Livestream from Darrel Kingman (@TheeDarrel)
>start
Darrel: We've been getting reports from all over about dragon attacks in major cities. Our viewers have sent in videos and in the ones I saw, I could see giant creatures coming from the sky and digging into the Earth with their paws. Some of them even had barbed tentacles like...like bugs! They were pulling strange pillars from under the ground! They had this technology the whole time and we were busy chasing UFOs while the real aliens were with us.
*Darell halts for a moment, his gaze downcast. He sighs*
I heard Atlanta was the fourth city to go down, but everyone says it was Rome that was destroyed first. I heard that a giant serpent that was delivered in a ship and that thing crippled the Georgia Gate Defenses. It-it-shit—that thing was wider than the city itself and it literally melted the wall when it breathed fire. How could such a creature exist?
*His gestures are frantic, his breathing quickened*
I ...I need a coffee.
>audio only
??: another coffee?
Darrel: yeah. Might slip a little bit of bourbon in here. Or some sleeping pills.
??: sleeping pills are better but that would be a bad idea. We could be attacked and we'll be slowed down if we have to carry you
Darrel: shit. yeah. Guess I gotta stay awake through the fear, huh?
*He laughs uneasily*
??: we'll get through this. Fuck the lizards.
Darrel: aliens. Yeah. Fuck...them...yeah...alien lizards...
??: breathe Darrel
*He takes deep breaths, all the way back to his desk*
>video on
*He takes a sip of his coffee—a long sip.*
Yeah. Where was I? Ah. When the wall thing was down all the dragons started moving in with sacks, canisters, and ship-pods or whatever. Hundreds of, I'm guessing, medium-sized dragons? were kidnapping people while the other dragons were dealing with the military.
At first I wondered why didn't they attack from above? Why come through the gates? And then it came to me: They needed to protect the ground troops, so moving in together would make them a stronger force on initial attack and then they could get to kidnapping humans.
*Darrel grabs a small device and it projects a holographic screen. He changes its orientation so that the contents on the holo-screen can be seen on-camera.*
See these? This mailbox icon and the type filter that says 'reports?' We are getting reports from all over the world about these attacks. People like me, regular humans, here at International Dragon Society do not know what to do.
*He leans back in his chair*
And yet, people still ask us for help. All over this rotting planet the dragons are kidnapping humans and taking them, probably to their god. That's usually how this played out in movies. If only we were smart enough to exploit their weaknesses...
*A person comes into the view, their face unseen. Their gestures indicate something...*
We did? Oh.
*Darrel resumes talking to the camera*
We'll, scratch that. I heard just now that we tried that already—it failed miserably. Cool. What they have in weaknesses they make up for in numbers, strategy, tactics and army power. They work together and they're a species that is so, so damn varied. I guess studying Dragonism pays off.
*Darrel sighs and lowers his head*
God help us all.
*It takes a moment before he's able to lift his head again and address the camera*
I don't know if I want to end the livestream. I'm comforted by you guys, you people in the chat. You are real and I am reminded that I am not alone.
*Despite the emotional turmoil, Darrel manages to smile. Tears are welling in his eyes.*
I love y'all. If—If we could stay like this for a little bit longer? Maybe I could make a stream that's days-long. We can all talk to each other. I won't be alone, you won't be alone.
*Suddenly there is a light show outside. The other person in the room rushes to the window to look outside. Darrel follows.*
*There are a dozen small dragon ships gathered over a park. Squads of Hearth Wyrms jump out.*
Darrel: Oh shit!
??: you need to turn that phone off NOW before they pick up your active signal.
Darrel: on it. Uh, guys, this is Darrell Kingman, signing off.
------CAMERA SHUTOFF------
Darrel: off. Turn OFF.
------CAMERA SHUTOFF. PROGRAM TERMINATION------
YOU ARE READING
Empire of Dragons: Dragons & Cicadas (Watty Awards 2012)
Fantasi"The space dragons are coming home. No vampires rule this land. No wolves take claim to the wyrm's throne." In this collection of interlinked stories, these dragons are unbound from standard tropes. These dragons live among us, taking our forms, eat...
