Rooftop

The dragon sits on the rooftop watching the Chinese New Year celebrations. People are smiling, laughing, dancing around. All are happy, all but one.

Young children receive red packets from their grandparents. Couples wander around the marketplace; each other's company all that they need. Lanterns are strung from the corners of roofs casting a warm, happy glow on the narrow streets.

People sweep out their houses. Others walk down the street, arms filled with bags of groceries for a New Year's dinner. All seem happy, except for that one child. She stands in the throng looking completely out of place. What could warrant such a frown on New Year? The dragon flies and hides under a bridge. He can see her more clearly with her shabby clothes and hair tied in a ponytail with string.  The dragon hears someone call the name "Xiaolian". The dragon can see the girl's face. Her skin is pale and clear, her eyes black and filled with sadness. This child has experienced something terrible in her short life, something she will never forget.  The girl turns away and walks towards the voice.

The dragon once again sits on a rooftop. The town looks different. Everyone stands watching a Chinese dragon puppet dance down the street. Shrieks of excitement and awe come from young children; older children are laughing at the younger ones who think it is real. The dragon wants a closer look at the puppet.  Peering over the edge of the roof he sees a dragon that looks nothing like him. Feeling a bit let down he retreats, but he slides down the roof dislodging some tiles which clatter down onto the lane below.

"Hello? Who's there?" someone asks from the other side of the roof.

"Hello?"  It is the girl, with a red scarf tied around her neck. The dragon moves towards her.

"Please don't be afraid of me."

"Why would I be afraid of you?" the girl asks.

"You will understand when you see me."

The girl comes out from behind the roof, a smile lighting up her face. The dragon is confused. Shouldn't she be scared of him?

"Are you a real dragon?" the girl asks, her voice trembling.

"Yes I am," the dragon says with pride, puffing out his chest a bit, flicking his tail and repositioning his wings.

"May I touch them? Your scales I mean?" the girl asks, wonder drowning out the fear in her voice.

The girl walks forward and places the palm of her small hand on the bridge of the dragon's nose. He nuzzles his nose into her hand in what he hopes is a friendly gesture. The girl lets out a happy, surprised squeak. She moves her hands to the spot behind the dragon's horns running her warm hands along his smooth, cold scales. The dragon flicks his tail making the girl giggle. She reaches her arms around his neck giving him a hug. He returns it by wrapping a wing around her back not wanting to risk scratching her with his claws.

"What's your name?" the dragon asks the girl.

"Xiaolian," she replies. "It means 'Little Lotus', my mum called me that before... before she..."  

"Oh I'm so sorry Xiaolian," the dragon says sadly, understanding that this is a touchy topic for the girl.

"Why? What did you do?" Xiaolian asks confused, wiping her nose on her scarf.

"Nothing, it's just what people say when someone has left."

"Oh," the girl says scrunching her nose a bit. "I didn't know that."

"Why are you up on the rooftop?" the dragon asks.

"Some people were being mean, so I came up here to watch the celebrations. It looks prettier up here," she says gazing longingly at the food being sold in the markets and the red packets a lot of the other children are getting.

"Xiaolian, where are you?" The girl and the dragon can hear someone calling her from the street below. "Xiaolian, come here now!" The girl looks terrified.

"I don't want to go with them," she says. "They are mean."

"Xiaolian, you'll be fine." Seeing the frightened child he says, "Be brave just like a dragon."

The girl stands up putting her hands on her hips in what she thinks is a brave, defiant pose. "I will be as brave as you!"

"Do you have to stay here; are you hiding from someone too? Can you come with me?"

"No Xiaolian I can't come with you." Seeing the look on her face he says "but I can watch and look after you. And, if you want to talk again you can always find me here."

"Okay," the girl says with a mix of sadness and happiness in her voice. She reaches up giving the dragon a hug. He hugs her back, smiling.

 "Thank you." She turns away to climb down to the street below.

"Wait one second Xiaolian," the dragon says nudging away a roof tile with his claw. He passes Xiaolian a red packet.

"Happy New Year!"

"Thank you so much Dragon!" the girl cries happily.  It is the first red packet she has ever been given.

The dragon sits on a rooftop watching as a little girl called Xiaolian skips away happily, her life transformed. 

A/N: Please let me know what you think! I would love to know how to improve my writing!

~ Laura