Dragon Girl

Introduction

Janey Richardsonwas an average American teen aged girl in many ways, but most peoplethought she was "a strange byrd" in some ways. Janey couldcommunicate with the dead and cats. She could make any dog cower andshe "read" people like most people read road signs. Intelligent,artistic and talented, cheerful and always ready to lend a hand, shewas very likable and most of her closest friends liked her morebecause she was strange than for any other reason.

Janey had a happy,loving family who encouraged her to explore her own mind and talents.She was never told her "imaginary friends" were not "healthy"for her and they accepted her rare gifts. But Janey began to thinkmaybe she'd taken it too far when she woke up the first Mondayafter her 14thbirthdayto find a little blue dragon sitting on her foot-board holding to thepost.

"Oh, great, nowI'm seeing things." She murmured and rubbed her eyes.

"You should beable to see me, after all you are dragon kin." Janeyheard in her head, a voice definitely not one of her own making.

"Yikes now I'mhearing voices!" She squeaked and buried her head under the coversagain.

"I don't knowabout other voices but you are supposed to hear mine. I'm yourguide." Thelittle dragon said as she walked up Janey's legs and sat on herupturned hip.

Janey peeked outof the covers to look at the jewel-like little dragon.

"Guide to what?"

"Enlightenment."

"Like an angelor something?"

"Angels cameafter dragons, if you don't mind." Thelittle dragon said in a tone that said she was clearly insulted.

"Well, if you'rereally here or I'm losing my mind, I don't have time for thisnow, I have to get ready for school."

"I'll bewatching, though you won't know I'm there." Thedragon said and disappeared.

As she wolfed downher breakfast Janey took the time to ask her mother. "Do you thinkdragons might be real, Mom?"

"What an oddthing to ask, why?"

"Um-m ... I hada dream this morning of a little blue dragon sitting on my foot-boardwho told me she was here to guide me to enlightenment."

"Janey, you knowI believe in guiding and guardian angels, maybe yours picked a dragonform because you'd listen closer than if it was an angel. Theyusually do speak to us in our dreams."

"Oh ... ok ...cool. Thanks Mom, gotta book it." Janey kissed her cheek and puther cereal bowl in the sink, grabbed her backpack and raced for thebus stop. She snagged a good seat going to school with her "bestestbud" and when they weren't paying attention to their studies allher friends were still talking about the great party her parentsthrew for her last Saturday. It was a good day. Surprise ofsurprises, she snagged a seat on the overcrowded bus going home, too.She raced up the stairs to her room and looked for the little dragonbut she didn't see it.

"Littledragon ... are you here?"

"I've beenwith you all day. I have a name, it is Zelistuck." Thatsoft sweet voice sounded in her head but yet from the direction ofher made bed ... which she didn't make. The dragon now took up theentire bed and Janey could see she was actually jewel-tonedturquoise.

"Wow, you'rereally beautiful, you look like you were made of gems."

"Thank you. Myspecies is called Locus and we are all jewel tones."

"Did you haveanything to do with my getting a seat going to and coming from schoolor with Jason Barrister leaving me alone for once?"

"With theseats, yes, with the Jason, not directly. That was a friend of mine.He really likes you, by the way, but he thinks too much of his machofriends' opinions to prove it."

"Likes me? Morelike hates my guts! He's been a thorn in my side since secondgrade."

"I read him ...he really wants to be your friend but he's afraid of what his otherfriends would say."

"Well, Iwouldn't want to be friends with him; he's just about thecruelest kid I know."

The little dragonmade a musical sound in her head and Janey could see her face change... she was chuckling.

"Give itanother year."

"I felt youwalking on me this morning but you aren't even making a little dentin the bed, why is that?"

"Because I donot have three dimensional materiality; only Astral materiality. Iweigh no more than a dream or a thought."

"That explains alot. But why did I feel you this morning?"

"Because Iwanted you to; you didn't actually feel me; I made your mind thinkyou did."

"So it isn'tjust telepathy, you can plant thoughts in my head?"

"Not cognitiveprocess, I can affect the sensory cortex of your brain. To affectyour cognitive process you hear my voice."

"Well,strangely, I'm cool with all that, I mean if I accept dragons evenexist then everything else is just part of the package."

"You are veryopen-minded and quick to accept. That will serve you well on ourmutual journey."

"Our mutualjourney? You are going to take me somewhere?"

Again the dragonsmiled and there was a twinkle of mirth in her eyes. "Iam going to take you down the rabbit hole ... Alice."

The pause beforenaming Janey "Alice" was to make sure she got the reference toAlice in Wonderland or Through the Looking Glass.

Janey caught thereference immediately and crossed her arms looking at her newteacher. "You really think this is going to be that weird a trip?Ha! Bring it on!" She sneered. "The stranger the better; Iembrace strange."

"Ofcourse you do ... after all, you are dragon kin."