Layla

by Lacie Perry Parker

  After dropping Adda and Wade off at their tavern, Brye and I were approaching the looming castle. In the dark, it looked haunted. The towers rested in the distance like dragons, and the orange flags looked like fires emerging from their mouths. But I was too tired to let the sight frighten me.

  The guards let down the drawbridge. The thunk of the wood hitting the earth did not wake me up as I had hoped it would. One eye closed, one open, I entered the castle and climbed up the stairs to my room. I stripped off everything but my boots, completely forgetting about them. I plopped onto my bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was asleep. It was a good thing Brye had offered to go tell my father that we were back home.