A Dragon's Rider (Edited)

Chapter 16

The next three weeks are a dark blur consisting of recovering, classes, and therapy. I've been moved to a new dorm room, one that's closer to both the infirmary and teacher's quarters. It's not the same. Nothing is. Airre hasn't woken up yet and I've been prohibited to see her.

"Hey! Liora! Wait up!"

John. I've kinda been trying to avoid him. I don't know why but he just gets on my nerves. But this time he catches up to me.

"Hey, I feel like you've been avoiding me."

"Maybe because I was," I reply shortly.

"Well, I have some great news! Balerion has a new power!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah! He can change his hide color!"

"Cool."

"Why are you being so mean to me?"

"I'm just kind of annoyed at you."

"Why? It's not my fault you gave Airre your towel! You could have saved yourself! You might now have inhaled as much smoke!"

I pull up short. "What?"

He stops as well, a questioning look in his eye. "The towel... It's not my fault."

"How did you know about that? I never told anyone about the towels." In all the weeks since the fire, I'd never once explained what happened. The therapists said it was normal and encouraged me to only talk about it when I felt comfortable.

Uh. Lucky guess?"

"How could you have known about that unless..." It dawns on me. "You were there. You set the fire!"

"What? No.." But now I'm on a roll and what he says doesn't register.

"You just said Balerion can change his hide color! He was the one who attacked me in the forest! Oh my god! You tried to kill me!"

John flinches and blinks. Then I see his face twist into a sadistic smile. I took a step back, realizing we were now the only ones in the hall. Everyone else was in class.

"Liora, Liora, Liora." He walks in a small circle around me. "How naïve." He curls a lock of hair around his finger and I wince. "Such an innocent little bird. But," - he stops moving - "all birds die eventually." He stands in front of me.

"Why?"

"Why? Well little bird, that is for me to know and you to find out." He sighs. "Well, at least I get to finish the job."

He leans towards me, hands outstretched.

I scream.

His hands tighten around my throat in a split second and my hands come up to his. I pull at his fingers and try to get any bit of air into my lungs but he is too strong and my muscles too weak.

Black starts to creep up into my vision and I know that any second I can die. My attempts to wrench his fingers off my neck become more feeble until I have no strength left.

"What a pretty bird." John laughs "Too bad all birds fall." His maniacal chuckle reaches my ears and I know I will die. I will die and Airre will die with me. And everyone else I care about. Everyone I love will be dead. And I can't stop it. I am useless. I am weak. Just as I am about to accept this fate, the pressure on my neck leaves. The crushing hands fall away and I gasp; sweet mouthfuls of air rush through my nose and mouth, into my lungs. The black recedes from my vision and I look around for John. When I finally find him, he is on the ground, Soul on top throwing punches everywhere. John shouts as one of Soul's punches connects with his eye. I can see that John is losing though he continues to fight.