Undiscovered Origins

Undiscovered Origins - Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

            London was everything she ever dreamed it would be. Lights scattered the streets in lanterns as far as the eye could see. It wasn’t late and there was only a half an hour before the sun would fade completely underneath the earth. She glanced at the few rays of sunlight bouncing into the sky in a display of crimson, orange, and violet. The fact that she saw it next to the Tower of London only made the sight even more indescribable.

            People scattered the streets to their homes or to a few businesses at stands that were staying late just a little bit longer for a few extra coins. There were homes made of wood and some of brick the further she got into the city. Everything was congested and it made her feel slightly cramped. She wasn’t used to the lifestyle of a city and much preferred the life of the wilderness.

            Several merchants attempted to get her to stop and look at their prized jewelry but she wouldn’t give them a second look. She noticed many of the women wore thick cotton of purple and blues with white draped over their head to keep themselves from getting too cold. Some of the more elegant women did wear silk but they wore scarves around their neck and shoulders. Jade wished she brought a scarf, but the only one whom she knew to be comfortable enough on finances to have one was Drake.

            She had no idea where to start looking but she didn’t waste her time in traveling through the streets blindly. She bumped into several men who wished to strike conversation with her. Some, in fact, had tried more than a conversation and groaned in pain after she heaved a kick at their family jewels. She wasn’t about to be womanized by some jerk of a man and she could very well take care of herself.

            A sudden burst of warm air wrapped around her arm and she glanced a stare down an alley. She saw rippled shining back muscles dance into the shadows. It had to be him as nobody else would be foolish enough to travel through the cold nights of fall without a shirt. She crossed the ally and dashed into the darkness after him. It was indeed warmer on this side of the street but it was much darker as the lights ended before the entrance of the ally.

            Gravel pulverized at her feet with each step she took into the ally. She’d never felt so many uncomfortable rocks under her feet before and it irritated her. Looking around there weren’t any others in the ally and unlike all the others, there wasn’t even any lights from within buildings or homes throughout. She kept her pace steady but firm as she walked through the warm alley. Strangely something didn’t feel right and it was starting to feel like she shouldn’t be there.

            It did not matter to her though as she kept on walking not letting any strange feelings frighten her away. She would not be made afraid of any such thing and she would prove it. She didn’t know why she always felt she must always prove herself, but she didn’t much care for the discriminations of the world.

            A low murmur of voices caught her attention as she eased at a much slower pace in hopes of hearing them. Finally she saw a shadow which meant there was enough light to cast one. She dared not look around the corner but she saw the shadows of two men. One of them was shirtless and she figured it had to be Drake. The other wore a trench coat and a top hat with something skinny balancing from his mouth. It must have been a cigar.

            “I know what you are.” A shaky medium voice stated.

            “Do you now? I happen to know who you are, and who you work for.” A dark voice similar to Drake’s warned.

            “Ah yes, so what is it that happens next? A duel to the death?” The man with the cigar chimed.

            “How many have you killed for your so called government?” The shirtless man questioned.

            “Ah, but it is not murder if they aren’t human. Tell me, how many have you murdered?”

            Shivers ran down Jade’s spine in spite of how warm the air was this close to the two men. She had no idea what was going on but if this indeed was Drake… then… murder? Was that why mercenaries were after him? She shook her head in disbelief at the fact he could do such things.

            “Hm, but it is not murder if I am not human during the incident.” The shirtless man said.

            Jade watched the shadows carefully now as the man with the cigar dropped several feet back. The shirtless man seemed to transform and grow in size, the shadow of muscles ripping apart as something larger took their place. Her mouth hung open and voice caught inside her throat at what she was witnessing. The man grew four times in size and large wings at the back that displayed wide on both sides. Its head tilted up showing a wide mouth like that of an alligator and sharp teeth locking together as its mouth shut. Even her nightmares weren’t as fierce as this beast seemed to be.

            She saw the other shadow cower in fear and drop the cigar from his mouth which seemed to bounce on the ground several times in slow motion. It must have only seemed slow motion to Jade as she paid attention to each detail. The beast stomped forward on its two hind legs and something swung from its back to its side. It seemed to be a tail and it was barbed with deadly spikes.

            Jade gasped and quickly closed her mouth with her hand but her eyes felt like they were about to pop out of their sockets. This couldn’t be true she kept telling herself. She never believed in fairy tales, yet what she saw in the shadows now surely seemed like was a part of one. Shivers and chill bumps ran across her whole body now though she wasn’t cold.

            The shadow of the creature’s mouth opened wide and from it came a spiraling glow which Jade could only assume to be fire after seeing the alley light up so bright. She nearly had to close her eyes. Once the bright light went away she was able to release the squint of her eyes to look back at the shadows… shadow. There was only one shadow now and it was that of the creature. It seemed to lower its head and it began eating. Mercy, it began eating the flesh of the other.

            Jade turned the other way feeling a gagging reflex and a sour taste fill her throat until a large sprout of vomit exited her mouth on the wall next to her. She waited for a few moments with her eyes closed before she wiped her mouth and looked back to the shadow but it was gone.

            She knew she should turn back and run back home as fast as she could, but for some reason she couldn’t. Something inside of her triggered and she simply had to see. She just had to see what it was. Taking a step forward she held in her breath as she reached the corner of the alley. For a moment she closed her eyes and said a silent prayer before poking her head around the corner.

            Jade saw what mirrored a dragon from the old story books. It didn’t seem as large as those from the stories but still a great deal bigger than any other creature. The size was probably that of five horses tall and width of three. It looked like a reptile with shining red scales and a golden chest that seemed to be made of softer scales than the red. Its mouth was open and a long rough forked tongue seemed to be picking at the burnt flesh between its teeth.

            Suddenly it stopped and grew very still. Turning it looked in the direction of Jade. She was frozen in place and turned a few shades whiter than she had ever been and she was already the furthest from tan she could be. Its green eyes met with Jade’s and she gasped and turned back around the corner. A snarl echoed through the alley as she used all of her energy to run as fast as she could away. She only hoped she could make it back to the circus and back to the costume trailer. It seemed a luxury punishment to be locked up in there while dragons roamed the streets.