Traitor

Tantrums and Thunderbolts

I was just about to give up and start sobbing like the truly heroic superhero I am before I heard it. 

A roar so loud, so terrible... I slammed my hands over my ears as my eardrums threatened to burst. The mountains shook, shedding giant boulders and shaggy goats. When the terrible noise finally finished I had to feel my chest just to make sure I was still alive. I was still alive, right? All I could see was the blurring shapes of the mountains around me as a horrible hum overwhelmed my senses. I was in limbo, between the physical and all-consuming darkness that threatened to take me. I leaned forward and was sick off the side of the mountain, my small lunch falling to the slopes below. It wasn't until my depth perception kicked in and I realized I was leaning towards certain death that I scrambled back until my back hit the craggy wall of rock. Solid ground wasn't as comforting as it used to be. Whatever had made that sound had easily shaken the mountains. If it could do that with it's voice then I couldn't imagine what it could do with its body. What was it? Something in me had a horrible feeling that I knew what it was, but my mind refused to process it. Was it a volcano erupting? A... an atomic bomb? Was there going to be a mushroom cloud blooming in the blue Alaskan sky? For some reason, I didn't even look. I couldn't bring myself to. My gaze was straight ahead at the small mountain flower rising up through the rocky terrain with a triumphant display of small petals and uplifted leaves. 

The question remained, no, burned, in my brain. I heard it over and over in my head. 

What am I going to do now?

But more importantly: What can I do now?

I'm just a kid. I'm not Superman. I can't do this. I can't save my friends. What good could I do? Slink around in the shadows? A sudden wave of emotion swept over me. This wasn't fair. I should be worrying about Chemistry tests and basketball games. With a family to make me dinner and talk about my day to and, and....

The self pity turned sour in my stomach. I could feel it curdling from the inside, wrinkling up like a shriveled raisin. Even I couldn't have pity on myself. I had caused this. I led these people here in the first place. 

Another wave of self pity threatened to creep up on me but I pushed it away angry. 

Avery, Dustin, Merman... they were your family. 

I screamed and kicked the flower, crushing it to the rocky ground. Its bruised petals fluttered in the breeze, the leaves feebly attempting to erect itself but only lifting off the ground slightly. 

I glared at it before snatching it from the ground in a fit of anger, the stem breaking with a satisfying snap, before chucking it over the edge. "AAAHH!" 

My scream rebounded off the surrounding peaks, returning to me with a chorus of angry, childish wails. 

Are you done throwing a fit yet? 

I twisted around at the sudden, calm voice. "Wh-what?" I whispered. 

Standing before me was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. A slender head was crowned with two ivory horns swirled like a sea shell. Deer ears flicked from a slender head, bright purple eyes surrounded by lighter black skin, making him appear to have eyeliner to make girls jealous. Bright purple flames raced down his neck like a brilliant Ponyta mane, his tail just as vibrant, flickering with energy like a shooting star. His back legs and underbelly were marked with four neon blue stripes. 

He seemed to smirk. I think it's high time we both did a little growing up. 

Was this... was this my Caedmon speaking to me? "Is.. is.."

The twenty foot tall beauty shook his head. It's not permanent. I can only hold this form up for so long. We must hurry. 

Caedmon looked so amazing with his fiery mane and shiny black scales. I felt like... heck I felt like I could rule the world! With a new surge of confidence, I stepped towards my dragon. Caedmon crouched, his front leg extending to help me up and onto his back. I stepped on his leg and managed to crawl up his side after jumping a few times and Caedmon laughing his head off. Then, triumphant and beet red, I emerged victorious as I plopped my butt on his spine. "I'm-"