and his shirt had dark stains under his pits. He ran into the bathroom and splashed some water on his face to try and cool off.

As he looked up in the mirror, he noticed his pupils were huge. Why were they so big?

Then his stomach started feeling like it was on fire…

That’s when it hit him.

“Oh fuck.”