How Dragons Survived the Flood

Chapter 1 Part 1

Looking down from his perch on his dragon, Japheth could see the half-finished planking on the upper deck. He remembered walking with his father, stretching out rope, marking the vessel's outer circumference. The Ark had come a long way since he last saw it.

Slaves, frightened by the shadows of the two large dragons sweeping over them, dropped their bundles and ran to the protective cover of the Ark.

The black dragon circled lazily catching the updrafts with his large wings. The smaller, slender beast undulated on the currents using the diminutive wings between her forelegs and body to help her glide through the air. She carried Japheth perched snugly behind her horns as she looked for a place to land. Japheth saw how the dragons' large, dark shadows broke up the sun's relentless glare as they flew overhead and how the downdraft stirred up dust and debris. He was just a tiny bump in the smaller beast's silhouette.

You will be fine with your father, Japheth. This is your family after all. Think, you too can take a mate. It is what we are meant to do when we come of a certain age. The voice echoed in his head as she turned her face side to side, causing her blue tendrils to toss wildly in the breeze, and began her descent to the ground.

Ismi, I do not want a human mate. You have filled my heart ever since I caught you; there is no room for another. Japheth stroked the dragon and watched her skin turn from dark green to orange to purple under his touch. He had been with her far too long to not understand her colors: green, concentration; orange, a flare of dismay; and purple, love and peace. He smiled.

When she felt the small glow of triumph her color shift created in Japh's mind, her body turned red with anger. You will get off me here, Japheth, and take all your human things with you. The dragon gave a little huff. Shaking her body to and fro, she lowered her serpentine neck to the ground.

Japheth scrambled off his perch from behind her horns his small pile of belongings landing with a thud at his feet. Could you not have at least taken some care? You almost broke me in your haste, Ismi.

The slender dragon, Ismi, did not reply. She stomped her five-toed foot and shook again, causing her bright red dorsal mane to tremble and whip the wind. Effortlessly, she took to the air. Japheth looked up at her cream-colored belly as she flew higher. As they flew out of sight the black dragon, Ismi's latest suitor, sounded a triumphant roar.

Battered by Ismi's downdraft, Japh grabbed at his belongings. The slaves started to come out of their hiding places, creeping closer to the tall man with skin the color of honey and dark dreadlocks reaching below his shoulders. Around his neck was a cord, but whatever treasure it held was hidden under the man's dragon-skin tunic.

Japheth watched the slaves approach him. Seared into his memory at an early age, his family lineage spilled from his lips. "I am Japheth, third son of Noah, son of Lamech, son of Methuselah, begat of Enoch who walked with God, who sprang from the loins of Jarad the son of Mahalalel begat by Kenan, who arose from Enoch out of Seth the Appointed, who was a man sent to Eve from God."

As Japheth concluded his recital, a second group of people made their way down the gangplank. The women in the group walked sedately behind the men who rushed toward Japheth. One was of medium height and muscular, his skin a dark umber; the other, tall and slender, his skin russet. Both wore the white tunics of the temple priests of Yahweh.

Japheth held up both hands, palms facing outward, thumbs and index fingers touching, pinkies spread, a sign of peace taught to all members of Methuselah's massive family.

The tall one grabbed him in a bone-crushing hug. "Is it you, Brother? Have you returned to us from the wild dragons?"

Japheth recognized the tall man as his eldest brother, Shem. He hugged him back.