Dragon: Myth of the Bermuda Triangle

Chapter Nine: Freedom

Song: "Journey of Wonders" - Peter Crowley

        Welcome to the library. It's where Mr. Ritchie takes Maddie and I.

It's a small room with only a few bookshelves and a sitting area at the other end, which includes two chairs and a couch. Past it is a porthole that overlooks the vast blue sea.

My nose twitches when I take in the scent of... What is that? Sweat? Just how many people have been here today? Currently, Maddie, Mr. Ritchie, and I are the only ones in the library.

Mr. Ritchie sets me on the couch and saunters to a small refrigerator beside a tall bookshelf.

I can tell Maddie is very confused. Her face asks, Why are we in the library and not at the doctor's?

I don't even know what's happening right now.

Mr. Ritchie returns to us, carrying a couple of water bottles. He gives one to Maddie and explains, "We need to drench him with water."

"What? Why? Don't you think Will's had enough for one day?" she questions.

"Will is not who you think he is, dear." Mr. Ritchie pauses for a minute, most likely to set his mind straight, and then adds, "He is a dragon."

But of course, Maddie does not believe him. It's not easy to convince her, now is it? She scoffs and asks, "Mr. Ritchie, don't you think it's too early to hit the bottle?"

Mr. Ritchie's face turns red—I don't blame him—but he counts to ten to calm down. "I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth. If you won't give him water, I will do it myself."

Maddie is a little bit pissed. She shoves her water bottle into Mr. Ritchie's chest. "You do that. I'm going to go hang out with sane people! First, Will says he's from the Bermuda Triangle, and now this!"

"But he is from the Bermuda Triangle," argues Mr. Ritchie, "and he needs your help to defeat the Calamitous Beast!"

Whoa! Whoa! Hold the phone! Nobody said anything about me having to defeat something! What the heck is the Calamitous Beast?

"Calamitous Beast?" Again, Maddie scoffs. "I knew it. You're not crazy. You're just... insane."

Mr. Ritchie is not able to take a break from the argument. Honestly, he almost sounds offended that Maddie does not believe in dragons. "But the realm of the dragons is in danger! Fine, then you leave me no choice. I'll prove to you that Will is a dragon." He unscrews the cap of one of his water bottles and peers down on me. "Sorry, kid, but I have to do this." He pours the water over my head.

It runs down my face and shoulders and drips onto my legs. The warm liquid is gentle, and I feel my strength returning. So, that's the issue. I'm dehydrated. Makes sense. Water dragons are like amphibians. We can't stay on land for long, or our bodies dry out. Not only that, but... Oh. I see what Mr. Ritchie is doing.

Heh, heh. I'm so screwed.

I grow my wings, tail, and claws, but I only take up the length of the couch. I'm such a pathetic excuse for a dragon.

My chin rests on the couch arm closest to Maddie, and my tail whacks the porthole. I give her a nervous look and chuckle.

She stares, blinks, stares some more, and then screams. "Ahh!" She falls flat on her butt. "Dragon! I've been playing with a dragon this whole time! Gross!"