Well, it's finished. I'm posting the whole story since some may have missed the first parts. The story is an allegory. I first encountered the dragon a few years ago. First, I denied it existed. Then I found the courage to hold on and ride, obsessed by the need to defeat the alien presence in my life. Now, I seek the courage to let go and embrace my life as it is now. Or...it's just a story with, hopefully, an interesting twist.
The Dragon’s Tail
By
The clouds grew higher and higher into the darkening blue sky; playful, yet hinting of powerful forces aching to be set free. The sun was setting quickly, settling below the hazy horizon, tinting the bottoms of the clouds with fiery streaks of orange and red. Brilliant white faded to grey; the blue sky grew darker still, deepening to black overhead. A few stars peered out of the darkness but were quickly obscured by the rising clouds. The air was heavy, thick with moisture that flowed over the low hills and settled into shallow valleys, muffling the sounds of the night into eerie silence.
Danny sat on the edge of the porch, his feet dangling above the ground, staring intently at the narrowing ribbon of light on the horizon. He held his breath, counting slowly until the last rays of the sun were extinguished…21, 22, 23…then inhaled deeply, feeling the moist air filling his lungs. He lived with his mom, dad, and younger sister in a small house in the country, far from the glare of city lights. The night was black, no hint of moon or stars could penetrate the clouds, now invisible but still a tangible presence looming above his head. Danny felt vaguely uneasy, shifting his weight nervously on the rough concrete porch. A part of his mind whispered to his body…stand up, go back into the house where the glow of lights would purge the darkness…but he didn’t move, not yet. He waited, a boy’s spirit of adventure craving something new to experience, even if it scared him a little, though he didn’t know why.
A minute passed, then two, maybe three, when the first brilliant flash lit up the sky. The hot flash of lightning streaked its jagged path to the ground…far away with a long delayed rumble of muffled thunder. Then the veil of blackness dropped again, a heavy blanket that covered the sky. Again Danny waited. The second lightning bolt leapt across the sky from cloud to cloud, a messenger of light, prophesizing the arrival of the storm god’s thundering awakening. Danny jumped, eyes wide, not expecting the lightning and thunder so close, so quickly. The electricity in the air made his hair stand on end…or maybe it was just the tingly fear that crept deliciously through his body. He loved and feared the approaching storm.
Danny knew that his mother’s voice would break the spell soon, beckoning him to come into the house for the night, quenching the fear and expectation that made him feel so alive. He started to rise when the sky glowed a third time, no ragged lightning bolt this time, but a pulsing glow beneath a layer of clouds. Danny’s gaze was drawn to the strange light. He was powerless to resist its pull. It seemed alive, casting a spell that held him transfixed, like a butterfly pinned to a piece of cardboard. And so for the first time he saw the dragon, a vague outline lurking in the clouds, its eyes ablaze with purpose. Then it started to rain, large wet drops falling from the heavens, slowly at first then faster and faster. Danny turned his back to the storm, reaching for the door as his mother’s voice pierced the night. He desperately wanted to look back, but didn’t dare, as he opened the door and entered the house.
Danny’s mother let the book rest in her lap, shifted her weight to relieve the stiffness in her arms and back, and looked anxiously at her son. He looked so helpless lying in the bed, his face pale, almost as white as the brightly starched walls of his hospital room. Inanimate, uncaring machines, ticked and whirred, spewing out endless streams of data but offering no comforting warmth or peace of mind. A coma…always hope…be patient…don’t give up…the doctor’s words echoed in the depths of her mind, sometimes mocking her with their persistence. She rose slowly, walking across the room to stand by his bed, reaching to hold his cool, almost lifeless hand.
She whispered softly to him.
“I love you, Danny. You are my life, my hope…the reason for each breath I take. Don’t be afraid. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
Settling into the chair once again, she lifted the book and began to read aloud again, her soft voice drifting across the bare room to the bed, a vortex of spiritual energy, gently prodding his mind.
“The dragon rose swiftly into the night air…”
Danny opened his eyes slowly; rays of sunshine peeking through his window cast shadows on his bedroom wall. OK, he thought, I’m awake and the storm has moved on during the night. It was a Saturday…no school, and endless possibilities for adventure if a boy’s courage prevailed. He dressed quickly, breezed through breakfast, and left his house with the bang of a door slammed carelessly and a fading trail of his mother’s words cautioning him to be careful.
His feet followed a well worn trail from the edge of the fenced yard through a shallow ravine to the bottom of the hill. A rusting barbed wire fence marked the end of his family’s property, yielding quickly to his probing hands as he slipped through without a scratch. The land behind their property was untouched by human hands, awaiting some future development, but for the moment pristine and uncorrupted. The air was freshly washed by last night’s storm, smelling of damp leaves and the scent of flower petals blown by gentle breezes. Danny paused for a moment, feeling his spirit levitating above the damp soil, buoyed by the sheer joy of being alive. It was a wonderful feeling to be young and carefree, purposely seeking aimlessness on a meandering path.
As he continued walking, flickering shadows cast by gently swaying trees played across his face. The path descended quickly to a small stream, swollen by the brief but torrential rains of the powerful storm. He walked gingerly along the bank of the stream, careful not to slip in the mud that soon caked the soles of his shoes. His path straightened a bit, seemingly driven by a more single minded purpose. Danny had a destination now. His pace quickened and he pushed aside the branches that occasionally barred his path with more vigor. He glanced around, his eyes settling on familiar landmarks, an old rotten stump clothed in rotting debris and pale fungi, a large stone weathered by time and a boy’s hands to a smooth texture.
Danny turned away from the stream and began scrambling up the side of a small hill. He had decided to visit the cave, a perfect place to start an adventure. It wasn’t a real cave, of course, but to a boy’s young mind it was a credible substitute. A large sandstone rock extended from the hillside. Streams flowing from countless storms had washed the soil from beneath the rock leaving a substantial overhang that created an open cavity, enlarged by a boy’s hands to make an acceptable hiding place for buried treasure, or a fort to repel determined swarms of enemy soldiers.
Danny crawled inside, the bright sun quickly extinguished by the encircling darkness. The air felt cool on his exposed skin, robbed of the warmth of the sun’s rays. Danny had spent many hours in the cave, enshrouded in fantasies…but somehow it felt different this time. A strange feeling crept over him, crawling slowly up his spine, pricking his skin with each step, leaving tiny goose bumps. He was afraid, but instead of the fear pushing him back into the sunlight, it pulled him into the deeper darkness at the back of the cave. A cold puff of air touched his face, then stopped, then touched him again, then stopped, like a gentle breath, in and out. He brushed his hand along the back of the cave, feeling emptiness where, in the past, soil and rock had blocked any further penetration into the hillside. Danny pushed his body through the opening, sliding down a gentle slope of sticks and small stones into darkness. Suddenly he remembered the image of the dragon in the clouds of the storm. It had seemed so real.
Danny’s mother awoke with a start. She was slumped awkwardly in the chair; the book resting on the floor where it had fallen. She glanced quickly at Danny, still motionless in the hospital bed. Sudden fear gripped her. She scrambled from the chair, almost falling as her weight shifted to legs too long twisted under her body where she had slept. Finally, standing by his bed, she stared intently at her son, watching his chest slowly rising and falling with each breath.
“I’m still here Danny”, she said gently touching his forehead. “I won’t leave you. You’re not alone. I just fell asleep for a few moments. I’m sorry if it frightened you.” She fussed with his blanket, making adjustments here and there, trying to make him more comfortable. Looking down at him she remembered the terrible moments after the accident. Never had she felt such fear. Now the fear had congealed to a cold dullness that ached inside.
Sighing deeply she returned to the chair and picked up the book. She turned the pages to where she had stopped reading when she fell asleep and began again.
“The dragon feared only the sun, craving the cold darkness of the night. During the day it hid in its cave, sleeping with deep, heaving breaths that stirred the air with the stench of death and corruption. Even in sleep, it was constantly aware, on guard for any trespassers in its domain.
The old man stood by the opening of the cave with the young boy, leaning on his staff of twisted oak.”
“So,” the old man asked the boy, “you want to ride the dragon. Do you really think you are brave enough… and strong enough.” All the boy could do was nod hesitantly. “Very well,” said the old man. He leaned over and whispered. “The secret is to leap onto the dragon’s tail and hold on with all your might. Whatever you do, don’t let go.” The boy’s eyes opened wide. “Why the dragon’s tail?” he asked, barely whispering. “Because,” laughed the old man, “his tail is the furthest you can get from his teeth…if you want to ride…”
Danny scrambled to his feet and brushed himself off. It was dark, but not pitch black, faint light streaming in from the hole he had just tumbled through. He wasn’t hurt, a few small scratches here and there. He was actually quite astonished to find himself in a real cave; nothing so extraordinary had ever happened to him before. The air was still and quiet, no birds singing, no rustling branches as the wind whistled through trees, no gurgling water slipping over rounded stones in the creek. In the dim light, he could barely make out the far wall of the cave, mostly black dirt with occasional tree roots protruding at odd angles…except for one corner where the wall seemed to glisten in the pale light, as if the cave wall were painted with oil. The wall moved. Startled, Danny held his breath, staring intently at the glistening apparition, the light rippling across its surface. A rustling noise reached his ears, as small stones and debris were pushed slowly across the cave floor. He felt a gentle breeze, blowing across his face, first one direction…then the opposite direction, in and out…in and out…, a rhythmic pattern that lulled his mind into a dormant state. Time stopped for a moment, then Danny inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with air laden with corruption, seasoned with the stench of death and decay. He gasped, the sound of the air expelled from his lungs echoing off of the cave walls. A dark shadow uncoiled in front of him.
Dragon breath, ancient fear encased in shadow,
Watchful eye, ablaze with evil’s glow,
Fire of brimstone, burning deep inside,
Terror; no place to run, no place to hide.
Danny froze, paralyzed by fear that burned into his brain and tied knots in his stomach. The shadow loomed larger, darkness broken by shimmering, pulsating light refracted from oily scales. A voice whispered in his soul; “Are you brave enough…and strong enough?” He felt the touch of a formless shape, dragging slowly across his shoes. It was absurd to even contemplate such a thing…yet, in desperation, or perhaps to mock his growing fear, the thought formed and grew. With grim determination, he reached down and firmly grasped the dragon’s tail.
The air erupted with a horrible shriek that ripped mercilessly into Danny’s mind, begging him to cover his ears. Instead, he held tightly to his precarious perch, willing his mind to stand firm. Unable to reach Danny in the narrow space, the dragon turned and sped furiously down the narrow tunnel, shrieking incessantly, seeking the exit from which it could spread its wings and fly, flinging its pesky burden onto the rocks far below. The faint light vanished and Danny was plunged into total darkness. In the blackness he could feel the tunnel walls sweeping past him, faster and faster, the air whistling through his hair, punctuated by the angry shrieks of the dragon. He lost all sense of time and hope, one thought only burning in his mind…to hold on, to never let go.
Danny’s mother stopped reading. She was so terribly tired, her eyes heavy with lack of sleep and grief. It was her fault. She had been careless…but only for a moment, surely no mischief could come from such a brief lapse. The image of her precious child, lying face down on the water’s surface, floating lifelessly, crept into her mind…a searing image that judged her and pronounced her guilty. How could life be so cruel…to punish her mistake by taking her child.
Her eyes closed and a deep sigh surfaced from deep inside her soul. Once again she rose from the chair and walked slowly to stand beside Danny’s bed. His hands were clenched tightly and his breathing was fast and labored…a dream perhaps, reliving the nightmare. It seemed pointless to stay but she couldn’t leave. Perhaps he could hear her voice, a beacon to bring him out of the darkness back into the light. Returning to her chair, she paused and looked out the window. The horizon was starting to brighten, a dull orange glow. It would be dawn soon, a new day…light to bring hope into darkness. She picked up the book and sat down, turning the page to continue reading.
Dragon breath, faint whisper of foul craving
Feeding pain, no hope of saving
Life’s essence, the seed of redemption,
Consumed by fear’s ascension.
The air rushed by, whistling in Danny’s ears, punctuated by the occasional shriek of the dragon. He felt like he would suffocate as the icy blackness of the cave clawed at his body trying to wrench him free of his precarious perch. Still he held on, his arms aching from the constant effort. The dragon burst from his lair into the brilliant morning sky, the sudden flash of light blinding Danny. Clenching his eyes shut against the glare, he held on for dear life. Finally, with fearful apprehension he opened his eyes. He was riding the dragon, high above the treetops, looking down on the narrow ribbon of the winding stream he had walked a few moments ago. A primal burst of pure exhilaration swept through Danny’s mind and body. It was an incredibly moment, impossible, yet remarkably real, every detail etched in clarity that stood in stark contrast to the murky world of dreams and fantasies.
Dragon breath, drawing high on leather wings,
Beating a rhythm with shriek that rings
Over hills and valleys, tiny below,
Burning in flames, an ancient glow.
Tortured by the glaring heat of the hated sun, the dragon reached the peak of its mindless flight, rolled to plummet back to earth, seeking its sanctuary of darkness, oblivious now to the courageous rider. Danny’s euphoria waned as his weight evaporated in freefall. A faint gasp pushed the last bit of air from his lungs and for a moment that seemed to last an eternity he couldn’t breathe. A gentle voice whispered in his mind, penetrating the rising panic. “I love you, Danny. You are my life, my hope…the reason for each breath I take. Don’t be afraid.” Air rushed into his lungs again. “It’s OK…you can let go now.”
With his last ounce of courage, Danny willed his fingers to slowly release their panicked grip on the dragon’s tail. One by one, his fingers relaxed, until the last one let go…and he fell from the sky. Numbed from exhaustion, Danny’s sense of falling seemed to last an eternity, the air rushing around his body, a shrieking torrent that measured each moment. The relentless fall finally came to an end as Danny plunged head first into a pool of icy cold water. He sank quickly from the force of his fall, darkness once again surrounding him. Seconds passed, then minutes; his struggles slowed, then stopped. As his body grew limp, he floated slowly to the surface, face down in the cold water. Faintly, before loosing consciousness, Danny heard an anguished cry. He recognized his mother’s voice…sounding far away, then blackness enveloped his mind.
Dragon breath, blowing darkness aside,
Freeing the spirit, so bold to ride
Through depths of suffering to life reborn
From death’s cold clutches torn.
Danny opened his eyes, and quickly shut them again, blinded by the brilliant light streaming through the hospital room window. A slight moan escaped his lips, not of pain, but of deep awakening, brushing aside cobwebs of dark dreams and fantasies. His mother was standing over him, her eyes wet with tears of joy. She leaned down and kissed him gently, brushing the hair from his eyes, now open again. “I love you, Danny”, she whispered softly. “Now rest. Everything is fine now.” Danny drifted into a peaceful sleep. His mother reached down and picked the book up off the floor. She closed the book and set it on the chair. There was no need to continue. She knew the ending.
I hope you find peace and joy in your life,
Alan
A truly moving, beautifully constructed piece of writing Alan. Thank you for sharing it with us all.
Are you getting this published, Alan? It was captivating, wonderful; I had to find out what happened to Danny. Please write more!
Thank youThank you Alan. What a beautiful story.
Dear Alan, once again you have captivated me with your words!
I can't begin to tell you how much this story moved me. You really should try to share it with the world. It could bring peace to someone who truly needs it.
Gentle hugs,
Nini
Thanks everyone for your kind words. It really is a very personal story of my own struggles these last few years, buried in a little fantasy. Writing is a very powerful healing force in my life and I appreciate your willingness to go along for the ride and give such warm, supportive feedback.
Alan