Ice Dragon

The Worst Present Yet

Happy Birthday to me! The sky was bright and it's starting to snow just how I loved it. But why did it seem so sad so quickly, at least let me enjoy my morning. No?

I get dressed and put my hair in a blue bow which I wear just for Grandpa every year on my birthday. I go through my closet to open my first gift from Grandpa, I was so happy that I couldn't let myself touch it so much. It was plush dragon, with fluffy cotton in it. It was extremely soft and warm. But I take my time to just hold it in my arms. I was wishing for the door to open and Grandpa would shout for me. My birthday would go on and I wouldn't feel this way. So alone like I do when Grandpa is gone.

I hear a knock on the door, but I didn't go under my bed like usual. I just sat there with the plush toy. I cried for a bit, before I open the door to see Mari waiting to hug me and take me to Grandpa.

"I'm sorry Miss but our patient is extremely ill, turns out he was ill of some time now." The doctor says to Mari and myself. Mari tried to comfort me but she knew nothing could bring my smile back. So I just sat there next to Grandpa as Mari talks to the doctor for a bit. I guess things are not so simple to make Grandpa better. I couldn't bring myself to touch Grandpa's hand, my body may  have been too cold for him to touch right now. So I just let him rest.

"Angel........" a voice said weakly. I pick my head up to look at a face that was tired and pale. Grandpa was finally awake for me to see for the first time. Tears pour my eyes out as I jump up and hug him softly, being extra careful to not to hurt him. He was breathing heavier then before and I helped him sit up. I used the whiteboards and dry erase marker so we could talk together for the time being.

"Grandpa!" I wrote. Grandpa smiled weakly and patted me head. His hands warm and shaking as it moved.

"I'm glad to see your okay. Happy birthday my little Angel." He replied and watches me giggle a bit happily. I couldn't stop my tears though, I wish I had just taken Grandpa home when I found him. He is usually good at covering up my tracks. But he looked at me with those eyes, the eyes of love and worry.

"Thank you Grandpa! I missed you!" I wrote. He knew how I felt about the doctor and the hospital, it made me uneasy.

"Looks like your 13 now. I'm getting old." He replied with a small laugh. I smiled lightly to him and laid my head on his side as he rubbed my head lightly. I wanted it to last for at least a while but the doctor came in quickly when Grandpa's heart pace was dropping at a fast moment.

I just waited outside the hospital in a bench, I could feel Grandpa weakening and I could tell he wasn't getting any better. I would have stayed but more of those lab coat freaks were starting to surround the hospital. I stayed over at Mari's and she celebrated my birthday with me. From her I got a huge long scarf, it was blue my favorite color. I hugged her and we would have went to bed early till there was a knock at the door. I stayed under her bed as usual thinking it was just a friend but no, this voice was hard to miss. I jumped through the hallway and got to the doorway to see Uncle. He looked tired as if he had been running.

"Angel! I thought you would be here!" Uncle said and I ran up to him to hug him hello. "Still not much of a talker I see. Hi Mari."

"Hi Gabriel, what brings you here?" Mari asked. It was pretty late and he must have been looking for Mari's house for a while now.

"I came to get Angel. I got a call from the doctor today and he said they're moving Gale to New York's finest hospital." Uncle replied. Mari told me to go to bed and I would be told everything tomorrow. But tomorrow came so fast, I woke up under Mari's bed in my half dragon half human form. I was taken home to find the house just finished being vacated out. I tugged at Uncle of an explanation. "Oh you'll being moving to New York with Gale. You'll meet my family and learn so much more. It'll be fun, plus you can stay near Gale."

I was totally confused. I'm leaving Mari, my home, and my comfortable icy world to go to New York. Why? Why can't Grandpa stay? I was able to get a real answer from him. I was no longer a child, I was going to have to grow up faster to be strong enough.

"Gale is sick, very ill. He may be in the hospital for a long time. Being here will make it worse, the freezing temperatures are making his condition fatal. But going to New York will make it easier for him. Understand?" Uncle said. I had nodded slowly, and got my stuff together. My goodbyes were hard, Mari said I could call or email her anytime. I had to stay beside Grandpa, he needs me somehow.

Traveling sucked, sitting in a seat in my human form for hours drove me mad. I wanted to fly on my own but Uncle said no. But to pass the time he told me about his family in New York. He has a wife and two sons. Both sons are older than me which was fine. His wife's name is Tammy, while his sons are called Maxwell(16 years old) and Maximus (15 years old). Tammy works as a lawyer while his sons have been studying for their dream job. But we didn't get anywhere farther then that, Uncle had fallen asleep on midsentence.

New York was so different. Buildings were everywhere and sound of human life drowned the sounds of nature to the point you could go death. Riding a taxi to Uncle's house wasn't very........safe. Twice he passed a red light in the middle of traffic and goes against the speed limit. Health codes were apparently not real here, I wish I was back home. But the worse experience for me was the temperature. It was quiet warmer then it was at home, no ice what so ever in the area. Uncle says it snows in winter and the temperature would be better for me then. He said we would have to figure out the summer heat waves later. His house was the average size of any New Yorker as Uncle would say. When we got through the door his wife was waiting in excitement as if I were a prize ready to be given.

"Welcome home sweet heart!" She said, her voice was strong willed and yet very famine. Uncle noticed I had stayed behind him very shyly, I didn't know her so what else could I do.

"Yes this is Angel, the girl I told you about." Uncle said and pulled me towards her where she examined me. But she hugged me and I couldn't breath for a slight second. I smile and wave shyly as a hello. But before Tammy could speak the boys came down to greet me as well. Maxwell was very friendly while Maximus was very bland and I got a bad vibe from him. But I did the same and waved.

"Don't be shy, tell us about yourself." Tammy said. I opened my mouth but I knew nothing would come out so I just turned and stared at Uncle for help.

"Guys remember, she's mute. She doesn't speak okay. But her writing is spectacular." Uncle replied to them. Everyone went silent as I was.

At dinner I didn't eat. I wasn't used to my environment and this pizza was not in my list of foods I eat. I got sick last time Mari let me eat it and threw up. So I just sat there and soon everyone noticed.

"What's wrong Angel, don't like pizza?" Tammy asked. I nodded no and pretended I wasn't hungry. I missed home and the next day I visited Grandpa.

"I want to go home." I wrote to him. He sighed and took my hand weakly.

"I'm sorry this wasn't what you wished for but think of it for the best. You get to be with a real family, think of it as a big gift to you." Grandpa replied. But Grandpa was my family, and I was perfectly happily with just him and Mari. Now I was sort of alone. I couldn't be myself anywhere, not even at Uncle's because they don't know my secret. Worst present ever if you ask me.