Forewarned (BEING REWRITTEN)

Death by Kids Toys

(A short chapter till I kick the next one out sorry guys I make you wait)

“Hey Sleeping Beauty,” Jonathan the jerk faced fire dragon rider smirked as he passed me as I exited the nurse’s office. I just glared. What was he even doing here? There was nothing around here that he could possibly be doing because the nurse’s office was on the far side of the campus. I’m pretty sure he went all the way here with his gang of friends just to do that annoying smirk.

            I touched a shadow on the wall with a smirk and their eyes widened, knowing I was probably going to tie their shoelaces together. I bit back a laugh as they spread their legs apart and waddled away like penguins.

            But as soon as they turned the corner, I allowed a wince to cross my features and I rubbed my arm. The second I even thought about shifting into darkness, the burning pain on my wrist reminded me that wasn’t possible.

            Soon as I had woken up with an ice pack on the growing, red unicorn horn of a bump on my head, I had something else. Mr. Wolverine had thought of the perfect torture device and inflicted it upon me, to be worn for a whole stinkin’ week. I’d have preferred needles, a Dora watch, or even to have to wear a shirt with One Direction as punishment. But Wolvy had to go straight to the heart.

            Three strands of ever-glo sticks entertwined on my wrist as a symbol of my utter despair. One was red, like blood. The other pink like flowers. And the last, a horrible lime yellow. The worst color combinations imaginable. And with this glowing abomination I couldn’t shadow travel. I sighed and glared at it in pent up anger.

            Well at least I got Caedmon, I thought to myself as I put the ice packet to my forehead. Wait- where was he? Was he still back at the baby hatchling play pen? Cade!? I yelled so loud in my brain I’m surprised that no one could actually hear my brain waves.

            Help! Came the almost immediate reply. Caedmon sounded frightened, scared. What if he was getting attacked by a moose? I immediately touched a shadow so I could get there faster via shadow travel but only let out a yelp when my hand was burned by the glow sticks of doom. “Curses!” I hissed, racing down the hall. Caed- where are ya??

            He didn’t reply but suddenly I got the image of the gym. Or what I could see through grabbing hands and stretching fingers coming closer and closer.

            I grit my teeth and charged down the hall faster, almost stepping on a small ice dragon. “Sorry!” I yelped before grabbing the heavy iron handles to the gym and yanking it open.

            Mrs. Geier and one of the olders Riders were flopping all over each other, arms flailing. To me they looked like two seals grabbing for a grape, their legs flying as they dove on the mats for something invisible to me. “Hey!” Mrs. Geier grunted as the other Rider landed on top of her, grabbing for something.

            I almost started busting out laughing before I saw Mr. Sunglasses walk out from behind one of the support pillars. “Right there! There!” he said, pointing to the wall behind them.

            They grunted and twisted around like grumpy walruses, slapping at the wall.

            “If you can see him, why can’t you get him?” The male said, groaning as he slapped the wall and came up with a jammed finger.

            “Excuse me?” he said in a dangerous voice, warning him that if he didn’t shut up, that butt that was straight in the air was going to get kicked.

            That’s when I realized what I should have in the first place. I crouched. Caed- I’m at the door, come to me!

            “He’s runnin!” Wolverine spat, spraying spit as he spoke. “GET HIM! GET HIM!” he pointed at a little streak of black as a fat little dragon bounded away, tail high and purple eyes huge. Mrs. Geier lunged, her stubby arms spread and her huge boobs threatening to squish the little dragon into a place of no return. Caedmon bunched up his hind legs and jumped with all his might, tongue hanging out as Mrs. Geier landed heavily behind him, her arms surging towards him as she skidded forwards. Her gnarly fingers reached, grasping his hind leg… He squeaked as he was yanked, his chest hitting a mat and his claws latching on…

            Before the male Rider skidded to the earth right next to her, pushing her aside and making her let go of the small dragon as he swung at him with his long, bony arms.

            Caedmon scrambled to his feet and raced towards me with all his might, his tongue hanging out and his eyes huge and terrified as yet another body added to the dogpile. General Landin’s glowing hand snatched at Caedmon before he was tripped by Mrs. Geier’s arm and fell flat on his face.

            He leapt into my arms, panting heavy and shivering, his little chest rising and falling super quick as he fought for breath. I frowned when I touched his hind legs and heard him whimper because he’d been burned by the hand of the General. I wanted to race out with my little buddy but anger made me stay right there. And for the first time, instead of running, I stood up and held my ground. Caedmon shook under my fingers as I glared at the heap. “You can’t do that.” I spat.

            General Landin was the first to get up, his sunglasses hanging haphazardly off his face. “Did you just say that to your superior?” he said in that same deadly voice. I know I wasn’t on his good list and that I should just say ‘yes sir’ before things got worse.

            But instead I glared. “Yes I did because you’re wrong.”

            My statement sent all three into silence. Mrs. Geier picked herself up, glancing at General Landin to see if he would do anything about my impudence. His jaw clenched as the male Rider slowly crawled away from this showdown.

            “Is this what you do around here? Terrorize baby dragons? And I thought you should know better,” I scolded them shamelessly. “What if you saw someone cornering Mardu? Saw them scaring him to death? Grabbing at him- and Mardu didn’t even know what he had done wrong?” I asked, playing the guilt card. “I accept responsibility for my actions but you don’t have to scare him to death, burn him, and threaten to squish him!” I said with a look of disgust although I felt like I wanted to run for the nearest shadow.

            General Landin stared at me, fingering a small little glowstick made perhaps to go around a little paw….?

            “He’s my dragon I should have a say!” I yelled, stepping back.

            “He’s not your dragon. He never was!” General Landing barked, advancing slowly. “You stole him from our base. He was never supposed to hatch for you! He…. Is.. government property!” he growled like a bear as he grabbed the shaky dragon from my hands.

            I was too shocked to say anything. I just stared at him as he slapped on a glowstick onto the dragon’s paw before shoving him back into my arms.

            “Go to your quarters.. and stay there until tomorrow. Don’t even think about dinner.” He snarled before brushing me aside roughly on his way out.

            “You’re not my dad! You can’t tell me what to do!” I could feel these words burn on my tongue. But I didn’t dare say them as I trudged back to the barracks.

            All night Caedmon cried and flicked his hand, trying to get off the horrible band that was burning his scales. He looked at me with those huge purple eyes, begging me to take it off. I tried, my fingers fumbling on it as they burned from the touch, but it was secured by the devil himself. As I heard his whimpers and cries all through the night as others settled down to sleep, felt his little paw pulling at my shoulder as he begged me to relieve his pain, I could hear General Landin’s voice in my head. “He’s not your dragon. He never was!” And somehow, this hurt a whole lot worse than the red splotchy mark around my makeshift wristband.