I Need My Coffee

Light. Daylight. Is it morning already? It feels as though sand has hardened into rocks in my eyes. The cool breeze tickles my nostrils as it comes in my cave. A groan escapes as I wipe sleep out of my eyes. I inhale the morning air with a yawn and stretch. My wings almost touch the roof of the cave. Drowsiness lingers in my head.

"Coffee." I mumble to myself. Leaving the sweet warmth of my bed, I stagger to the kitchen. The anticipation of the rich smell and the taste is all I can think of. I pour water into the coffee maker and reach for the coffee in the cabinet.

"Wait." My claws click on the bottom of the cabinet.

"Where's the box?" I poke my head in to see if the coffee got pushed to the back. It's gone. "No. No. No! I can't be out of coffee! Surely I have another box!" I frantically throw everything out of the cabinet searching for the precious box. Nuts. Tree limbs. Cow hooves. Nothing. No opened box. No unopened box.

The realization and disappointment comes upon me. Dread washes over me. I am out of coffee! In frustration and agony, I scream. The sound bounces off the walls and into the valley beneath my mountain. What am I going to do? I must have my cup of coffee in the morning. There's always the coffee shop. But that's so expensive. Then again, I need my coffee.

I do my best to get around for the day. Polish my scales. Whiten my teeth. Nothing goes right. My scales are not as polished as they should be. My teeth look like I've been eating raw meat and my breath smells like sulfur. I cannot wait to get to the coffee shop and have a decent cup of coffee.

Finally, I take to the skies. I fly south to the nearest coffee shop. Though I try to take in the blue sky, the sun, and the birds singing, my mind is bent on that hot drink. I'm so consumed by my desire that I do not realize just how low I am flying. It is not until an arrow whizzes by my nose that I snap out of my thoughts.

I glance down to see a town in chaos. The mortals rushing this way and that. Panic drives them for cover. Some aim their arrows and fire at me. I am so not in the mood for this. Without thinking, I dive down, open my mouth, and unleash fire onto the town. The mortals' screams fuel my headache. I breath fire on them over and over again. Every building is ablaze.

A grin of satisfaction comes to my face. That felt good. Now onto coffee. I reach the coffee shop and order a large cup of coffee and cream. The other dragons take little notice of me as I sit on a comfy boulder.

"A mortal town has burned!" Everyone starts. Sasho, a young dragon of two hundred years, flies in and lands with a thud. "The mortal town near here has burned." Sasho gasps for breath.

"Are you sure?" An older dragon asks. She gently places her cup on the table. "It is against our laws to do such a thing. This is not some prank of a hundredling, is it?"

"No! I swear!" Sasho rushes out the cave. "It's true! I have to tell the elders!" With that he flies off.

As the others talk or fly away to see for themselves, I think on what I have done. All of a sudden my coffee has lost its' appeal. Dread worse than before stops my heart. I know what will come of this. An investigation will be called. Eventually it will come out who burned the town. I will have a trial with the elders and they will decide my fate. One of three things could happen to me as punishment. My fire will be taken away permanently, I will be banished from the Dragon Mountains, or sentenced to death.

I defeatedly put my coffee down and leave the coffee shop. My wings lift me in the air, though I wish they would not work. It takes too little time to get to Wisdom Mountain, where the elders meet and discuss matters of importance. I can hear the chatter before I even enter the mountain. The talking stops the moment I walk in. My wings folded neatly on my back in respect, I bow to the elders.

"Glimduc." The head elder, Zeraph, moves for me to rise. "What is it that brings you here?" The others turn to me.

I sigh. "Honorable Elders, I come here with a heavy heart. I am sure you have already heard of the burning of the mortal town."

"We have. Have you come with more information about this incident?"

"I have."

"What is it, Glimduc?" Zeraph eyes me, full of questions.

I hesitate. "I know who it was that burned the town."

The mountain becomes even quieter. I think I hear a goblet drop further in the mountain. The elders watch me. "Who was it?" One of the elders ask.

"A dragon who did not think of the consequences of his actions. Whose selfish intentions came in the way of the good of his community." I raise my eyes to look directly at Zeraph. "It was I who burned the town."

"And why did you do this? You know our laws."

I lower my head in shame and embarrassment. "It was because of my mood. I woke up this morning to find I was out of coffee and that set my mood in a foul manner. I was flying to the coffee shop, but I did not realize how low I was flying. The people in the town saw me and attacked. I did not think and because of my mood I burned their town."

My words hang in the air. The elders consider what I have said. It feels like a hundred years before Zeraph speaks. "What you have done will cause great trouble for us. When other mortals find out what has happened, they will search for you. They will climb our mountains. Slaughter our eggs. Destroy our home. We may have to leave the home of our fathers!"

His words are like a mortal's sword piercing through my scales. What he says is true. I have caused a disaster. He sighs. "We shall put you under watch. And decide on your fate in one week's time."

I bow to the elders and leave. I go to the store, buy some coffee, and go home. I spend all week in my cave. Occasionally, I see the shadow of a dragon hovering over the opening of my cave watching my every move. I am trapped in my own home. I drink more coffee than ever to function. The scales around my eyes go dark with exhaustion. Oh, if only the week were over and I knew what my fate will be.

At last, it is time to hear the elders' decision. I go to Wisdom Mountain, but not alone. Every dragon who lives in the mountains follows me. They know as well as I do the elders will make an example of me. A gong rings when I enter the mountain.

"Glimduc, come forth." Zeraph's voice booms over the chatter of the other dragons. I stand in the center of the room before the elders. All of the other dragons watch from behind. "The elders and I have much debated over your case for the past week. We see your regret and shame. It is plain you did not plan on burning the town. However, you did destroy the mortals' town. For which you must accept the consequences of your actions. Thereupon, we, The Elders of the Mountain Dragons, have concluded your fate to be as thus. Because of your disagreeable circumstances, you will be watched without cease for the next five hundred years. Also, to ensure you do not loose your temper and repeat these events, your fire is forfeit for two hundred years."

Relief floods me. The storm of worry in my mind calms. Though I am sad to lose my fire-which is where a dragon finds their pride-, I am overjoyed I shall not be exiled or put to death.

"Glimduc, there is one other part of your punishment that is...rather irregular." Zeraph eyes me.

"Yes, Elder Zeraph?" I am too joyful to be afraid of this new punishment.

"You are from this moment forth to switch to decaffeinated coffee."

I gasp. My breath quickens. My heart pounds in my chest faster than ever before. The gentle summer breeze suddenly goes cold. "Decaf?" The word tastes like evil on my tongue. "Please, Elder Zeraph! Dragon Elders! Please! Reverse this punishment!"

"We are sorry, Glimduc." Zeraph shakes his head in sympathy. "This is your fate. It is irreversible."

�J��FE/