Valley of Shadows

There weren't always dragons in the valley.

In the beginning there was a lush garden with trees of every imaginable color filled with vibrant blossoms, delicious fruits, and a multitude of singing birds. There were fragrant flowers as tiny as a mustard seed and as large as a boulder. Plants to cure every disease. There were butterflies, dragonflies and bumble bees. The sun rose high in the sky each morning bringing warmth and light. The moon and an explosion of stars filled the evening sky shining bright in the darkness. All humans and animals living in peaceful harmony. Once it was paradise.

Then the people of earth became disenchanted. They became disobedient and started wars leading to hatred and profiteering. There was much fighting and bloodshed. Immorality and corruption ruled.

One day thunder and lightning brought the rain. Torrential rain overwhelmed the earth until everything was swept away. When the waters receded all that remained was a valley where the garden once was. A barren valley filled with ash and dust and dragons

The late afternoon sunlight filtered brightly through the canopy of trees casting eerie shadows across the old dirt road. It was riddled with potholes and puddles from the morning rain. There was a spattering of wildflowers along the path beneath the trees.

A young couple was speeding along when a deer bolted across the road in front of them causing them to swerve their motorcycle into a tree sending them flying through the air.

Evelyn was lying on her back when she came to. Everything hurts. It was clearly much later now because the lightning bugs were dancing all around her.

She felt for Adam but couldn’t find him. She started to panic and called out, “Adam!” She heard a faint sound and then saw him several feet away near the edge of a valley. He wasn't moving. She crawled on her belly toward him. Slowly inching forward until she reached Adam and the ledge he was peering over. She glanced down into the valley. Startled, she pulled back terrified.

Dragons and fire and ash!

She looked down again. It resembled a maze. There was something or someone moving around and dragons. They looked like an army of ants, hundreds of maybe even thousands of them trying to reach the other side of the valley. But the dragons were stomping them and blowing fire on them, incinerating them.

Adam spied a small opening in a crevice on the far side of the valley. “Look,” he said ,”over there!” He pointed as he started to move forward towards the valley.

“Adam, no!” Evelyn shouted. But he was already gone. She watched as he dodged the dragons. Slipping around them and moving closer to the small light glowing in a crevice of the far wall in the valley.

She felt intense heat in front of her. Without warning she was staring into the eyes of a gigantic dragon. He was hovering in front of her. His enormous wings blowing flesh eating heat toward her. His nostrils flared as he drew in air to blow fire to vaporize her.

She squeezed her eyes shut. This is it, she thought, I'm going to die.

There was so much noise. So much smoke. She began to cough. The dragons were turning everything into ash and dust.

Then a deep voice echoed through the valley, “Go away!”

Evelyn closed her eyes tighter.

What the hell was that?

Is Liam Neeson in my quantum field? Yelling at me? Seriously?

Why is it so bright? Did the dragon roast me?

I can't breathe.

What is that noise? So much noise. BEEP BEEP BEEP. Stop!

Voices? Who’s voice is that?

Someone was saying, “She’s waking up,” and someone else said, “Don't tell her about Adam.”

What about Adam? He’s down in the valley. Is that you mom?

She wanted to scream.

Why can't I scream?

She was back at the ledge of the valley. She could see Adam make the final ascent up the other side and slip through the small opening in the crevice. It quickly sucked him in then closed behind him. He was gone.

Thick black smoke started billowing up towards her from the valley below. The dragon appeared again. No, it was a different dragon. This dragon had three heads! It’s massive wings flapping. WOOSH WOOSH WOOSH.

She pulled back from the edge, backing away from the fierce beast as it landed on the ground in front of her. Simultaneously all three dragon heads deeply sucked in air preparing to torch her.

Again the loud voice reverberated across the valley, “You must leave NOW!”

Suddenly her eyes flew open. Bright light filled the room. She pulled a tube from her mouth.

She looked up at her mother as she held her hand, “It’s going to be okay dear. You're okay now, Evelyn.”

No, mom, it's not, she thought, it's never going to be okay again.

“Mom, where's Adam?” she asked.

Her mother just looked at her shaking her head. She looked so sad.

“Evelyn,” she said, “There was an accident. Adam is in another room in the hospital.”

She lovingly stroked her forehead and cheek. “What happened honey? Do you remember? You were so distressed and I couldn't understand what you were trying to say.”

Evelyn answered, “I saw dragons, lots of dragons, and Adam walk through the valley towards a bright light. I couldn't go.” She started to hyperventilate. “I need to go back.”

“Go back where dear? You don't need to be frightened. You're safe with us. In the hospital.”

Mom tightly squeezed her hand, “Can you tell me what happened out there? How did the accident happen?”

“Mom, I don't remember the accident," she answered frustrated. “I only remember the meadow and the valley. When they found us did they see the smoke and the dust?”

Shaking her head mom answered, “Nobody said anything about a meadow or a valley. You were found by the side of a dirt road near some trees.”

Evelyn began to tremble as she spoke, “No, that's wrong, there was a valley with dragons. It was awful, they were killing everyone. Burning them up. Adam made it across. I saw him go through a bright crevice on the other side of the valley. He’s okay mom! I saw him. Where is he? I saw him mom.”

Evelyn began to cry as her mother gently cradled her in her arms. Rocking her back and forth.

Once she stopped crying she laid back against the pillow. Her face blank as she stared straight ahead.

Dr. Raphael came into the room, “I'm just going to check your vitals. You gave us quite the scare young lady.”

She gave him a fragile smile, “Sorry."

He poked and pulled at her then asked, "Tell me if anything hurts when I do this?"

"Everything hurts, but mostly my head," she answered.

"Dr., did anyone mention the valley near where the accident was?”

“No, I'm pretty sure they said you were picked up off the side of a dirt road, near a vacant field” he replied thoughtfully.

She looked puzzled. She ran her fingers through her hair. She pulled some out with her hand. It appeared to be charred.

Showing it to the Dr. she asked, “Dr. Raphael what happened to my hair? It feels like it's been burned.”

Taking the hair in his hand Dr. Raphael examined it and replied, “probably from your head being dragged along the ground during the accident. I understand your helmet was off when they found you.”

“It must of flown off. But,” Evelyn responded, “there was a valley with dragons and ash and fire and smoke.”

Dr. Raphael said, “It’s not uncommon to be confused and not remember things quite the way they happened after a head injury. He patted her arm, “Give it time,” he smiled, “the fog will clear.”

Fog? I’m thinking about the fire and smoke and ash she thought.

“We’re going to keep you overnight for observation,” he said, then he walked out of the room.

“See, I told you everything was going to be okay,” mom said smiling.

Evelyn was lost in thought. No mom, I laid in the garden of good and evil. I’ve seen the gatekeepers of hell in the valley of the shadow of death and Adam is dead.

The color drained from her face.

No mom, she thought, it's really not going to be okay.

The dragons are coming.