Tales of a Dragon

Chapter Eight

Axis was still chilled by the dream he had, but he went on with his day. It was almost time for the Tournament to start; in two days, the tickets to the Tournament would be sold. And in three days, the actual thing would happen. He was freaking out, honestly. But he had to do something first.

When he woke up, he saw on his bed a note. The handwriting was strange; the letters started big and loopy, and went to small and tidy. He read it over and over again, and failed. He needed his clear contacts.

After putting them on, he read it:

Meet me at at the place she died.

-Clarisse

Who was the 'she' that Clara was talking about? It had to be something he knew, someone he knew, and it had to be someone Clara knew, too. But who? And after the dream he had of her, he didn't trust her one bit. But he had to know what she was planning. He had to get to her, even if he died. It was strange; she was so compelling and magnetic.

And then, he realized something. 'She' had to be a person who died. The only girl or woman he knew who died in his life was...

His mother.

He remembered exactly where she died, and he would never forget. His back hurt a little, and he twisted around a little bit, and it popped, and he sighed. "Here goes."

He made sure Avril was still asleep, and snuck out through the back door. He had to go to the bridge.

* * YEARS AGO

Fern Bentell was so frightened. She remembered Ashton's red face, his eyes bloodshot. She remembered him yelling, calling her horrid names, and throwing things everywhere. She remembered the poking pain of glass bits in her arm. That was why she had run away.

She had an affair. Ashton wasn't the husband she wanted. She had married him thinking that he would be wonderful, but he had abused her, locked her up in the Palace on meeting days. Some people had thought she had died, but when she escaped, she went for help. And she met Travis West. And he was the only thing she thought of now.

He gave her a shelter to hide in. He was perfect; he was kind, strong, intelligent, and he truly cared for her. He wasn't like Ashton, and maybe that was why she fell in love with him. And now she was pregnant with his child.

She tried her best to run to Travis. He had a wife who had died, but not before she gave birth. He would know what to do. The baby was coming. Her water had broke already, and she felt an immense pain in her stomach and down below.

"No," she gasped. "It's right there. Hang on, Fern." And indeed, she saw the home. Travis's. She slammed open the door, and Travis was there, setting her down on the floor.

"Calm, calm," he breathed. She tried taking deep breaths, but everything was so blurry now. And she felt the head. She screamed in pain, and pushed.

"Just push now! I'll get them! Push, Fern!" Travis screamed. He did know what to do, but everything was going so fast. He didn't even have a blanket.

And the baby popped out. He was red, and still, his eyes closed. But he was squirming now, crying, alive. Travis sighed in relief.

"It still hurts!" Fern cried out. "There's another-- AHHH!"

Travis panicked. He immediately grabbed a blanket and spread it out, putting the newborn on it. He got ready to hold the next one. Holy stars, he thought. Twins.

He almost got worried for a second. But then, she came out, red and alive and he set her down. He could smell the scent of newborns. He turned to Fern. "It's over," he said.