Fate Of The Dragon

by Richard Lovegood

  “I s…s…s…see your point. B…b…b…but what w…w…were you saying about J…J…Jeffers?”

  “Right. Sorry, I tend to get a little off track. Ha ha! After that night in my bathroom, I vowed that I was going to get to the bottom of whatever he has going on. It has to be a God thing, or divine appointment, or whatever you call those things, because I was led out here to find you! And you just so happen to work with a man named Jeffers. Dude, we can team up! This is going to be absolutely fantastic! You said you needed to get out of here, well I can help you with that. Once you get healed up and well fed, we can split up and tackle two cities at once. I can take you to Los Ricos for you to investigate everything up there, especially since nobody will know you. I need to stay here, mainly because my wife is here.” So far, I’m liking this plan that Chuck is coming up with.

  “Speaking o…o…of your w…w…wife, how is s…s…she?” I ask.

  I hear a strange noise. It sounds so muffled, and distant. I open my eyes a little bit and take a look at my surroundings. I'm back in that huge chamber that connects the twin barriers to the north hall. I'm resting against one of the walls, which is quite squishy and comfortable, and there is some sort of cord attached to the center of me. I wonder what that is for.

  Suddenly, a huge projection screen lights up the entire place as it spans from one end of the wall to the other end. If my old captain could see the size of this thing, he might be jealous! A figure appears on the screen; a female figure. She is smiling…a lot.

  "Hello there!" she says with joy. "How are we today? I see that you are awake. You slept for quite a while young man! How are you feeling?"

  Why is she so happy? I just woke up. "I'm doing ok, I guess. Tell me something…" I say.

  "Sure, honey, what is it?" she coos.

  I sigh. "Well, I know that I used to be a GOC. Apparently, that has changed; seeing as how I no longer have a pack, or a data pad, or a transport vessel; and I'm a fat sphere-thing." I look around at myself, and some things have changed. I am not a sphere. I'm covered in strange lumps. What is going on here? How long did I sleep? To make things a little weirder, I think I can make these new lumps move. “And these little nubs that I can suddenly move are very confusing. What is this? What am I?!”

  She beams brighter with even more joy; though I didn't know it was possible. She says, "You…are…a… baby!"

  "I'm a what?" I ask.

  "A baby! You are a baby human being in the making. According to our count up here in headquarters, you have been with us now for 43 days."

  "Headquarters eh? That must make you the captain then." I say.

  "Correct! By now you should have hands and feet. Can you feel them?" she asks me.

  "Sorry, I don't know what those are." I say.

  "You said you noticed that you were lumpy. If you look to your left and to your right, you will notice that you have two up top, and two down below. The ones up top are your hands, and the ones below are your feet. In just a few weeks, you’ll develop arms and legs. Think of them as extensions for your hands and feet."

  Those are some interesting things to think about there. Something hurts. I have this pain somewhere in the middle of me. I should ask what that is. "Ma'am…er…captain I have a question."

  "Sure punkin! What is it?" she says.

  "I hurt right here in the middle. Why is that?"

  "Oh, think nothing of it at all! You're just hungry, that's all." she says.

  "Great…" I say as I gasp because the pain is getting worse. "How do I fix it?"

  "Not to worry, honey. Your next feeding is coming up now." says the captain.

  The screen fades to black and my tube glows. I see fluid rushing in and down the tube. The fluid goes straight into me, and I feel warm and refreshed. That was amazing! I feel this soothing sensation all over me. The fluid just keeps coming and coming, and I feel my eyes getting heavy again. I think I’ll take another nap.

  The captain steps down from her podium, places her hands behind her back and walks around the bridge. She checks monitors, charts, and gauges to ensure that everything is on track. Satisfied with the results, she continues her walk. "I believe this is going to be an easy pregnancy, ladies. From everything we have recorded in the memory banks, this won’t be as bad as some of the worst-case scenarios. I applaud you all for doing a wonderful job, for staying alert, and for taking the necessary steps to ensure our vessel's safety.”

  Many days pass by so fast that they all seem like a blur to me. My arms and legs have grown now, just like the captain said they would. Sometimes, I bide my time playing with my fingers and toes while I float here. The captain was also right about my little cord here; I pull it and food comes pouring through in a matter of minutes. It’s pretty awesome. What makes it more enjoyable is that the ladies in headquarters are extremely nice to me. They have never yelled at me, or anything!

  I’ve found a new trick recently. If I rest my feet on the wall while bending my legs a little bit, I can launch myself to the other side and bounce off the wall! It does get tiring after a while, though. However, the amount of fun I have while doing it makes being tired worth every minute. You know something? I think a good bouncing is in order.

  I crouch down to where my rounded backside part is touching the back of my feet. I push off pretty hard this time, and launch myself through the area aiming for the other side. I become curious about something. How long can I keep this going? I try to turn myself while I’m in motion, and it works. My feet are now facing the upcoming wall. “Let the countdown begin.” I say in my captain impersonation voice. “3…2…1…and we have launch!” And I push off. This is so much fun! The other side is approaching as I float on. I turn myself in mid-float so that I can push off the other wall. I get my feet ready so that I can push off again, but that feeling comes back in my middle section. I remember the captain telling me that that feeling indicates that I am hungry. I stop my bouncing and floating shenanigans, and I give my cord a good tug.

  Instantly the captain comes on screen; which seems a bit smaller now. “Hello there you cute, adorable, handsome, little guy! My, how you have grown! We registered you request for food, and some will be on the way shortly.” The captain says.

  Good. I’m very hungry. I wonder how many more days I have to go before I get out of here.

  “Dude, she’s awesome. As a matter of fact, bathroom showdown didn’t affect her at all, because she’s pregnant! Those punks failed! Her due date is about five weeks away, according to what the doctor tells us.” Chuck says with a wild laugh.

  That is a big sigh of relief. I’m very happy to hear that Brie is safe, and now pregnant. My face contorts violently, though, because I know the pain and anguish that Jeffers can cause just inside the church. But to know that he is influencing more than just the church is sickening. I have to put a stop to him, and his goons. Lord, please be with me when I go to Los Ricos. I have no idea what I’m in store for when I get there.

  “Are you mentally ok?” he asks me. “Your face looks like you’re having a mental war going on inside. Did I lose you there?”

  If he only knew the half of it. However, this guy knows about Jeffers. I wonder if he has ever met him? “Y-y-you mentioned a m-m-man named J-j-j-j…” It’s hard for me to even have that name pass my lips.

  “Jeffers?” he finishes.

  “Y-y-yes.” I say with a sigh. “W-w-what else do you know about h-h-him?”

  “After my wife and I found out we were pregnant, we decided to move away from the city and move down here. I still do the same job, just not as much. I think I spend more time at home now, especially since my wife is due any day. I want to be there for her when our baby comes. So, I work from home most days, and I go out and prospect 2-3 days out of the week.

  “Back to that Jeffers guy, I found out that he’s the lead priest of the catholic church in town. Now, I’m not catholic or anything, but I’ve listened to a few of his sermons and I think he’s off his rocker. That dude
does not stick with the Bible at all. I mean, he may start with a verse or two, but then after he gets into his message he becomes very animated. Then somehow it turns into more of a pep rally than a church service, and they all end with people practically emptying their wallets before him at the altar. I don’t understand it at all.

  “Then, as time went on, stranger things started to happen. This new Chinese restaurant opened up called The Dragon’s Garden; the same one that you mentioned earlier. Only, I don’t think their food is all that great. Sorry to disappoint you, I’m just not a huge fan. But I did notice a strange thing about it; apart from the creepy dragon statue on top. I noticed that more and more people kept lining up to eat there. Most of them were from church! I heard one guy talking about how he couldn’t wait to get another one of those fortune cookies. I didn’t know that fortune cookies were so tasty. Inquiring minds want to know. So, I wandered over to him and asked him what was up with those cookies. He told me he had figured out the secret. Written upon the magical sheets of paper were actual fortunes specific to each and every patron. If the fortune is read out loud, then whatever is written will come true. Apparently, some people now have new cars, more money, a better house, etc.

  “This didn’t persuade me to go in. Personally, I’ve never liked fortune cookies anyway. About a month later, I heard this loud sound coming from the restaurant as I was driving home. I pulled into the parking lot, rolled down my windows, and waited. It sounded like a riot was coming from inside. There was lots of angry shouting, women screaming curses at each other, and loud crashing sounds. I adjusted my rear-view mirror in hopes that I could get a better view without being noticed. I looked and saw what appeared to be an amateur circus act inside, but every member of the staff just stood still. Almost as if they were enjoying the show. The front doors flew open and the fight spilled out into the parking lot. I remained perfectly still, because this was getting ugly. I heard weird random shouts like ‘You told me to punch my wife!’ and ‘Why would I do that when I’m busy choking myself at your dumb request?’. ‘Get away from me, witch, before I treat you to a trial by fire at the stake!’ was one of the other strange ones. As the chaos was unfolding more and more, the police finally showed up and calmed down the public. Granted, it took them half an hour, but they did it. One guy gave a statement saying how he remembers reading a fortune from one of the special cookies, and he swears he heard a voice from behind him saying to slice his own throat.

  “At that moment, I knew that place was bad business. Soon afterwards, it’s like the whole city erupted in chaos. Buildings were being burned, businesses were being shut down, and people just being nasty to each other. My wife and I never ate there again. Wait a second, you mentioned something about a fortune cookie too! One that stopped your stutter, right?”

  I nod my head.

  “See! I knew it! We need to find a way to shut down that place, and we need to find a way to stop Jeffers. Bad priest or not, he was said to be the leader of that cloaked group. And why did the Lord send me out here? I’m still a little confused about that part. Do you think it was to find you?”

  “D-d-don’t be silly. T-t-the Lord used to t-t-talk to His p-p-people back in the b-b-biblical days, b-b-but not any m-m-more.” I say furrowing my brow.

  “You better hold your tongue, old man. I don’t care if you are some skinny, homeless, old man. But don’t you dare speak so poorly of the Lord.”

  “L-l-l-like you know anything.” I spit back at him. “If the L-l-lord wants to s-s-speak to the p-p-people, He w-w-would have done so by now.”

  Chuck stares at me. I can’t tell if he wants to hurt me, make fun of me, or keep listening. After a brief moment, he smiles out of the corner of his mouth and says to me, “Let me ask you a question. Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?”

  “W-w-what?!”

  “Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?” Chuck asks again. He is still smiling out of the corner of his mouth.

  I start to get a little flustered. Does this kid know who I am? No, of course not. I haven’t properly introduced myself, and quite frankly I think it is about time. I open my mouth to do so, but Chuck asks another question.

  “Can you say with absolute confidence, at this moment, right here right now, that if you die you are going to Heaven?”

  I sit there with my mouth hanging open. I think so? “W-w-well, I’m a g-g-good person so, I think so. Y-y-yes. I would s-s-say that I m-might be.”

  “Good people don’t go to Heaven. Forgiven people do. What sins have you been forgiven of?”

  “Who d-d-do you think you are? Are y-y-you saying th-th-that you h-h-have the power to forgive s-s-sins? Only p-p-priests c-c-can do that!” I shout back at him.

  “That’s where you’re wrong.” Chuck says calmly. “The Son of Man has the power to forgive sins. It works like this: all of us are filthy, rotten, little balls of sin when we are born. We are born into sin. Thank you, Adam. We have no hope of saving ourselves. None. God knows this. With no way of saving ourselves, we are doomed to spend eternity in Hell, burning forever in the lake of fire. God being as awesome as he is, came up with a rescue plan. He sent His Only Son down from Heaven. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the virgin Mary became pregnant with God’s Son! Jesus was born and lived a pure, and innocent life; 100% sin free. When He was in His thirties, He started to preach that the Kingdom of God had come. He started healing people left and right. He cleansed lepers. He raised the dead. He even cast out demons! He also asked us to do the same things, just in case you were wondering. Anyway, some teachers of the law had him crucified on a cross.”

  I know this. I’ve just never heard it put this way before. I didn’t think people were authorized to talk about this kind of thing in the open! Yet, there’s a sense of power and authority in his voice when he’s saying all of this. I choose to listen more, because I feel almost strangely curious about this.

  “Now, here comes the cool part. He died on that cross, and the Roman soldiers took Him down and had Him placed in a tomb. The tomb was sealed shut with a huge stone that was rolled in front of the only opening. Dude, three days later, Jesus rose from the dead! How cool is that?! Not some ghost or anything, but pure flesh and blood! Walking around just like you and me! He went and showed himself to His disciples, and about 500 other people. After that, he ascended into Heaven. Now He sits at the right hand of God the Father. While He was on that cross, the Bible says that the wrath of God was poured out all on Jesus. He took all of our sin and plunged it down to Hell forever! Now that He is up in Heaven, He speaks to God on our behalf. Jesus said that you must be born again in order to enter the kingdom of Heaven. To do that, all you have to do is accept the free gift that God gave all people: Jesus. If you ask Him right now, He will come and live inside your heart and cleanse you from all sin.”

  I don’t know what to say. I have never heard it put that way before.

  “What do you say, old man?” Chuck asks me.

  “I’m n-n-not sure if I c-c-can.” I say with an uneasy tone. “I m-m-mean, I w-w-want to. I just d-d-don’t know if H-h-he will t-t-take me.”

  “Dude, the Bible says that Jesus is the good shepherd. He cares for all of His sheep; even you. The Bible also says that He stands at the door to our hearts and knocks. All you need to do is open the door and invite Him in. He’s a gentleman. He’s not going to break down the door and let Himself in. It doesn’t work that way.”

  “W-w-will you help me?” I ask.

  “Dude, I would love to.” Chuck says with a huge smile. He starts praying out loud, which I find really weird, and then he says, “Ok. Repeat after me. Lord, I come before you now a sinner. I need a Savior. I’m sorry for what I have done, and I need your forgiveness. Please forgive me. I accept the free gift of Your Son. Jesus, I acknowledge you as Lord of my life. Come live in me. Amen.”

  “NO! How dare you! You can’t do this to me, fat boy! YOU CAN’T DO THIS TO ME!”

  I repeat
every word as best as I can, and Chuck is very patient with me as I stammered through. After we are both through with the prayer, I look at Chuck and I say, “Thank you so much. I feel this warm sensation in my chest. Is that nor…” I stop myself and clasp a hand over my mouth. I didn’t stutter! Amazing! I look at Chuck, and he picked up on it too. I remove my hand and speak again, “That…was…really…amazing! Oh, happy day! My stutter is gone!” I attempt to get up, but the shocking pain in my hip reminds me that it’s still very much there and very much broken.

  “Dude, are you ok?” Chuck asks me.

  “No. My hip is broken. I think I fell on it somewhere out in the desert, and quite frankly I don’t remember exactly when.” I say.

  “Not a problem.” Chuck extends out his hands and places them gently on my hip.

  “Are you a doctor, too?” I ask.

  “Nope. I just happen to be a child of the greatest Physician ever. I’m going to pray for your hip ok?” he says with confidence.

  “Um…sure.” I don’t see how a simple prayer is going to fix this.

  Chuck begins, “Father, I thank you in Jesus name for a brand-new hip. Thank you, Lord. Hip, I command you to be fully healed and restored in Jesus name!” He sits there and waits for a minute. “Ok. Tell me what you are feeling right now.