The Moon Dragon

Chapter Ten

The air was cold.

She could feel her breath heaving in and out of her chest, it ached.

The only light was from the little vial in Grace's hands, brighter than the street-lamps, brighter than the stars.

There was no moon. It had turned its face away.

Grace smiled. It was one of genuine affection, but she wasn't looking at Sylvia.

"Such a simple thing, isn't it? It's incomprehensible; how far this little collection of atoms and chemicals have come, how miniscule the chance that they reached earth. And yet, here it is. Isn't it perfect? They never did complete extracting the pure Star Matter, you know. But this will have to do."

"Grace?" Sylvia's voice broke. "What's going on?"

Grace's eyes tore away from the vial in her hand. The smile was gone, and now she looked furious. "You're really just that slow, huh?" she spat. "You really haven't figured it all out yet? Do I really have to spell it out for you?"

Sylvia's heart was hammering in her chest. Grace snarled.

"Why do you think you were captured in the first place? Who was it that tipped them off where you were?" She took a step forward, and Sylvia flinched.

"Who was it that forced you to transform at school? Who was it, that had you standing here, alone, exactly where you needed to be?"

"ME!" Grace's eyes were wild. "It was me from the beginning! I had everything planned! And you ruined it!" She shrieked, her pointing, shaking finger aimed between Sylvia's eyes.

"Grace-" Sylvia sobbed. "Why would you do this? Why me? Your best friend!?"

Grace just stood there for a long, long moment.

Then she laughed.

She laughed, and it crawled into Sylvia's ears and writhed inside her brain.

Grace wiped away a hysterical tear. "You were there. You were convenient. You were easy to manipulate, because you really, truly believed we were friends. You? I never cared about you."

Sylvia's knees very nearly gave out under her.

"You were a test subject. My little lab-rat. I had everything worked out, and my mom was gonna be so proud. I had worked out exactly where the Star Matter would hit the earth, when all of those prissy NASA PHD scientists didn't even know when let alone where. I was better! I would have a dragon, I would deliver it gift-wrapped to the scientists, and my mom would finally listen to all my ideas. I would be her partner, and we would study the Star Matter and the beast together. But instead, she didn't listen, and she spent more time with you than she ever has with me!"

Tears were streaming down her face. She looked wild, insane. Grace was a time-bomb winding up, it was only a matter of time before something gave. Her fist was so tight around the vial in her hand. The glass cracked.

"YOU took her away from me! And I'm gonna kill you for it! And when you're gone, I'll make mom see me! She can study me, instead!"

This was so wrong. This was so messed up.

"Grace, no! I didn't do that! I never wanted ANY of this! They don't know you're human, there! You're nothing but a beast! It's torture!"

The world held its breath. Breathless, manic, Grace grinned.

"I'll take that chance."

The vial in her hand shattered.