“I thought I had!” he cries.
“Now that she’s back with us she’ll have better influences,” she snorts. “Apart from Marco, that is.”
“I’m responsible,” Marco mutters, though he looks away when Maya turns to glare at him.
“You’re sixteen and you’ve fucked two girls that you had absolutely no interest in. Don’t pretend that you’re a good influence on poor, innocent little Haze,” she mocks, smiling darkly.
Marco continues to play with his thumbs while Rocky and Maya argue over who’s better. I place one of my hands over his and squeeze it, which makes a hint of a smile appear on his face.
* * *
“Haze, this is Magma. He’s a sweetie.” Maya pats her dragon’s head.
After dinner, it was decided that I would be introduced to everyone’s dragons, as I would be seeing them a lot from now on.
Magma is bright red with orange feet, the two colours meaning that he is at least an uncommon dragon. He has bright red markings in the shape of fireballs across his torso, tail and legs, symbolizing Maya’s element of fire. Two large horns stick out of his forehead, curved at the base so the tips touch his cheeks. He bows his head in greeting, ignoring Cerberus, who is trying to push past him to get some of the attention.
“Drea is the one at the back,” Marco says. “She’s in a sulky mood.”
Drea is a premier dragon; it’s obvious by the hammer-like shape of her tail-tip and the white gemstone in her chest. She is snowy white with red fireballs on her face and dark purple shadows on her stomach, symbolizing fire and dark. Her horns stick out at a perfectly straight point, but are considerably shorter than Magma’s.
“Drea’s always in a sulky mood. She fits you perfectly,” Rocky snorts.
Marco just rolls his eyes in reply.
“So, Haze. Any names for the dragon? It’ll be here tomorrow.” Maya pats Magma’s neck and opens the door to the dragon paddock that the restaurant provides so the dragons can leave.
“I don’t really know yet.”
“Don’t name it something girly,” Marco groans.
“Do I look like I’m going to call it Pinkie?”
“She might see the dragon hatch and the name will come to her,” Rocky argues. “Like Cerberus and Magma.”
“True,” Maya sighs. “Just don’t give it a stupid name, ‘cause then you’re stuck with it.”
“Anyway, I’ll walk you back to your cabin,” Rocky says. “I want you to settle in.”
“Okay. See you guys tomorrow.” Maya and I hug quickly, but Marco is more persistent in wanting a longer hug, which winds Rocky up immensely.
3
Chapter Three
“Will you be okay on your own?”
“Rocky, I’ll be fine. Honestly, you’re worrying about nothing. I was okay for a year without you; I think I can last a night in a cabin.”
The entire walk home Rocky has pestered me about being in a cabin filled with people I don’t know. I think he’d like me to stay with him. After today’s events, I am nervous about being on my own, but Rocky isn’t helping.
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Classes don’t start until Monday.”
“Mine too?”
“Yep. Enjoy tomorrow while you can; school and dragon training are a tough combination.” Upon hearing my nervous squeak, he continues: “But I’ll be here! And Maya, and…” he pauses and sighs irritably, “Marco, if you really must hang around with him.”
“Okay, I’ll hold you to that.”
I snuggle into his chest, hugging him tightly while he rubs my back soothingly. “Any problems, you come see me, okay? Don’t keep anything from me. We’ll find some way of working it out.”
“I can’t tell you everything,” I tease, watching the frown appear on his face.
“Yeah? Like what?”
“Girl problems, for one.”
“You can ask me about that, though I’ll have no idea what I’m talking about.”
Cerberus nudges Rocky’s legs playfully, so we pull apart. Patting Cerberus on the head, I take my leave. “G’night.”
“Don’t go to bed too late, okay?”
I make my way towards the door. “I know.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to tuck you in?”
“Rocky, I’m not five! I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay, okay,” he raises his hands in defeat. “Good night.”
As soon as I open the door, I’m surprised to see a large group huddled around one of the bunks. Kids are chattering excitedly, oohing and aahing over something on the bed.
“It’s so cute!” someone shouts at the front.
“What’s its name?” another pipes up, pushing through the crowd to get a closer look.
“I hope mine is that pretty!” a girl on a bed grins from ear to ear.
A short, skinny girl with mid-length ginger hair climbs onto the top bunk. “Enough staring! Me and Laila have to get ready for bed sometime, you know!” In her arms lies a small white dragon with purple splotches on its back. A purple gemstone in its chest gives away its status as a premier dragon. “I’m sure all of the rare dragons will hatch during the night!”
I guess premier dragons hatch fastest, which means that my egg will probably be the last one to hatch. If it hatches, of course. The poor thing might be dead and I wouldn’t know it until Monday morning.
“Yeah! It’ll be so cool!”
With an eye roll, I push through the crowd until I reach my bunk at the back. My suitcase still lies in the same position on the bed, which means I should unpack. A wooden door on each side of the bunk bed reads ‘Toilets’ and ‘Stables’. Unfortunately, this means people will be passing back and forth here throughout the night to use the toilet. Great.
“Oh! You must be Hazel. I’m Wes.” The boy on the lower bunk gets up and holds his hand out to me, a friendly smile on his face.
He’s no taller than I am, of Asian descent with short brown hair and small-framed glasses sitting upon a wonky nose. He looks friendly enough.
“Um, yeah.” We shake hands awkwardly, and he quickly brushes his hair back with his hand.
“So, you’ve got a common dragon, huh?”
“Yeah.”
He tilts his head to one side slightly. “Not much of a talker, are you?”
“Not really, no.” I smile sheepishly.
“That’s fine. Can I see your egg? You’re the only person with a common dragon here.”
“Uh, sure. Can I see yours?”
“Yeah, course.”
Gently, I place the backpack on the floor and lift the egg out, while Wes points to a cream-coloured egg on his pillow. Panic races through my mind as he takes the egg, stroking it curiously. His egg is heavy, and is considerably larger than mine. His dragon is going to be huge.
“Hey, what colour do you think yours will be? White or brown?” he asks.
“I dunno. I only saw it briefly when it connected, but I was more worried about what happened to it than what colour it was.”
“Oh... Right. I’m sorry about that. Is it okay?”
“We’ll have to wait and find out, I guess.”
There’s an uncomfortable silence between us before I decide to carry on the conversation. Rocky’s nerves will calm considerably if he finds out I’ve made a friend. “This is an uncommon egg, right? Any ideas about the colour?”
“When it connected, it didn’t look like a bright colour,” he confesses. “But I don’t mind. It’s gonna be one of the biggest dragons here!”
“I can tell. It’ll be taking up all the room in your bed in no time.”
“Yeah, but at least no-one will think twice about messing with me!” He places the egg on the bed carefully. “Here, I’ll take that off you.”
I’m grateful to have the heavy egg taken off me, and to get mine back unharmed. As I pick it up there’s no new movement, but I don’t know whether that’s normal or not.
“Mine’s hatched!” someone screeches by t
he door.
“Another premier dragon?” Wes sighs. “That’s the third one in this cabin.”
The small, chubby boy bounces around with a bright yellow and red dragon in his arms, puffing his chest out proudly.
People crowd around him, whispering about how their dragons will look and when it will hatch. Do they have nothing better to do?
“Some people have the attention span of a rock,” I mutter under my breath.
“I agree.” Wes makes me jump by putting his hand on my shoulder. “You seem nice, though. Quiet, but nice.”
“You’re okay too.”
Ducking his head in embarrassment, he grins. “Thanks.”
His hand doesn’t move from my shoulder, so I clear my throat awkwardly: “I’m gonna go get ready for bed.”
His hand not moving, he grins. I don’t think he realizes it’s still there. “'Kay. We each have our own stall. You’re the first on the register, so you’re number one.”
“Uh, thanks.” I move slowly towards the door, reaching up to drag my suitcase off my bed. “I’ll, uh, see you in a minute.”
He nods and sits back on his bed, sifting through his suitcase. Quickly I slip into the bathroom, staring at the rows of silver stalls that line the white walls. Wes was right; wooden numbers are nailed to each stall, along with the initials of each person. The door to my stall creaks open when I touch it, so I quickly slip in and close it behind me to prevent myself from making too much noise.
Inside the stall the floor, walls and ceiling are a dull grey colour, with a single light bulb swinging from the ceiling. A toilet, sink and shower cubicle are squeezed into the tiny space; a mirror cabinet is nailed to the wall above the sink with a dirty handprint wiped onto the centre. A large body-length mirror is glued to the back of the door, a dull golden rim around the edges. Finally, next to the toilet is a long white bathtub. It looks new; the taps are almost shiny enough to see my reflection in.
I place the egg in the sink, studying the handprint with distaste. “Well, today could have gone better,” I mutter to no-one in particular. “I just wish you hadn’t been chucked into the air like a Frisbee.” The dragon egg lay unmoving in the sink.
I’m talking to an egg. I’ve actually lost my mind.
I just hope it hatches. I don’t want to be a Nothing. Although having to spend the year with Raymond and his ‘Cindaraans’ doesn’t sound too great either. I’ll have to try to avoid them as much as possible, especially if they’re all as horrible as Raymond and Mr Reedman.
There’s not much point in sitting around moping any longer. I’ll just have to see what happens tomorrow.
* * *
Loads of eggs hatched last night, including all of the premier and rare eggs. One or two of the uncommon eggs have started to hatch too, so Wes has been watching his like a hawk since he got up and discovered a small crack in the side. He’s not the only one; other kids have been hollering about cracks in their eggs too.
No change in my egg though. It hasn’t shown any signs of hatching.
“Hazel! Quick, come watch!” Wes ushers me down with his hand, smiling widely.
Half-heartedly, I trudge down the ladder. As soon as my feet hit the floor, he grabs my arm and pulls me onto his messy bed.
“Its tail poked out the side a minute ago! It’s dark brown!” He bounces excitedly as a tiny orange foot breaks a hole through the side of the tough cream shell.
“Can it get out okay?”
“I think it’s just in a weird position.” His face scrunches up in worry.
“It’s probably just woken up,” I joke. “Not a morning person.”
“Oh? Does it have bed hair like yours?”
Pushing him playfully, I chuckle: “Shut up.”
A little squeak later and a brown head breaks through the shell, leaving bits of cream dust on Wes’ bed. The minuscule winged lizard blinks up at Wes with bright orange eyes and squeaks, tipping the egg onto its side. Slowly, it hauls itself out of its old home and scrambles towards him. It climbs onto his lap and licks his cheek, its tiny tail lashing side to side in excitement.
“Hello,” Wes chuckles, stroking his new companion on its scaly head.
“Boy or girl?” I ask excitedly.
“Girl. She doesn’t have a spiky tail.”
Well, at least now I know how to tell the difference. I wonder what mine will be like?
“She’s huge!”
“Stroke her, it’s okay.” He holds the brown dragon towards me, her orange feet kicking wildly in the air. I stroke her head gently, and she softens in Wes’ grip, making satisfied squeaking noises. “I can’t wait to show her off! How’s your egg doing?”
“No change.”
“Oh. I’m sure it’ll hatch soon; it’s probably an afternoon person.”
“Maybe.”
“Don’t worry about it too much, just enjoy your day off.” He changes the conversation excitedly. “What classes have you signed up for? Apart from English and Maths, obviously.”
My heart sinks at the thought of school. The teachers could be as bad as Mr Reedman, or worse, if that’s possible. Plus, I’ll be in a classroom filled with people I won’t know. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to new lessons: Dragon Mythology was never an option in Primary Town. I’ve always been interested in the history of dragons, and how the giant beasts shrunk down to the loyal companions we have today.
“History, Dragon Mythology and Religious Studies.”
“Cool! I’m doing Dragon Mythology too, we can pair up!” Jumping to his feet, the strange boy starts rummaging through his suitcase under the bed. After a few moments, he pulls a thick black book out, placing it on my lap.
The book looks expensive, bound in hard black leather with a golden spine. The title is The History of Dragons: From Dinosaurs to Dogs.
“What’s this?”
“It was on the recommended books list. Didn’t you get a list a few weeks before coming here?”
I did remember the long list of books, and the hefty price tag that came with them. “Yeah... I threw it away because I couldn’t afford any.”
“I was given a fifty pound allowance to buy some. I bought that one because it’s really good for the Dragon Mythology course; it’s really interesting. If you and I are going to pair up, we’ve got to be on the same level!” He frowns. “I could only buy two, though. That one, and the core textbook for First Year. Do you not even have that?”
“No. I’ll ask my brother if he’s got his still.”
“Be careful lugging it around; it contains the prospectus for each subject, whether you’re learning about it or not.” He looks back at the book again. “You can borrow that book, I’ve already read it.”
He’s letting me borrow it? A girl he met yesterday? “Really?”
He shrugs. “It’s fine, so long as you give it back once you’re done.”
“Thanks.”
“What are you doing-”
“Good morning, children.” All heads snap towards the door, where Mr Reedman is standing bolt upright, scanning the room slowly. “I hope you have settled in well.”
Wes snatches the book out of my hands and shoves it under his pillow, his dragon squeaking in protest.
“I see some dragons have hatched.” He stares hard at the ginger girl from last night with her premier dragon, Laila. “Don’t forget to register them all at the Square by nine o’clock Monday morning. Any eggs that do not hatch by then are dead.” His icy gaze moves onto me, making me drop my eyes to the wooden floorboards. “However, anyone who wishes to register their dragon with me now may do so.” He turns to leave. “Oh, before I forget. Dragon starter kits are being sold for forty pounds at Dragons Galore. Make sure to buy one, otherwise you will have no idea how to care for your companion. That is all.” Everyone breathes a collective sigh of relief as he leaves; some students follow him out, clutching their dragons close to their chests.
“I’d better register Asteroid.” Wes passes
the book back to me.
“Asteroid?”
“Yeah. I think it matches her tough appearance.” Asteroid jumps into his arms, before perching on his shoulder. “Have you got any names yet?”
“Uh, no. It’ll come to me.”
“Okay, cool. What are you doing today?”
“Probably go see my brother and my friends. They might have some stuff they can give me from last year.”
“Oh. I’ll, uh, see you later then.”
We smile at each other awkwardly before he takes his leave, Asteroid swaying on his shoulder as he walks.
Forty pounds for a starter kit? Not to mention I need a textbook too!
Clambering halfway up the bunk ladder, I scoop up the egg in one arm and shove it into the backpack. I tuck Wes’ book carefully under my pillow, making sure it’s fully hidden from view so the others won’t get suspicious.
More excited screams fill the cabin as I leave, as a bunch of girls crowd around a hatching egg.
Please hatch. I promise I’ll look after you. I’ll try to get the best stuff for you!
I squeeze my eyes shut as my stomach churns in worry. It will go when the egg hatches.
If it hatches.
4
Chapter Four
As I near Camp Two, I see Rocky and Marco awkwardly glaring at each other, while Cerberus runs laps around them, her black tongue lolling out of her mouth.
“Hey!” I call to them as I get closer. Cerberus halts her running to bounce over to me, eyes widening excitedly.
Both go in for a hug, but Rocky quickly pushes Marco out of the way. “Nice sleep?”
“Not really. Every time an egg hatched people felt the need to scream about it.”
Marco chuckles and slaps me on the back. “That’ll be you soon.”
“Doubt it.”
Rocky finally pulls away so Marco tries to go in for a second hug, only for Rocky to push him away again. “Stop it!” Marco growls, pushing my brother back a few steps.
Please don’t argue.
There’s always been a rivalry between Marco and Rocky. My brother wants me to be safe and protected, which means no bad influences. Marco is that influence; we’d always wrestle too hard and hurt each other or make the other one cry by taking the teasing too far, so Rocky never approved of our friendship.
Elemental Dragons Book 1: Blood and Water Page 3
