The Dragon Piñata

Chapter 1

"There weren't always dragons in the Valley," My papa read aloud from Gabriel’s story book.

Gabe sat wide-eyed and cross-legged, with a fake wooden sword given to the most noble knights of Salinas, CA . It was almost noon, and the sun was blaring intensely as my family set up the birthday decorations. The grass moved slowly, and the soft hum of the summer bugs brought a tranquil contrast to the commotion on our porch.

Papa finished reading the story and Gabe excitedly ran around our yard, tossing plastic dragons into the air and casting made-up spells into the bark of the oak tree.

“Feliz cumpleaños!” my sister shouted as she moved the swing back and forth, laughing from exhaustion.

A voice echoed through the thin screen of the sliding door, “Can you come back inside please, Marisela?”

As my sister ran into the house, dragging along a few loose streamers, I sat and watched the grass sway in the breeze. It was really going to be a hot day today, and the flower fields watching us in the nearby hills would certainly feel the weight of this July weather.

A large paper sign that my Tio made was decorated with small castles and fire-breathing dragons painted carefully over the course of last week. Translucent balloons remain scattered all along the hardwood floor inside the house, to match the theme of wizards and dragons. It was my little brother's dream birthday, and the rest of the family would be showing up in scattered time blocks throughout the afternoon.

"Miguel!" yelled Gabe.

"Yeah?"

"Did you see the piñata yet?" A smiled broke out across his face, as he ran in circles with his sword around the kitchen table.

Walking into the living room, my oldest sister held up the infamous piñata that took weeks to make. It was handmade by all the members of my family, and absolutely breathtaking now seeing the final product.

It was a colorful dragon, with vivid silver scales intertwined between layers of pink and blue streamers. It looked majestic, with all the intricate craft and detailing. From afar, it looked almost realistic.

"Can't you tell a story?" said Gabe, pleading to me even though papa just read him his favorite book.

"Ugh..."

"Come oooonn!!!"

"Fine.."

"YES!!!!"

Gabe danced around, as my mother started setting up the treat bags in our kitchen with dragon themed favors. Each kid got the same candy spoons, a fake dragon's egg toy, and plastic dragons just like Gabe's.

"This story is about..."

I looked around, and eyed the piñata. It looked at me, with those glass eyes that my family spent way too much money and time on getting right.

"Do you know why dragons arent around anymore?"

Gabe's eyes grew wider, already getting pulled into my last minute attempt at getting my fading imagination to work.

"Well...they aren't around anymore because humans pushed them away. We used to be close with them, but then we grew apart. The dragons in the Valley, like the fields by our house, would wait for us to give them things. Like...offerings. People would bring them fruit, or candy. Especially at birthday parties..."

Gabe started to grow curious, looking at the treats scattered around the table for his party festivities.

"I could give them some!"

I paused.

"Hmmm...I wouldn't do that if I were you. Dragons are also dangerous. They are now invisible to the human world."

The dragon piñata looked at me from the corner, almost agreeing that dragon business should be kept on the down low.

"I still want to give them something. What if they appear for my birthday?"

The door bell began to loudly ring, which signaled the arrival of Gabe's friends and a few early family members.

"Gabriel, come say hi to your primos!" My mom shouted, wiping off sweat as she ran from the kitchen to the front of the house.

As the guests poured in, I saw that the piñata was being moved to the backyard tree. Once again, it stared while it was carried off with new ropes around its head to be tied high into the air.

For hours, the party goers filled the yard and music played.

All the kids reinacted fantasy scenes and wars between wizards, which went on for the remainder of the day. They imagined being lifted from the ground on dragon's backs to better worlds. Anything must be better than this little neighborhood, to be honest.

Looking into the farway flower fields from the comfort of our porch, I gazed into the melting sunset. As quickly as the day began, it started to end.

The piñata, still hanging on the tree, glared at me completely undamaged by the children. My mom refused to let that hardwork go to waste and just threw the prized candy everywhere instead. The act was so untraditional, but it made sense considering just how beautiful that piñata turned out.

It's wispy head was nodding towards me, swaying around as the backdrop of the field made it's colors pop more intensely. In the sea of the flower field's hues, the colors almost seemed to form some sort of delicate shape. In the wind, they could be mistaken for resting wings. I think I have seen and talked about enough dragons today.

But that was when I noticed the field starting to slightly shift in my peripheral. The flower beds were...actually moving. They were moving upward, but ever so slightly.

"Something is odd about those flower fields..."