Fate Of The Dragon

by Richard Lovegood

  I want to say that I feel nothing, but as soon as I start to formulate those words they wouldn’t be true. “I…feel…this warm sensation all over my hip. That’s weird. It feels like it’s on fire but doesn’t burn.”

  “Dude! That’s God’s Holy Spirit! Ha ha! That’s so awesome! What else?” he says with absolute excitement. “Try moving it.”

  I freeze for a moment in disbelief, but I slowly move my leg. I bend my knee and let it back down. Ok. Now to try standing. I rise up on my knees, and place both hands on the ground. I shuffle my feet to put them flat on the ground, and I slowly rise up. Sure enough, there is no pain at all! This is a miracle!

  “Thank you!” I say.

  “Dude, don’t thank me. I’m just an obedient messenger. You should thank the Lord.” Chuck says.

  “Right. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Father. Thank…all three of You!” I say with uncertainty as to who to thank directly. Chuck just laughs at me, and I laugh right along with him.

  “Now it is time to go back into the city, my son.”

  Chuck and I both freeze, and we glance at one another. “Did you hear that?” we say in unison and laugh. “Sure did.” We say again.

  “Chuck, is that…”

  “Yes, that’s the Lord.” He confirms.

  “Is that who you were talking to when you first showed up out here?” I ask with a chuckle.

  “Oh, you heard that, eh?” he blushes. “Yes. Yes, it was. You know, now that He healed you, we should go after Jeffers and confront him.”

  “I think it’s going to be more than just a mere confronting. I will have words with him, because he and I have a history.” I say with an edge in my voice.

  “Dude, what are you talking about?” Chuck asks with a confused tone.

  “I used to be a priest that worked for him, and he tormented me with every waking breath it seemed like. Yes, we should go. Can you do me a favor though?”

  “Sure, what’s that?”

  “Please stop calling me ‘Dude’. My name is Elverson Luther Spaid.” Now that my stutter is gone, I have a new mission. There is a new sense of courage building up inside of me. There are a few things I need to take care of, and I need to make sure that all of my facts are straight. “As much as I appreciate that granola bar, it didn’t do justice to curb my appetite. I’m going to need just a little bit more than that. Now, you and I both know the dangers of The Dragon’s Garden, but I need to go there and see it for myself.”

  Chuck’s expression goes pale. “Are you sure you know what you are asking for?”

  “Yes. Yes, I do. Do you mind taking me there?” I ask.

  “No, not really. I would feel better if we had my car though. And we desperately need to get you some new clothes. Your clothes look like someone stayed in the sauna way too long.” Chuck says with a laugh.

  “That’s fine by me.”

  “Great. Come to think of it, I’ll do something better for you. I’ll get you something to wear and then I’ll take you home to introduce you to my wife. Then, I’ll get you some dinner and you can rest up a bit. That way, you can sleep peacefully on a full stomach, and be fully recharged with your thoughts gathered. How does that sound?”

  “Chuck, that sounds amazing. I would be honored to meet your wife!” I’m not used to such kind treatment. But I can definitely get used to it!

  “Wonderful! It’s settled then. Can you walk?” Chuck asks me.

  I shuffle my feet, and then slowly lift them one by one; step by step. Once again there is no pain. “Looks like I’m good to go!”

  “Outstanding! Let us be off then!” Chuck pats me on the shoulder, and we walk back into the city.

  21

  Cute Is Not What I Aimed For

  This is stupid. As time passes, my area seems to be getting smaller and smaller; if that were only the issue. In actuality, I have grown. According to the frequent updates from headquarters, I’m progressing well and everything is right on track with what they call a "due date". Speaking of headquarters, the captain's announcement screen is now very small. On a good note, it pops up at eye level for me.

  The captain has invented new names to call me each time she sees me. It’s so annoying. I’ve heard everything from pumpkin to sweetie. There have been creative ones too: punkin dunkin, google eyes, handsome little cutie, and even snuggle buggle bear. It baffles me sometimes that she’s capable of using actual words.

  That’s not my main concern though. I’m cramped. I feel like I'm in a confinement area, more so than a comfortable cushioned vessel. There have been times where I try and push against the walls so I can make some more room. That only helps for a little bit. The walls don't stay pushed out, because they just slowly collapse back into their original place. There have been times when I push with both my hands and my feet. That worked really well, for a little bit longer, but it always ends with the same result.

  Those times are gone, sadly. Now, my knees are bunched up near my chest. That severely limits my kicking room. The days of jumping and bouncing off walls: long gone. I can no longer make large sweeping motions with my arms. That was cool when I could do it! Now, my arms just stay folded against my chest. Of course, there’s the occasional tug on the cord when I need some food.

  Speaking of food; I am starving. It’s time to ring the dinner bell. I reach down and give it a good tug. The small screen blips, beeps, and comes on revealing the captain’s smiling face. I sigh heavily waiting for what kind of cute name she has for me today. Will it be a repeat, or will it be something new? There’s no telling with her. The captain says, “Good morning shnookems! How is my handsome little cuddly-wuddly, dew drop sugar plum?”

  Sigh.

  “Look at you! I could just pinch those little cheeky-weekies! Oh, my goodness, I just can’t get over how handsome you’ve become! I see you have another request for food. Is your tummy-wummy in need of some yummy scrumptious foody-boo?”

  I tilt my head a little bit and say, “I heard the word food in there somewhere. So…yes.”

  The captain practically leaps into the air while clapping her hands. I see her turn from her monitor, and keep the video feed running. “Say hello to everyone on the bridge, Aiden!” the captain says turning the camera. Immediately, the whole crew of the bridge is jammed together, face to face, trying to see me. Some even tried reaching through in an attempt to pinch my cheeks I think.

  I place my hands over my eyes. I don’t want to see this anymore. It’s embarrassing.

  The whole bridge crew erupts with, “OH LOOK HOW CUTE!”

  I immediately regret that last decision.

  The food comes down my cord, and enters my body. That’s exactly what I needed. Now that my stomach is satisfied, I think I can withstand the barrage of cuteness. I wave at the screen, because I know they will all enjoy it. Sure enough, they all squeal with delight.

  "I have another question for you." I say.

  "Absolutely! What would you like to know, honey bunny?" the captain says.

  "When am I getting out of here? I’m cramped and running out of room to move. I don't have any more room to play, and all I’m doing is eating food."

  The captain tilts her head, smiles and says, "Just be patient, my heavenly dew drop. Your due date is actually tomorrow! All of us here have been watching and waiting for this wonderful day to arrive. We’ve done everything in our power to ensure your safety and progress. Believe me when we say that no one is more excited than us. We, as an entire vessel, can't wait to hold you, caress you, and…"

  "And smother you with kisses!" another crew member shouts.

  The captain chuckles and says, "Yes! The smothering of kisses will definitely take place. Aiden, you have been such a joy to watch. Seeing you grow up, and become what you are now makes us so happy beyond measure. We look forward to tomorrow, as I know you are as well."

  "Yes, I am. I owe you an apology for sounding so grumpy earlier. I’m just so tired of being cramped in here. Combine that with being hungry, an
d it becomes hard to stay nice." I say.

  "We completely understand, sugar dumpling! We totally forgive you. Everything is going to be ok, honey. For now, just try to relax. Take a nap if you need to. Don't worry about food. We have already programmed feeding times to last up until you make your appearance. We love you, Aiden. We will see you tomorrow!" the captain says with a quiver in her voice. I watch as her eyes glisten, sparkle, and fill up with some kind of clear fluid. Then her eyes overflow and that same liquid forms a stream that runs down the side of her face. The captain places her hand on the screen, and gently slides it downward. Then the screen shuts off.

  Well, I’m all by myself again. I feel tired though, so I think I’ll take the captain up on that nap. That sounds really good right now. I feel my cord light up as food comes pouring through again. I smile. I can get used to this frequent feeding. I keep thinking about one of the last words the captain said to me: "love". What is that? I try to shrug it off, but I can't. That word keeps resonating within me. What is so special about "love"? I’ll have to ask her after my nap. I close my eyes, and I drift off to sleep.

  22

  Not Exactly Sweats

  My stutter is gone! My hip is healed! This is a miraculous day. Lord, why did you take away my stutter?

  “I have an important job for you, son. It cannot be accomplished as you were. Behold, I have made you into something new. Now I want you go forth in My Name and make things as they should be.”

  I think I understand. You want me to confront Jeffers, is that right?

  “Correct.”

  When I do, should I kill him?

  “Absolutely not! Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

  So, you want me to talk to him?

  “Vengeance is mine, and no one else’s.”

  Ok, but what do I say when I get there?

  “The Holy Spirit will give you utterance when it is time.”

  Thank you for taking away my stutter, Lord.

  “Dude, I mean, Elverson; you are being awfully quiet over there. Is everything ok?” Chuck asks me.

  “Oh, yes. I’m sorry. I was having an internal prayer…conversation…thing with the Lord.”

  “Cool. How did it go?”

  “I’m supposed to not kill Jeffers but confront him with words.” I say with a puzzled expression.

  By his expression, Chuck's seems to be more puzzled than I am. “Well then how are you supposed to do that?”

  “I’m not sure. Something about words having the power of life and death.”

  “Awesome! I know that verse really well. It’s Proverbs chapter 18 verse 22. What are you supposed to say?” he asks me.

  “Again, I’m not sure. The Holy Spirit will let me know when the time is right. Chuck?” I ask.

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m having trouble wrapping my head around this whole setting. My city is practically in chaos, with more than half of the buildings in charred remains. No doubt the people are frantic and looking for some kind of help. The Chinese restaurant's food is clearly influencing the decision-making processes of its patrons. The police are clearly not doing anything about it, because I don’t hear any sirens. Lastly, from what I can see, my church is one of the few buildings not affected by the fires and chaos.” I say.

  “Geez, one moment with the Lord and you sound like a modern-day Sherlock Holmes.” Chuck says with a corner mouth smile.

  I smile too, and then ask, “Did you have any place in mind to where I can get some new clothes? There are not many department stores around here, and the thrift store I used to shop at is…well…you know.”

  “Yeah, you told me.” Chuck says.

  “So, where do you think we should look?” I ask.

  Chuck thinks about it for a minute, and then laughs a little. “If you don’t mind looking like a bearded monk, we can go to the costume shop.”

  I laugh, too. “Bearded monk. That’s funny. This sounds like a good plan. Let’s do that. Are they very expensive? I’ve never been in there before.”

  Chuck shakes his head. “No. Especially since there aren’t any holidays coming up that warrant a need for a costume, we should be ok. We may even find some on sale.”

  “I think I speak for most people when I say that I like it when things are on sale. Wait, why a bearded monk?” I ask.

  “Well, with you being a priest I figured that a typical brown monk robe would be the most fitting; figuratively and literally.” Chuck says.

  I nod my head, because this sounds like a really good plan. I can picture it now, me in a robe just like a modern-day Friar Tuck. I smile and chuckle at that thought. “Very well then,” I say with a laugh. “Off to the costume shop we go!”

  We head off into the city and away from the desert, passing by several homes that seem to be abandoned, charred, or both. This is all very sad and depressing. My poor city is now in an even poorer state. There are a few, not many, buildings that seem to have been torn in half. The roofs are broken and pulled back. The framing and drywall are in shambles like a six-car pileup on an interstate highway. One house in particular had only the wooden studs left, and a floor full of debris.

  Just a few blocks more, and we arrive at the shop. Surprisingly, it’s still in one piece. The neon sign flickers and sparks a bit. I’m no electrician or anything, but I’m going to say they might want to fix that sign. We walk in and the bell hanging from the door mantle flange clatters to life, announcing our presence. A scruffy, bearded teenager who looks like he hasn’t bathed in months swiftly lifts his head off of the counter.

  “Welcome good sirs to the Costume Shoppe Emporium. What dost thou have a need of?” the teen says as he wipes some sleepy drool from the corner of his mouth. The shop appears to have not had any visitors for quite some time. Immediately across from the counter are novelty type costumes like ketchup bottles, lamp shades, and zombie brides. I think there’s even the two-person horse costume. The counter is made of plexiglass and the shelves inside contain small bag gifts. Fake glasses with a thick moustache, fake ice cubes with plastic flies inside, and rubber snakes. The rest of the store looks like it’s categorized by what theme you want: pirates, clowns, birthday parties, robots, and even a dinosaur section complete with caveman attire. I notice there’s a strange dark curtain in the back-left corner. That might be the office; or at least I think so. Every costume package, however, is coated with a healthy layer of dust. I think I may have seen some cobwebs in the upper corners of the room. It’s obvious that not everybody enjoys wearing costumes all year long. Which begs the question…why be open all year round then?

  Chuck stifles a laugh and says, “We just need a robe; something that monks would wear. Do you have anything like that?”

  Fighting sleep, the teen asks, “Is it for you or for Gandalf the Skinny?”

  Chuck loses it. He bursts out into a fit of laughing. I’m not quite sure where the joke is, or who Gandalf is supposed to be. What I do know is that this young man is tired and needs to go back to sleep. He looks to be as skinny as a toothpick, but smells like an onion garden. He has a wiry-thin goatee on his chin, and a few thin strands of hair that somewhat resemble a moustache. He is staring at me. From what I can tell, he is reading my body language to determine if I’m going to make fun of him or just pass him off as another annoyance. Poor kid. He must have been laughed at his entire life.

  I know what that’s like.

  As I look at him, I hear words well up within me. They become deafening almost, and I feel that I have to say them to this boy. “What’s your name?” I ask.

  “Uh…Dominick. Why?” he says with a half sneer.

  “Dominick, I need to tell you that Jesus loves you and He thinks that you're amazing.” I say without stopping to think. What if I hurt his feelings? What if he doesn’t believe in Jesus? Instead of taking that statement back, I think I should just go with it and see what happens. What's the worst that could happen? Kick me out of the st
ore? I do the best I can to hide my nervous feeling that seems to want my body to shake all over. I know my face is sometimes a dead giveaway, but I have a feeling that my new beard is hiding said expression.

  “Whatever; you wannabe wizard. The robes are over here.” Dominick walks from behind the counter, and points to a section of the store separated by a curtain.

  Chuck leans over and says in my ear, “No worries man. I’ve tried talking to him about Jesus before. We are called to spread seeds, and water the seeds. But it’s God that brings the increase.” That sounds familiar, but doesn’t make a whole lot of sense right now.

  The red and purple velveteen curtain hangs from brass covered rings that are attached to a dark bronze curtain rod at the top of the doorway. The curtain parts down the middle as Dominick passes through. Both Chuck and I follow him through. It’s most certainly not an office. Chuck swipes his finger on a bear costume package just before walking through.

  This new section of the store is quite possibly either a miracle in the making or a completely different store. This room is immaculate. It’s completely spotless from top to bottom. Above the largest wall display and just below the ceiling, are gold-plated letters that are rimmed in twinkling LED lights backed by a brushed bronze colored plaque. The enormous sign reads “The Medieval Room”. The room has eight walls, and shaped like an octagon. Each wall has its own theme just like the rest of the store. However, each wall is labeled with what appears to be stereotypes. Things liked Melee, Ranged, Casters, Healers, etc. I think even the plastic has been polished for each and every costume. I’m very confused right now. Chuck on the other hand, is smiling from ear to ear.

  “Dude! This room is so awesome!” Chuck says very excitedly.

  This reaction from Chuck melted away any and all teenage angst that Dominick was trying to portray. Dominick beams with pride, and his voice becomes more animated. He walks up close to Chuck and exhibits an inquisitive eyebrow and asks, “Do you like what you see?”