The Iron City (Rae Gandos - Dragon Slayer)

The Prologue

'Rae, are you ready?' came a shout from downstairs. 'You're going to miss the bus if you don't get a move on.' 

'Yeah, Mum. Up and raring to go!' said Rae, pulling her fingers through her brown curly hair. It hadn't seen a brush in a long while! A navy blue hoodie was hurriedly zipped up over a white t-shirt and jeans. White trainers were slipped on quickly, laces tied and tucked inside.  

Rae checked through her tatty leather school bag before throwing it carefully over her shoulder. Books all present and in correct order. Homework completed, earlier than expected, of course. She was such a geek, a real geek. It didn't bother her, in fact it seemed to bother others more. And she was never more happy than with her head in a book especially mythology. 

Bouncing down the stairs she said a quick 'Morning' to younger sister, Roo, before jumping the last two steps and heading for the kitchen. 

'Eat something,' said her mum, handing her a slice of almost burnt toast. 'and drink.' She passed a cup of apple juice across the table to where Rae stood chewing. 

'Anything special today, at school, I mean,' said Mum, wiping toast crumbs off the work surface with a cloth. 

'No, same old stuff,' said Rae. 'Maths, English...' 

Mum turned and looked at her, a concerned look on her face. Her shoulder length greying hair was tucked neatly behind her ears, showing off the pearl earrings she'd had for her last Mother's Day. 'Are you still helping George with his studies after school?'  

'Yes, Mum!' said Rae, sipping at the juice. 'He won't make the grades if I don't.' 

'Perhaps if he paid a little more attention in class, you'd have more time for extra study yourself,' said Mum, moving the cloth over the kitchen table now. 

'I'm fine, Mum. My grades are good, you know that.' 

Mum let out a deep sigh. She turned to the mirror, flattening down her white silky blouse and pulling her back skirt into line. 'It's just with your GCSEs coming up.' 

'It's all good, Mum, hon...' She didn't finish the sentence. Her eyes had caught sight of a news report on the TV. 

'Hey, what's that?' said Rae, grabbing the remote to turn the volume up. 

'Probably something geeky,' said Roo, playfully as she walked through the kitchen door. 'and sciencey by the look of it.' 

'Breaking News. Scientists have made a remarkable discovery. Using DNA from a creature which died over eight hundred years ago, they have cloned a dragon. Yes, you heard correct. A dragon! Dr Bruce Weinbrick from the University of Garston has said, 'It is the greatest discovery of our time. Dragons were thought to be mythical, but this proves otherwise.''

'Is it April 1st?' said Mum, glaring bewildered at the TV. 'Dragons!' 

'Oh my god! Dragons, Mum. Isn't that amazing?' said Rae, stuffing the last piece of toast in. She slurped the last drops of juice down, kissed her mum and sister on the cheek and headed for the door. Dragons! How cool was that? 'See you later!' she called, checking her watch. Damn! She'd have to run again. 

The bus appeared at the top of the hill brow just as Rae turned the corner. With a great deal of puffing and blowing she made it to the stop just as the bus pulled in. She made her way to the back seat where George sat scribbling. He shuffled over, patting the seat next to him. 

'Only just made it, huh?' he said. 'One of these days you're going to have to walk all the way to school. He laughed, poking her gently in the arm.