The Dragon Girl

Chapter Five

"Sylvia? Sylvia, are you awake?" Kenneth asked. He stood over Sylvia as she slept. Kenneth gave her a small shake. Sylvia woke right away.

"Who? Where am I? Kenneth?" she panicked. She leaned forward into Kenneth and closed her sleepy eyes. Kenneth cocked his head to the side and asked, "Sylvia, are you okay?"

"Hmmm, Kenneth?" she said. Kenneth looked back at his family.

"She's really tired guys. How about I take her to a vacant room and she can pay when she wakes up?" he suggested. The oldest lady in the group stepped forward. Kenneth's grandmother, Bernadette.

"Yes, yes. That's fine Kenneth. We can all see how tired she is, but I'm coming with you," she said in her old, raspy voice. He nodded.

"Kenneth, please remove yourself from the room. I don't want you in here while I change her into a nightgown," Bernadette said. As soon as he stepped out of the room, Bernadette stripped Sylvia of her filthy clothes and dressed her sleeping body in a clean linen gown. She then went to the backroom and scrubbed Sylvia's original clothes she came in, until they were squeaky clean. Bernadette neatly folded them and put the pile on the end of sylvia's bed.

"Kenneth? Kenneth, you can come in now," she called. Kenneth entered immediately and pulled a chair next to Sylvia.

"I'll stay here and make sure she's okay," he said. Bernadette smiled and closed the door.

Sylvia woke a few hours later. Kenneth looked up from from the book he was reading.

"K-Kenneth?" she asked. Kenneth put his book down.

"Yes, Sylvia?"

"Kenneth, where I am? Whose clothes are these? And what time is it?"

"You are still at the Bartlett Inn. Those are your new clothes. The time is just after eight o'clock. Your dinner is right here," Kenneth said pointing to the nightstand next to Sylvia. She nodded and reached for the tray. It had two slices of meatloaf, a small bowl of vegetables and snickerdoodle cookie. As Sylvia ate, Kenneth explained everything that happened while she was sleeping.

"Oh! Yes, oh yes! I forgot to pay. Here," she said pulling out a five from her small purse that was hooked to her freshly cleaned jeans. "So, Kenneth. I'm sorry for my behavior earlier. Like when fell on you. I mean I don't know you," she stuttered. Kenneth shook his head.

"It's fine, Sylvia. You were out of it. But, you're right we do not know each other. Like what-" Kenneth started.

"Kenneth, I'm still really tired. I haven't slept properly for five days straight. Can we do this in the morning?" Sylvia said, cutting him off.

"Sure. Get a good night's sleep, Sylvia," Kenneth said, shoulders slumping. He blew out the candle and closed the door. Sylvia sighed. She didn't want to be so harsh. He is a really sweet guy, Sylvia thought, well, I'll just talk to him tomorrow morning. AND I am breaking every law by socializing with humans. She snuggled deeper into the the sheets, falling fast asleep.