Just My Duck

Chapter 13 All The Little Birdies Say

"So." Doug looks down at the bottle.

"So." I repeat.

"So." Bradley just stares at it.

"This is ten million dollars worth of dragon's blood." Doug touches it. "It's still warm."

"It better be." Bradley says severely. "I'll go get cups."

"Well," Doug uncorks the bottle, "Bottoms up." he drinks it down. "Ugghh!" He almost drops it but I catch it in time.

"Oh my god! Doug!" Bradley exclaims coming back in. "You're supposed to dilute it!" Doug's eyes flash a fire red and gold for a second as he starts coughing half bent over. "Are you alright?" He pats Doug's back after putting down the glasses. "Straight Dragon's blood... Are you insane?"

"I need to go lie down." Doug heads out of the kitchen.

I wait until Bradley mixes the glasses of dragon's blood with a blue elixer and hands me one. Oh, this looks so gross, but if it'll help Jake.I watch Bradley drinking it and take a sip. It takes like a charcoal and damp cigarettes. Uhhngghh. Or Jake.For Jake. For Jake. For.. oh finally it's gone.

"I think I need to go lie down." I grab my crutches and leave the kitchen, going back to bed. Luanne just raises an eyebrow at me. "Dragon's blood is disgusting." I groan.

"Just get some rest. You'll be fine." She puts down her book and leaves her chair to tuck me in.

A slow heat starts to well up within me and I feel like I'm going to die. When I move the air hits me like ice. My brain burns and tingles until finally I fall asleep.

I feel like I've been hit by a truck. With my luck I might have been. I turn over in my bed to see a very worried looking duck staring down at me from on top of TicToc.

"Hi." I groan. "Dragon's blood sucks." Jake nods and goes down to the bed. "Is Doug okay?" I ask Luanne.

"Doug's fine." Jake answers. "That idiot."

"EEE! It works!" I squeal and grab my ducky friend, giving him a little squeeze. "Ugh." The burst of energy ends. "I need some more rest." I bury my face in his feathers. He just pats my head with his bill.

"I'll go find Bradley." he informs me and slips out of my grasp. "We have things to do."

"Going back to work?"

"I was fired as CEO remember? I have my own finances to take care of, though. And Doug's and yours. So don't worry about it. You'll have your money available before the cast comes off."

"That's good." I plop my head back down on the pillow. "I'll need to be getting home soon anyway."

"Home?" Jake stops walking.

"Yes, home. I don't live here remember. I'm just staying until my castis off, remember?" I smile.

"Right." Jake looks away. "When is that going to happen?"

"Friday, the twelfth so I can stay the next weekend if you need, especially if the double date still on for Sunday."

"I'd love that. Lorelai adores you. Will you.. Would you be willing to come every weekend? Just until we find a way to break the curse. Doug can help but he's going to have school and I want him to be able to study."

"So am I, but I guess I can go part time... Oh, right. I won't need to work for a while. Nevermind, no, that'll be fine. I'll schedule with Alex for one of my days off at school." I remember my windfall.

"I'll pay you of course." That silly duck says.

"Oh, don't be silly. We're friends, this is what we do." I tap his bill. "Besides consider me paid because of the dragon's blood. I can talk to animals now. That's the coolest thing. And it cost you ten million dollars. I'm surprised you haven't taken it yourself already."