The Dragon's Charm

Chapter 1

Sandra let her tears fall as she set her grandmother's photo back on the flat top of the old roll-top desk. She then rolled the top up and set herself in the battered chair, the faded worn cushion making the chair only slightly more comfortable.

Worry and stress replaced grief as she set each new bill down. The money her grandmother left her would not last forever and with each paper statement she opened the responsibility and stress pressed down on her.

Sandra's grandmother had gotten sick shortly before she graduated from highschool. Sandra had quit her job as a waitress at a local Italian restaurant to stay with the woman who had devoted her life to her since she was five.

Unfortunately the bills didn't stop just because her grandmother was no longer here to pay for them and the task had fallen to her. As far as she knew Sandra was the last of her family. She had been with her grandmother since her mother, father, and grandfather had died in a car accident. Despite losing her daughter and husband Sandra's grandmother had worked tirelessly over the years to make sure Sandra had a happy childhood.

No one knew where her father's family was, they had disowned him when he married her mother and he had never spoken of them to his wife's parents. If his wife knew of them the knowledge died with her.

Sandra dug through the cluttered desk drawers searching for a pen. Her grandmother hadn't liked her playing with what she called her "bill paying station" so Sandra had not realized how disorganized the antique was. She sighed and went to fetch a wastebasket.

She enjoyed going through each drawer finding fragments of memories. She set aside a small wallet size school photo, and threw a handful of old receipts away. Buttons and paperclips were dropped in a small cloth lined wicker basket that her grandmother had kept on the desk.

The bottom drawer was stuck and would not pull out more than half way. Sandra reached into it feeling around in an attempt to locate the source of the jam. A white envelope had been wedged along the side of the drawer, something solid inside had been causing it to catch. The crumpled white envelope had her name written on it in her grandmother's elegant scrawl.

Sandra picked up a plain wooden handled letter opener she had found earlier, "She has a letter opener but not one pen," Sandra muttered to herself. She smiled as her thoughts returned to the loving memory of her often disorganized grandmother. Her grandmother used to say that Sandra was a gift from God sent to help her keep her head on straight. A sense of deep loneliness once again settled on her heart as she dumped out the contents of the envelope into her open hand.

It was a little gold dragon holding a glass orb and a long matching chain. The tail of the dragon was holding the links. As she examined the dragon charm the clear glass orb began to fill with swirling colors that radiated light. The light steadily brightened until it was painful to look at. Then everything went white.

                                                                                *****

Sandra's head throbbed as consciousness slowly returned. The hard, cold surface beneath her was a stark contrast to the warm weight around her neck. Instinctively, her hand reached up, fingers brushing against the familiar contours of the dragon charm and its chain. "How...?" she murmured, her voice barely a whisper in the stillness. Somehow the necklace was now fastened around her neck.

As the residual warmth from the charm faded, Sandra's eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness. A soft, otherworldly glow emanating from beneath her caught her attention. To her astonishment, she found herself atop a vast hoard of gold and gems, the precious metal emitting an ethereal light that softly illuminated her surroundings.

Her gaze darted around the cavernous room, taking in the rough-hewn stone walls. Suddenly, her breath caught in her throat as her eyes landed on the cavern's sole entrance. There, blocking the way with its massive form, lay a dragon of immense proportions. Its emerald green scales glimmered faintly in the golden light, creating a mesmerizing yet terrifying sight.

Sandra's startled movement sent a small avalanche of treasure cascading down the pile, the tinkling of coins and gemstones echoing ominously in the chamber. The sound, though seemingly insignificant, was enough to stir the slumbering beast. With growing dread, Sandra watched as the dragon's eyes slowly began to open, revealing piercing orbs that fixated upon her with ancient, inscrutable intelligence.

She Froze, every muscle locked tight, as the dragon's nostrils flared, his eyes never leaving her. He seemed angry, and Sandra shrank back until she slipped on what might have been a golden chalice. Her heart hammered in a frantic rhythm against her ribs. How had she gotten here? More importantly, how could she escape before becoming a meal?

After what felt like eternity but was only a moment the dragon settled back down. A light snore began to come from the dragon. It had gone back to sleep? Just like that? Sandra didn't know if she felt more relieved or shocked. What was she supposed to do now? The entrance to the cave was still blocked and the dragon seemed indifferent to her presence.

Sandra plopped down on the dragon's hoard sending bits of shiny rolling down the mound. She huffed as she looked around the massive cavern. A faint, metallic scent hung in the air, overlaid by the musty odor of something old and undisturbed. The charred walls glistened, reflecting the glowing silver and gold of the dragon's riches. Sandra looked around for the light source that made the walls and gold glow but it seemed the light was truly coming from the treasure itself.

Now that she was more puzzled than scared another issue came to the forefront of her mind. She squirmed a bit in discomfort. Where in this gilded cage was a girl supposed to relieve herself?

There! Half-buried in the glittering hoard against the back wall sat a small wooden bucket overflowing with gems. It wasn't ideal, but it was the only option she could see. Heart pounding, she began to pick her way across the hoard, each step a calculated risk. The coins shifted beneath her feet, threatening to send a noisy avalanche tumbling down the slope. She held her breath, listening for any change in the dragon's rhythmic snoring. Finally, she reached the bucket, its plain wooden surface a welcome contrast to the surrounding opulence. She quickly emptied the splintered receptacle and began her search for a private hideaway.