With Grace out of danger, Zach took the initiative and headed back to release the ropes holding the life raft container to the bow of the boat. Grace and Joel fought their way back, with Grace shouting to the boys to hold on to her, as she pulled the emergency release handle.
Several things seemed to happen all at once. A loud bang was heard as the gas-filled arming device expanded the life raft in seconds to its full size. The little boat swung first to the right then seemed to point skywards as the seas once more erupted. The toppled mast swung back, pushing the life raft towards the edge of the boat. If action was not taken soon all would be lost. Two huge flashes of lightening followed in swift succession suddenly turning night into day. The little boat finally decided to give up its fruitless battle and began to sink stern first. Just as Grace thought that all was lost she heard a familiar and welcoming voice.
George had not realised how important a life vest was, until now. He had been thrown in all directions, tossed around by the enormous waves each trying to drown him. But, every time one wave pushed him under the frothing sea foam, his bright yellow sea jacket popped him back up. But he knew it would not keep him afloat for long in seas that were becoming more violent by the second.
Then it happened. A large round red and white safety ring, with the name ‘Princess’ in black lettering, hit him on the head. He let out two yells. The first was because the ring was quite heavy and it hurt, the second, a yell of relief, because the life ring would keep him afloat. Two more flashes of lightening and a large thunderous noise - George looked into the blackness, broken only by the greyish white spray of thousands of gallons of water cascading from all directions, to see the little boat ‘Princess’ coming towards him.
He yelled, but it was of little use. The storm, crashing seas and howling winds were no match for his little voice. Another loud crack and this time he saw the mast break in half and fall towards the rear of the boat, the broken spar suspended by a solitary rope. He knew that his cousins were in deep trouble. As the little boat rushed past him, George suddenly let go of the life ring. He had seen dangling from the little boat a trailing line that was tethered to its stern. George realised this was another safety line similar to the one he had been tied to before his had sheared. With an almighty heave he yanked at the rope managing to grab hold of one of the fenders that still remained dangling over the side like a swollen sausage. As he hauled himself once more on board he could see that Grace had armed the life raft was crouching down with her brothers, he let out a yell.
“Quickly,” he shouted, “the boat is sinking, get in the raft and I will join you.” Grace relieved and pleased to hear George’s voice pushed her brothers towards the raft’s welcoming entrance. Joel was first to get in followed by Grace. George had noticed that Zach had grabbed hold of a large bag and was struggling to lift it as the breaking waves were making it heavier. George lifted the bag and grabbing Zach pushed both into the open hole of the raft. There was another flash of lightening making visible the three worried looks as George joined his cousins, telling them to hold on to each other.
How they managed to get inside the raft pulling the canopy entrance tightly shut behind them was lucky, as the boat was now being violently tossed around, but what followed was miraculous. A huge wave picked up the raft and its contents of children, sweeping it high into the air and moments later crashing it down into the black swirling sea. The little boat was swamped, keeled over and finally disappeared.
For what seemed like years the life raft was thrown up and down and from side to side. The four children did not say anything but just held very tightly on to each other and even though it was noisy, cold, wet and very rough, one by one they all fell asleep in each other’s arms.
On the Island of Draegonia Dragon Blue was on patrol at the highest point of the island looking out to sea, admiring the storm that was subsiding. He liked the noise and thought the thunder and lightening seen earlier was great. Also on duty working the northern beach picking up stranded fish and throwing them back into the ocean cauldron was Dragon Cream. Both dragons were peering into the storm and both dragons saw what they thought was a brightly coloured pimple appearing on the blackness of the sea. Dragon Blue exclaimed to himself, “Umh, the sea is starting to break out in spots.” Meanwhile however, Dragon Cream could see that this particular spot was moving around and getting nearer and nearer to the north side of the island.
She ran up and down keeping her eye on the red and yellow rubber life raft that now could be clearly seen. Then all of a sudden, it disappeared from view. The raft was grabbed by a swirling tidal current taking it down towards the southern side of the island. Dragon Cream made a few more runs up and down the beach and then slightly exhausted gave up. Dragon Blue who saw the pimple disappear from his view went back to the police station to enjoy the most important leisure time activity of sleeping as the sun lifted itself out of the sea making the sky slightly friendlier. With that, the ocean also decided to take a rest. Calmness was being restored, but Draegonia was about to receive four visitors that would change the lives of the dragons of Draegonia for evermore.
CHAPTER 4
All Washed Up
George woke up with a start. What was that noise? George had been asleep cuddled up with his cousins Grace and Joel with Zach sprawled across their feet. It had been a terrible storm and even though the noise had been frightening George and his best pals had managed, mainly through exhaustion, to fall asleep. The problem now was that all of them were wet and cold caused by the waves pounding on the little rubber life raft, making the reddish orange canopy to leak in several places. Drips of water were still plopping onto his head when he heard that noise again. Whoosh it went. It sounded like one of mum’s sighs when George had been somewhat naughty, but a great deal louder. Whoosh, there it was again. Grace opened her eyes and seeing George peering out of the opening of the canopy, she whispered. “What’s that George, where is the noise coming from?” George motioned his hand indicating that Grace was to remain quiet, something that she often found very difficult to do. “George” she shouted, her loud screech wakening Joel and Zach, who jumping up with a start, moved either side of George putting their heads also out of the canopy.
The three boys could not believe their eyes. Their little life raft had now washed itself up on the golden sandy beach on the south side of Draegonia and there, a couple of hundred metres to their right and in the middle of the sandy beach, was an enormous white dragon. Whoosh it went, spitting out another enormous flame from its huge mouth. The two boys, either side of George, looked at each other and quickly removed their heads from the canopy opening, snatching it shut behind them. Joel looked at Grace and said. “Sis you’re not going to believe this but we have just seen a huge white dragon blowing fire from its mouth.” “Oh you two, you’re always joking, I don’t believe a word of it.” With that, Grace crawled over to where George was kneeling and with one swift movement of her hand, fully opened up the canopy and jumped out of the raft.
Dragon White had thought it was about time for her breakfast. She had been up most of the night due to the noise of the storm and was clearing the beach of all drift wood that had been washed up. Whoosh, another flame propelled from her mouth, Whoosh, Whoosh two more huge flames sprang twenty feet across the beach setting fire and devouring all the drift wood and other rubbish washed up in its path. Then, she stopped. What on earth was that? She spied, at the water’s edge, a round strange object. It had a peculiar orange coloured head with a mouth that strangely opened up to reveal a pair of eyes. Then there were three pairs of eyes, then one pair, or was it two? Almost immediately the mouth opened right up and out popped a very strange creature. Dragon White had never seen anything quite like it before and considered her options. She could ignore it, she could run or she could attack it with the hope it would be frightened off. Dragon White decided to attack.
Grace stood motionless by the water’s edge unable to believe her eyes. She looked straight acr
oss at a large white dragon, who obviously was thinking about its next move. The white dragon peered back at Grace, its quizzical eyes glinting in the early morning sunshine. For a split second neither moved. Then all of a sudden the tranquillity of the early morning stillness was broken, as an ear piercing scream came from Grace. A scream that not only frightened all the birds perched high up in the trees that on mass shot high into the sky squawking and screeching their warning cries, but a scream that also for a split second sent a shiver down the long white tail of Dragon White.
White’s jaw opened in dismay, she puffed and a red and white flame shot high into the air. Dragon White was uncertain and slightly afraid but knew she had to do something. Was the noise from this animal a call to alert others, or was it a form of communication? Dragon White started to move towards Grace. She had decided attack was her only option.
Grace, on seeing the dragon start to move towards her ran from the water’s edge, up the beach, towards the cover of shrubs and trees. Dragon White, with increasing speed followed, her head bowed low, snorting as she rushed towards Grace, puffing out streaks of fire with every sand-splattering bound.
Grace did not look back, but dived headlong into the shrubs and rolling over peered out between two very thick bushes. The dragon had lost sight of her but Grace could feel its hot breath on her face as Dragon White nosed the bushes that concealed her.
George, Joel and Zach had not fully understood why Grace had charged out of the raft but could see an enormous white dragon chasing her. As Grace disappeared from view into the shrubbery the dragon caught up and was now pushing with its huge head the shrubs and bushes from side to side, snorting as it did so.
The two oldest boys, leaving Zach behind, jumped out of the raft and sped up towards the white dragon shouting and waving their hands. “Pick on someone your own size!” shouted George, “Leave her alone!” cried Joel.
The dragon, hearing the yells of the two boys turned and with a mighty thrash of her tail clipped them both with one sweep, tossing them high in to the air. Splat, Plop, both boys flew through the air landing on their backsides. Fortunately their fall was broken by landing and bouncing off the rubber life raft. Picking themselves up they scrambled inside and joined Zach.
The dragon, determining that two animals cornered in a raft was better than one hidden in a bush, stomped down towards the water’s edge and the reddish orange craft.
George, seeing the dragon approaching knew that they were in imminent danger, picked up the first aid and survival kit that is kept in all life rafts and found what looked like a large hand gun. The cartridges for this flare gun were clipped together in a pack of four. These were also inside the yellow plastic bag that carried the gun and emergency locator radio. Each cartridge, the size and shape of a cardboard tube found inside toilet rolls, was divided into two sections. The base of the cartridge held the powder that when ignited by the gun’s firing mechanism propelled it towards its target, whilst the top part, coloured red, housed the explosive charge and magnesium. Magnesium is a powder that when ignited burns and makes a powerful white hot flare that can be seen for miles. The cartridge now placed in the gun made it a very useful defence weapon.
George pointed the loaded gun at the approaching dragon, took aim and squeezed the trigger. There was a loud BANG, the bullet or what George was soon to discover was an explosive flare, was propelled from the gun at great speed, aiming straight for the dragon. The dragon, taken completely by surprise, stopped dead in her tracks, opened her mouth in amazement and precisely at the same time swallowed the incoming ballistic missile.
There was an explosion followed by a lightening flash of light giving off tremendous white heat. The dragon’s mouth suddenly became very, very hot and without any help from her, huge red, blue, yellow and white flames shot out high into the sky. So strong was the flash of light caused by the explosive charge in the dragon’s mouth that she became for a few moments, blinded. Unable to see, Dragon White stumbled on the sand and toppled over rolling down the slight gradient towards the waters edge. Still unable to see, her whole body turned, her large front legs splayed out in front of her and head between them like an arrow, headed for the sea. White’s mouth was still very wide open with bursts of angry flames shooting out uncontrollably in all directions with her every outburst of growls and moans until she came in contact with a enormous wave and swallowing several gallons of sea water and several clumps of floating grotesque looking seaweed, she totally extinguished her flames. There was nothing left of her dragon fire but small rings of black smoke drifting either side of two, very bright red and furious eyes.
George and Joel took their opportunity, ran frantically towards where Grace was hiding and with giant leaps jumped over the first few shrubs, landing close to a crouching Grace, who had her hands firmly clasped over her eyes.
CHAPTER 5
Wanted
Dragon White, up to her knees in salty water, something dragons care little for, slowly picked herself up and staggered to the waters edge. With a very large shake of her body she rid herself of thousands of water droplets, making a small rain storm. The sun glinting on the droplets made a number of mini rainbows appear, each displaying colours of blues, yellows, greens and reds. Dragon White opened her mouth and growled but other than a roar and a couple of confused looking fish popping out, no flames appeared, her fire had fully extinguished, she had ‘Flamed Out’.
White again made a mighty roar, this time sending a shivering vibration through the air at the annoyance of losing her ability to spit flames. Although Dragon White was usually quite a placid dragon, when aroused or annoyed she could be quite frightening. And right now, Dragon White was most annoyed.
Who, and more particularly, what had caused this catastrophe? Dragon White knew she had to report the entire incident. There were strangers on the island, they had removed her flame and were obviously a danger to all other dragons. Stomping off, White made her way round the edge of the lush grass, bushes and trees, taking the longest but easiest trek, back to the centre of the island and safety.
In the centre of the city, the streets of Draegonia were quiet apart from the grumpy noises of Dragon Black. Even the volcano was asleep with faint plumes of white smoke curling from its huge mouth in time with little rumbles that sounded like snoring. Dragon White, slightly out of breath and still trying unsuccessfully to breath out fire, ran breathlessly to Dragon Blue’s residence.
A large sign could be seen showing that Dragon White was now outside the premises of Draegonia Police Station. Inside, Dragon Blue was fast asleep making odd grunts and snoring sounds. Dragon White rang the bell. No movement was heard, so White rang it again.
Dragon Blue lifted his head and in his most assertive tone bellowed “Just a moment and I will be with you.” Blue got up and as he passed a full length mirror made out of highly reflective steel, obtained decades earlier from shipwrecked vessels, he gave a once all over look at himself and realising that this was obviously an official call, put on his dark blue waistcoat and tightly fitting police cap and opened the door to his office. There, silhouetted in the bright sunlight was a very out of breath Dragon White.
She looked even paler than ever. “Come in, and what can I do for you?” Chief Constable Dragon Blue demanded, as he laid down a flat rock for her to crouch on. Dragon Blue also crouched down on his haunches behind his official desk. His solid stone desk was covered in very important looking tablets of stone, pieces of paper like material and what looked like ‘Dragon Leg Chains’.
The construction of Draegonia Police Headquarters was similar to most of the other caves of Draegonia. It was hewn out of the side of the volcanic mountain. But inside, the similarity ended. It was much larger and had many corridors, some leading to individual cells others to living quarters. Dragon White entered the largest and main room of the station trying to compose herself. The walls were covered in blue and white stripes and every so often, hanging on big hooks, were pictures carved in stone of d
ragons wanted for questioning. The pictures were very old for on Draegonia no one dared to break the law as Dragon Black had a particularly nasty way of dealing with offenders.
It was said that in olden times when all dragons could fly that criminals were taken up to the top of the volcano and thrown into the mouth to be consumed by flames. White shuddered at the thought and explained to Chief Constable Blue that she had been clearing the beach of driftwood when she was attacked by some very strange creatures. “They arrived on the island in a very peculiar craft,” she said. Dragon White further reported to Dragon Blue that she had fought for her life and that after a great struggle the attackers had run off but not until they had stolen her ability to roar fire and spit flame.
Blue listened intently and took lots of notes engraving them with a pen like instrument held in his claws onto very smooth flat stones, so thin they looked like thick parchment. “This is very serious,” he said. “We must inform Mayor Dragon Gold and also let Dragon Black know that we have been invaded.”
Dragon White lowered her head, had she made too much of the incident? Had she told all the truth? Had she exaggerated a little too much? As she was thinking of perhaps telling Chief Constable Blue that it was in fact only four small creatures and what really happened. Dragon Blue pressed a large red and white button marked EMERGENCY. The noise was immediate and deafening. Loud clangs of a bell could be heard throughout the island and the large flashing blue light close to the top of the volcano started to pulsate, flashing on and off alerting all on Draegonia that a serious incident had occurred.
Dragons of Draegonia Page 2
