A Dragon's Tale #Watty's2015

Another Loss

It was around two in the morning when I was awoken by a clasp of thunder as well as my bed side phone ringing. I felt around for it in the dark, finding it and looking at the caller ID, it was from Talon City airport. I figured that they just had the wrong number so I let the phone fall and put my head back on my pillow.

"You've reached Tyro and Adelind Serelath", Adelind's voice said, "leave your name and number and one of us will call you back as soon as we can."

There was a beep and then another voice came over the phone.

"Dad", Alex's voice said, "it's Alex, I'm at Talon International Airport right now waiting for my plane to land...so I just wanted to call to say goodbye before I left."

I lifted my head off the pillow and grabbed the phone.

"Alex?", I asked, "why you at the airport?"

"It's a long story Dad", Alex said, "if it isn't too much to ask, I'd like to tell you face to face."

"Stay right where you are", I told him, "I'll be there in 20 minutes."

"Okay", Alex said, "I'll be waiting at the entrance to the West Terminal."

I pushed aside the covers and hung up the phone. I pulled a nylon rain jacket, a pair of cargo pants, my boots and a t shirt out of the closet and quickly dressed. I grabbed my dogatgs, cell phone, watch, wallet and my military ID just in case and started for the door. I was about to walk out when I noticed Adelind hadn't been stirred. I wondered if I should wake her up, but then that would require taking the kids with us. They couldn't fly all that well and since it was a 45 mile fly to the air port, I'd have to fly at around 180 to make it there before the plane left and neither of us could carry the kids and keep the pace. I kissed Adelind's cheek and then quietly slipped out the door and exited the barracks.

Outside was black, no stars could be seen and even the lights from the ships sitting in the harbor were blurry from the rain. I quickly threw my wings open and soon I was in the sky. The rain in my face made it difficult to see, so I used the strips of light from the cars on the highways to as a sort of line to follow to Talon International. It was about 17 minutes of flying before the large, domed building started to come into view. It was about 100 feet in the air and constructed of white concrete with a glass roof. Blurry light was pouring out of the dome and I could see a few planes coming in for landings and more taking off. Since I was close to runways, I lowered my altitude to avoid hitting a plane and killing myself as well as avoid knocking a plane out of the sky. Once I was close to the building, I landed in a parking lot next to a street lamp and started looking around for a sign or some direction to the West Terminal, but I found none, so I started for the entrance to the Terminal where I was. At the door, there was an airport security guard armed with an Akadal 1919 and a Colt handgun who looked like he'd been on the job a while.

"Excuse me", I said walking up to him.

"What ya need kid?", he asked, his voice sounding rather gruff.

"I need directions to the West Terminal", I said, "my son's waiting for me there."

"Loop around this side", the man said pointing to his right, "you'll practically run into it, can't miss it."

"Thank you", I said starting around.

I followed the giant concrete curve through the pitch black, watery night, using my wing to keep contact. Two lights marked the entrance to the West Terminal and my coming around just a little more showed Alex on the inside, the way his scales caught the light made him glow a bright green. He was dressed in what looked like a surplus ISA uniform and he had a weaponless vest strapped to his back and a duffel bag at his feet. He looked solemn, like this was something he'd rather not be doing. I stepped under the covered area and shook myself off, lighting my fire high enough to dry myself off and not burn my clothes before I entered.