When the Ocean Calls

Chapter Twenty-Four | Quite the Transformation

Darkness cloaked the volcanic mountainside. No moon tonight, only the stars twinkled over the sky-high trees. I'd stared at those silhouettes for hours, between rolls onto my side, their rhythmic snores penetrating the stillness.

Fatigue steeped in my muscles, melting tension away. But anxiety riled the back of my mind. It's such a long journey back to the tribe. I must sleep. Otherwise, I'll be tired and hold the others up. Sleep. Sleep now.

Time ticked on. Painful awareness burned in my mind, knowledge of the many hours of sleep I lost.

Try counting sheep again.

My eyelids drifted shut. A green meadow painted across my mind's eye, a white-washed fence in the center. One fluffy sheep bounded toward it, tiny legs stretching as it leapt into the air.

One sheep. Two sheep. Three sheep. Four sheep.

My eyes flew open. It wasn't working. No matter how many sheep I counted, no matter how much I tried to relax, I just couldn't sleep. A slew of questions lived in my mind and refused to leave me alone.

How am I going to get home? Am I doomed to being a dragon forever? What about Lani and my family? What about College? What about my life?

Min said he would transform me back in a few years. But I couldn't show up to my family after three years and say, "Hey, I'm back! I would have written home, but I've been living on an Island as a dragon for the past few years. Hope you didn't miss me too much."

I rolled my eyes at the thought. It was absurd. They'd have sold all my stuff to pay for a funeral and put my College money into their retirement fund. My head throbbed from all the circles it spun in. This was getting nowhere. I had to figure out a way to get the Gemini to turn me back into a human.

There must be a way! There just must be!

I closed my eyes, forcing myself to calm down. Crisp air filled my lungs, five seconds in, seven seconds out. My headache dulled as my mind relaxed, worries shoved into a locked box.

Maybe I can force the Gemini to help me. We have Dranesh and the other warriors. They can threaten Min into compliance with their spears.

Stupid. They'll just vanish into thin air, like they did last time. Then they really won't help me, now or in years to come. They might even kill me.

I heaved my hefty body over in a failed attempt to get comfortable. I doubted I'd feel comfort until I was back in a human's body.

Min wants me to assert myself more. Maybe if I go in there and demand that they help me, he'll see that I have learned the dragon's lesson and will change me back. I have somewhat learned to be assertive. At least, I am considering it more than previously...I think.

Ha! I knew I'd win in the end! the dragon exclaimed.

I shushed him. Shut up! Now's not the time!

It's always the time if I say it's the time, the dragon declared.

Go away right now!

Ha, see? I told you I'd win in the end, the dragon chuckled. You're doing it right now.

Doing what?

Being more demanding with what you want. The dragon oozed with smugness.

Out! Or I will scream in my brain.

Since you put it that way... The dragon sulked away.

My breath slowly released. I loathed the dragon because even though it was a nuisance, it was right. I bent too easily to others, mainly since I didn't know what I wanted. It was simpler for other's emotions to sweep me away. Perhaps I needed to be more sure of myself, but I wasn't there yet. I wasn't the "girls run the world" type, I was more of a "girl who runs away from the world" type. Developing my own opinions and the confidence to stand by them would take time, just like Min said.