Curse of Stone

Chapter 2

Slurp.

Something wet traced my cheek. In the margin between dreams and wakefulness, light filtered through my eyelids and a fresh, earthy scent filled my nose. The prickling on my left cheek didn't feel like my pillow.

Of all the weird dreams, this one took the prize — the voice, the dazzling light, the vertigo, free-falling through a swirling purple tunnel. Like an amusement park ride malfunction.

Slurp. "Eep."

My eyes flickered open. Perched beside me, a lizard-like creature peered into my right eye, turning its head and chirping a high-pitched "Eep".

Slurp.

The creature's slimy forked tongue flicked my chin while it's open mouth revealed rows of sharp black teeth. Startled, I jumped up and crab-walked backwards away from it. "What the hell?"

My forehead furrowed. This wasn't a normal creature, rather like a small winged dragon, about the size of a house cat, and covered with mottled gray-white fur. It bounced closer on hind legs, whipping a long tail, and regarded me with a tilted head, hopefully more curious than hungry.

I sat on the soft ground of a meadow among tall blue-green grass and yellow star-shaped flowers, all swaying in a gentle breeze. The meadow sloped down to a meandering clear stream lined with marsh plants and willows. Tiny ripples sparkled in the sunlight. Further in the distance, tall sprawling trees marked the meadow's edge.

As if that wasn't strange enough, between puffy clouds, not one, but two suns cast warm light. The larger one shone brightly yellow while the smaller produced a dimmer reddish hue, hovering together like mother and child. I almost expected to find a yellow-brick road, because I definitely wasn't in Kansas anymore. And this was no dream.

In the distance, toward the stream, a sweet song lifted above the wind.

I jerked as the little creature hopped into my lap, slurped my chin again, then curled up. A gentle purr rumbled from its throat, much like a contented kitten, but deeper pitch.

Stroking its plush fur, I whispered, "You're not so ferocious, are you little dragon?"

"She seems to like you." I jerked at the unexpected female voice behind me, while the little dragon perked up. "Else a bite be gone from you."

"I hope that is a good omen," I responded.

Still seated, I swiveled, scanning the young woman as she climbed the slope from the stream. Mud and water stained the bottom of a long brown dress. The full hood of a green cloak obscured her face in shadow. Foraged tubers and rush bundles filled the wicker basket she carried with one hand, while with the other hand, she steadied herself on a crooked wooden cane.

At her whistle, the creature jumped up and hopped toward her with leathery wings extended. The woman tossed a morsel of dried meat, which the creature deftly snatched out of the air, then settled at her feet for a satisfied chew.

As I stood up, brushing dirt from my bargain store cargo pants and green t-shirt, she turned to me and froze, dropping her basket. "You have come," she gasped.

"Do I know you?" I asked, wrinkling my forehead.

The woman reached up to slide back her hood. One widened violet right eye gazed back at me, the left one covered with a leather mask held in place with a forehead strap. A strip of blue held back her long auburn hair in a frazzled ponytail. I froze, and my eyes widened. It was her — the woman who haunted my dreams.

"Definitely not in Kansas," I muttered.

Lifting an eyebrow, the woman asked. "Where is Kansas?"

"Where I'm from. You know, somewhere over the rainbow?" Tempting was it to click my heels three times and say there's no place like home, but I decided against it. I wondered if they had witches here.