Touched By A Dragon

Chapter 5: The First Dragon

The next morning Mike got out of bed, eyes bloodshot from crying, grabbed a jug of water for Lilliana and was about to run out the front door when his mother called him.
 “Sorry not now I need to look for Lilliana,” He explained hurriedly. 
“Mike that’s what you do all day every day, at least have something to eat,” His mother reasoned.
“Sorry ma, maybe when I come back,” He sighed, rubbing his blue eyes.
“Mike when you do where all asleep,” She added, teasing her brown hair.
“Okay leave something on the table, got to go,” Mike replied, rushing for the door. 
“Mike Jeffrey Huntsman, I am still talking to you!” His mother yelled, her hazel eyes flickering angrily.
“Yes ma,” He whispered, scared.
“Your father and I have something I want to show you come outside come with us,” She calmly insisted, happy again.
They walked to the shed that Mike was not allowed to go near. He started to shake. His palms got all sweaty his legs shook; he finally got to see what was behind the rusty iron doors. He could never see what was in it because ever since he could walk his parents had hammered into him that by no means was he aloud near to go near the shed. As they came closer to the shed his father told him to grab a fish from the bucket. When he picked up the fish the huge structure started to shake, strange noises came from it kind of like a cat's purr but louder and off-key. The bolts started to shake and rattle. 
“Stay!” Dad commanded.
 Mike froze in place, as still as a statue. 
“Not you,” His parents said in unison, laughing.
Mike wasn't sure how it was funny but he managed a tiny nervous giggle. The thing in the shed made a funny sound like it was trying to laugh. 
“Son,” said his mother, “do you remember your dads’ dragon, Cosmo?”
“Yeah,” replied Mike, “who could forget a dragon-like him; he was my best friend until dad let him go.”
“Well Cosmo came back and it turns out that Cosmo, not a ‘he’,” She told him as she led him through the doors and down the stairs carved out of the hard soil.
The stairs led to a dark room that smelt of earth and had faint traces of smoke in the air. They appeared to be in some sort of earthy cave. 
“What! Why didn't you tell me?” He asked shocked and angry.
“Because people were chasing her so we had to hide her in the old log storage.” His mother replied, “dragon hunters,” they're responsible for the extension of the dragons, so when we found out that they were looking for her she had to be hidden. But now they have stopped. We believe that they think that all the dragons are extinct or that they have set out in search of other prizes.”
“A few months later we were going to tell you, “continued his dad fumbling for a torch,” but we found 3 red eggs, Cosmo told me that she wanted you to have one of the boys and that it will be the strongest one as long as you call it Flame. She and I talk every day telepathically she hopes you'll have the same bond with Flame and that he'll help you to find Lilliana.”
When his dad found the torch he held it high in the air and a single, blue flame shot at it, lighting it up to reveal a huge red dragon.
“Wow,” Mike whispered, feeling very small in front of the majestic, graceful beast.
The dragon ran up to them and nuzzled Mike’s hand. Remembering he had a fish in his hand he tossed it in the air, the mighty beast caught it and swallowed it down in one gulp. Then she folded her huge red wing to show 3 little dragons behind her. She then ran back and lay down with them. When she did the most beautiful scene came together in front of him.
“Wow,” Mike whispered again, not quite knowing what to say.
 Then Cosmo came up to him with a small, strong baby boy dragon playing on her wing. She bent her wing and slowly the baby dragon started to slide. Mike not wanting him to fall caught him in his arms. Cosmo shut her eyes, slowly moved her head to his and told him that he was to have the baby dragon and that if he looked after him and gave him the water from the top of the stream every day that he would grow up to be the strongest one as long as he called it Flame. Mike nodded, speechless.