Muses, Mishaps, and Murder!

Chapter 26 Dragon Food

Muse Silver-Green

I awoke to the attack, and my entire body tensed. I read over the notes. The thing I like most about my replacement is how well Paisley documents everything.

I guided my fellow Muse to the cot and drank my morning beverage.

There is nothing as amazing as a mug filled with hot chocolate. But my drink tasted bitter and salty because my fear and tears flavored it.

Charlotte landed in the large shuttle lot outside the gated dragon community, surrounded by solar ships.

Two of Deb-Dagger's science ships landed, and one battleship hovered, firing at The Red Claw Village's primary school. Lasers hit a field, and it began to burn.

A dragon struck an emergency button on a tower with his tail. Artificial rain fell within the village.

Charlotte Shuttleman shrunk to the size of a dog. Her glowing arms removed tiny bags. Their luggage grew to its actual size.

She shrunk down further, and Holbrook disguised her as a galaxy pendant.

"What happens if you shrink with us inside? I mean, our cargo seems to be fine when you expand, but what about living beings?" Mason said. "None of the other living spaceships I met shrink."

"They do, and you become tiny. Special squishing is magical, weird time-related stuff. Watch an episode of Doctor Who, and while you still won't understand because it's completely different, at least you'll be entertained."

"Holbrook, shoot at them if they fire at me."

"Okay, fine." Mason walked out of his hiding spot and called the ship. "Land now. Did you hear about the traitors and rats?"

"Yes, but we evaded them. Our mission is to destroy Red Claw Village if they don't give us the sky rat." He used a scanner app on his cell phone.

"There are twenty-six active life forms aboard The Majestic Electric Eel and two hundred in the Mantas. Fifteen thousand of Deb-Dagger's followers are neither sleep nor awake."

Mason attempted to call the ships, but there was no answer.

A teen answered. "Her creepy cultists are staring into space."

Escape pods exited the ship. The battleship fell from the sky into the surrounding mountains. Dragons flew to save their semiconscious attackers.

Doctors and officers spoke to Holbrook, Charlotte, and Mason. "We want you to stay in the nesting pods overnight because Red Claw is in lockdown." The dragons left.

Holbrook texted Gloria and her family.

A military truck full of dragons parked next to them.

They were taken in separate pods. Each pod contained a shower, toilet, and a large-screen TV but no real bed except an inflatable.

At dawn, dragon doctors and officers gathered them in one room.

They read over Holbrook's warrant and handed it back to her. "The cult-like behavior of the group causes a catatonic state."

Holbrook's hand touched her weapon, and her body stiffened. "Deb is seeing how far her followers are willing to go."

A dragon leaned in, his voice soft and high. "She manipulates her followers and twists their minds with praise and lack of sleep."

The living spaceship shrank down to a pendant-size and fell asleep as Holbrook fastened her to her clothes.

Mason, Holbrook, and Charlotte left together.