Holly & The Mystery Of Dragon's Blood

The Amulet

Holly awoke to the smell of scrambled eggs coming from downstairs in the kitchen. Her Nana cooked the same thing for breakfast every day. She was a woman of strict routine.

She would get up at the same time every day, wear the same dress and apron, and cook the same meals. Holly never got bored of it, though, even if sometimes Nana was as strict with her as she was with her routine. She got herself dressed and went downstairs to join Nana.

Entering the kitchen, Holly could see Nana busy at work. A small elderly lady, with a kind but stern face lined with wrinkles. Her apron already messy, Nana had been working in the kitchen since before Holly had woken.

Not only were the eggs nearly cooked, but preparations were already underway for lunch as well. Holly would always offer to help, but Nana would shoo her away, as she had a habit of getting in the way. Not intentionally, of course, but Holly always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Sit down, dear," said Nana with a smile. "Breakfast will soon be ready."

Holly pulled up a stool and sat at the table, her stomach just starting to rumble in anticipation of the breakfast.

"Here we are," said Nana as she placed two plates of eggs down, and finally sitting down herself. She smiled at Holly as she began eating.

"Nana," Holly began, but then stopped herself. Would Nana really want to hear about her dream?

"Was there something you wanted to say, dear?" Nana asked as she began clearing away their plates, never wanting anything to clutter her kitchen.

"It's just, I don't know. Have you ever had a dream before that feels like it's real?"

Nana was washing up the plates, her back to Holly.

"Well, of course not, that's why they're called dreams, don't pay any attention to them."

She was right, of course. Dreams indeed weren't real, but Holly couldn't help but wonder why she kept having the same one.

"I keep having the same dream, Nana," she continued. "It's so strange, but I really feel like I'm there. I can picture it all now if I close my eyes."

Nana turned to face Holly, her eyes suddenly serious, and her usual smile now absent.

"Holly," she said with a slightly impatient tone. "Listen to me. Dreams are nothing more than stories, just like your books. They're pictures in your mind, and they only exist in your mind. They're not real. Some nights I dream I'm flying, but do you see any wings on me?"

"No, Nana."

"No, of course you don't. So don't give them a second thought," Nana said, turning back to the sink abruptly, making it clear that was an end to the conversation.

Holly was unsure whether to keep pressing. Nana didn't seem to want to talk about her dreams, and she never called her Holly, always dear. She decided she needed to continue, her curiosity outweighing her fear of making Nana angry.

"It's so dark and so cold, I can feel it," Holly recounted. "The dark is like a monster. There are hands, and they're trying to grab me. Asking me for the amulet. What's an amulet?"

Nana spun around, her face red and a furious look in her eyes that Holly had never seen before.

"Holly," her voice raised, "I will hear no more of this. Dreams. Are. Not. Real. There is no such thing as the amulet of Tulek. Now take yourself outside and play, I don't want to see or hear from you for the rest of the morning."

Holly quickly got off her stool and ran outside to play by the river.

_____

Holly sat on the grass at the water's edge, tossing twigs in and watching them disappear along the river towards the forest. Nana had always told her to stay out of the forest, there could be dangerous animals there.