The Boy Who Lived with Dragons

by Andy Shepherd

  ‘At least he can’t do anything with the sunflower today,’ Kat said. ‘Not with the school trip happening.’

  That was true, but if we thought giant sunflowers were our biggest problem we were about to discover just how wrong we were.

  The school trip was to Caldwell Farm and was meant to be the big finale of our ‘Animals at Large’ topic. The farm was owned by Mrs Caldwell and her grown-up son. She was a bit of a local legend, having won the great inter-village welly-wanging championship twelve years running. People said her right arm was so powerful she could throw a welly clear across the English Channel on a good day with the wind behind her.

  Her son was probably the tallest person I’d ever seen and had long straw-like hair that drooped so far down over his eyes that you had to wonder about his ability to drive the huge red tractor he careered around on.

  We hadn’t taken the dragons back into school since the pigeon-bat-attack incident, but we figured they’d be no trouble on a farm trip, not out in the open. Besides, now we had the ash we were feeling a lot more confident about things.

  Miss Logan and Mr Firth set off at a brisk stride while, like the animals marching onto the ark, we followed along behind in our pairs. Apart from Liam, who was swaggering along on his own, talking loudly, showing off to Amira and Jody in front of him about how he’d once spent a day as a VIP at a safari park and so basically knew everything now. The dragons, aware we had a hefty supply of snacks and ash in our backpacks, flitted back and forth above us, keeping to the trees.

  When we got to the farm we were welcomed by Mr Caldwell. Or rather he stood there pointing down the dirt track that led into the farmyard. Mr Firth started handing out clipboards and pencils and explaining what we were expected to do, and more importantly what we were expected not to do.

  ‘No upsetting the animals. No feeding the animals. No shouting near the animals. No climbing over fences. No eating anywhere except the lunch tables. No touching farm machinery. No …’

  No one seemed to be listening very hard. We were all too busy taking in the sights. It wasn’t your typical farm – that much was clear. Dad had said they were trying to ‘diversify’, which basically meant they had to find new ways to make money since everyone bought their veg and milk from the local supermarket these days. He said the Caldwells had plans to revamp the farm and open it up to the public. The first thing they’d got was some more exotic animals, including, wait for it – crocodiles. Actual Nile crocodiles, which are like the most vicious crocodiles in the world. And as we looked across at the paddock we saw an ostrich, a couple of llamas, deer, peacocks and a donkey who looked about a hundred. There was also a play area with a fort made out of stacking crates and old wooden trestle tabletops laid over barrels, which I guessed was meant to be our picnic spot.

  The place was awesome. And what’s more, with clipboards in hand and dragons overhead, we were free to explore.

  Thanks to Kai spotting the remains of an old bonfire tucked away behind a tumbledown shed, we found the perfect place to settle the dragons. They followed us there and we left them happily diving into the piles of ash, while we headed straight for the crocodiles.

  ‘Whoa, look at them,’ Ted said as we stared through the glass at the motionless creatures. ‘They’re the armoured tanks of the animal kingdom, the fiercest crocodiles of them all. You wouldn’t stand a chance with one of them.’

  ‘Look, that one’s got eggs,’ said Kat.

  ‘Doesn’t look very scary,’ said Liam, giving a fake yawn. ‘Bet it’s stuffed. I haven’t even seen it move yet.’

  Only Liam could fail to be impressed by a fifteen-foot-long prehistoric-looking crocodile. We watched him heading off until he disappeared behind the donkey’s enclosure.

  ‘Come on, let’s look in those barns,’ said Kai, pulling Kat away.

  The first barn we went into was home to a sow and her piglets, plus chickens, geese and ducks who were free to wander as they pleased. There was also a really cool maze made out of hay-bales that you could wander your way through, or, like Jack and Mahid, run along the top of.

  But it was while we were playing in the maze that the first odd thing happened.

  ‘There’s a bull out there that blows smoke rings out its bum,’ Dylan said as he leaped onto the hay-bale next to us.

  ‘You what?’ said Ted.

  ‘Yeah, this mean-looking old bull in that field over there, it just raised its tail and we all thought it was going to do a poo but it actually blew this huge ring of smoke out. Weird, hey?’

  Ted and I looked at each other.

  We dashed outside in time to see a huddle of fascinated kids watching the bull intently. Thankfully whichever dragon had been sending out smoke appeared to have moved on.

  ‘OK, we have a slight problem,’ said Kat, who had run over to meet us. ‘Crystal is trying to hatch one of those crocodile eggs!’

  The little dragon had managed to get in through the skylight, and as we peered in through the window we saw her perched on top of one of the eggs. The mother crocodile was slowly coming out of the water, heading for the nest, her eyes fixed on Crystal.

  ‘She’ll eat her!’ Kat cried. ‘Quick, do something.’

  But it was too late. The crocodile’s mouth was opening wide, its jagged teeth poised, ready to snap down on poor Crystal.

  ‘Look! It’s eating its baby,’ Shanaya cried from behind us.

  ‘No, no,’ soothed Miss Logan. ‘The mother protects the babies by carrying them round in her mouth. They’re very good parents. Look, it says here that mother crocodiles look after their babies for up to two years. Most reptiles just lay an egg and leave.’

  ‘She thinks Crystal is her baby,’ Kat whispered with relief. ‘I do think we should still get her out of there though,’ she went on, ‘before that crocodile realises her baby has wings.’

  We needn’t have worried. Crystal obviously didn’t appreciate being carried around in a cavernous toothy mouth. And, as the mother opened her jaws to lift up another egg, the little dragon shot out, skimmed across the water and flew out through the open window. We followed her round to the back of the barn in time to see her let out an icy blast which froze the little duck pond in the field. But it wasn’t over yet.

  ‘Look – I think that ostrich thinks she’s attacking her egg,’ Kat cried.

  Crystal, having spotted the enormous ostrich egg at the mother’s feet, had decided to have another go at hatching something. But the mother ostrich was not impressed. She plumped up her feathers and started chasing the dragon around the field.

  Geese, chickens, ducks and peacocks squawked and scattered as the huge bird flapped its wings wildly, running this way and that. Seeing an ostrich ice-skating across a frozen pond would have been enough for most of the class, but at this point Dodger took up his place at the rear of the bull once more. This time he let out not only smoke rings but a brilliant shot of flames.

  ‘Told you,’ cried Dylan. ‘Rocket-propelled bull!’

  The bull was understandably freaked out by the fire blasting from his rear end and started stampeding towards the gate. He only came to a stop just in time because a piglet landed on his head. Crystal had started collecting piglets and dropping the squealing creatures one by one into the paddock.

  ‘I think it’s time we rounded them up before this really gets out of hand,’ I said quickly. ‘You grab the piglets before they get trampled,’ I told Kat. ‘Me and Kai’ll try to catch Dodger. Ted, keep your eyes peeled for Sunny and Flicker!’

  I held out some ash. But the dragons were having way too much fun. And with a huge bonfire to play in, my feeble handful didn’t hold much appeal.

  Where was Flicker when I needed him?

  ‘Found him,’ called Ted. And I looked across to where he was pointing.

  It wasn’t Flicker, but he had found Sunny. The dragon had discovered the picnic tables, which were now laden with Mrs Caldwell’s home-cooked scones, oddly shaped buns and some wobbly-looking custard tart
s. But it was the huge bowl of jam that started the food fight. Sunny had wriggled his way into the bowl and was flicking blobs of it out left and right. One of them landed with a splat on the side of Ella’s face.

  ‘Oi!’ she shouted, as strike two hit her slap in the eye.

  Assuming the jam had been a missile from Jack, who was stuffing his face with scones and cream, Ella let off a return shot with a trebuchet improvised from a spoon. The lump of flying butter missed Jack but hit Stefan. Within seconds half-eaten scones and tarts were whizzing across the table, covering everyone with jam and gloopy custard.

  And then things really started to hot up. And by hot I mean fire-sizzling hot. Flicker shot across in front of me and into one of the barns. I dashed after him. When I got inside I nearly choked on the heady smell of blooming flowers. The place was a mess. Everything had been left to grow unchecked. Most of the plants were way too big for their little plastic pots, and others had latched onto the walls of the barn and were climbing up towards the roof, which was actually more holes than roof. I spotted Flicker whizzing madly round between the stems of some huge blue flowers.

  Suddenly the tickle in my nose got worse and I sneezed. Oh no! If I was sneezing, then this was most definitely not the place for Flicker. But even as I thought it, I saw the little dragon hovering in mid-air.

  ‘Flicker! No!’ I yelled.

  But it was too late. A ripple that started at his tail shuddered through him and a sneeze exploded out – and a fiery sneeze at that. I saw one of the blue flowers ignite and like a flaming domino fall towards its neighbour, spreading the fire in an instant.

  But strangely the fizzling flowers were not what had my attention. Because flapping out of the flames was a dragon.

  And it wasn’t Flicker.

  The dragon was bigger than Flicker – more like a fat pigeon. It had grey scales, a neat row of spines down its back and a jagged spiked tail that looked like a lightning bolt. It seemed to be having a whale of a time weaving in and out of the burning flowers. Every so often it opened its mouth and let out a jet of green gas that made the air crackle.

  The fire had spread even further now. It had already reached the plants that crept up the barn walls and was slithering its way up to the roof. The dragon seemed to be enjoying every new spurt of flame. It flew alongside as though it were coaxing the flickering heat, urging it to grow bigger still.

  Whenever a flower or a vine turned to ash it did a loop-the-loop, sending out green sparks like tiny celebratory fireworks. I had a horrible feeling this dragon was not going to be satisfied till the whole place had gone up in flames.

  I had to do something – but what?

  I called out, but my voice was a whisper through the choking smoke. I flapped my arms, although what I expected that to do I had no idea. Maybe if I could distract it I could lead it outside. Or maybe Flicker would get the message and shepherd the new dragon out of the barn. But he was so small in comparison and I didn’t like the idea of him getting in the way of one of those green blasts.

  I was about to find out whether drawing attention to myself was a good idea or not, because the dragon turned. As it flew towards me its scales and spines all suddenly stuck up and out, making it seem even bigger. Underneath the grey it shone a bright lime green. I couldn’t help thinking it was like one of those pufferfish that blow up like a balloon when they’re scared. I dived for cover as a green jet shot over the top of my head.

  I watched as the dragon circled the barn, presumably readying itself for another attack. Now I knew how Ted had felt about being a target for the water balloons. All I could think was, where had it come from? There weren’t any more fruits on the tree yet. This dragon must have hatched in the last crop and not flown off with the others. But why?

  Suddenly Liam appeared at the barn door. I held my hand in front of my mouth, trying not to cough on the smoke and give myself away. I couldn’t let him see what was in here. But while he stayed in the doorway I was trapped inside a burning barn.

  And then Liam did something that made me hold my breath even more. He lifted his hands to his mouth and blew. A hooting whistle a bit like an owl sounded through the air. And the lime and grey dragon suddenly stopped spewing flames and flapped down towards him. Liam scanned the barn and I saw his eyes finally fix on Flicker. He stood there for a moment, just watching. Then, scowling, he opened his backpack and unceremoniously shoved the grey dragon inside. He muttered something under his breath and then turned and stalked out of the barn.

  I don’t know if it was the smoke or seeing Liam with a dragon or realising he had seen Flicker, but I staggered as I headed away from the cover of the hay-bales where I’d been hiding. I lost my bearings and I couldn’t see through the smoke to find the door.

  I started to panic. And I felt my knees buckle. Then all of a sudden a crackle of blue sparks lit up in front of my face, clearing the air just enough for me to see Flicker. He flitted down and gripped my sleeve with his claws. I reached out and touched him, focusing my thoughts on his little body rising and falling with every breath. Slowly, he pulled me forward. Coughing and spluttering, I let Flicker lead me, out of the smoke and into the open. To my relief it had started raining. A true downpour that was already putting out the flames. I stood there gasping in the fresh air, my mind still reeling from what I had just seen.

  So now I knew Liam’s secret. The problem was, he knew our secret too.

  ‘I can’t believe it,’ Ted said, taking another huge bite of the toffee apple he was holding.

  ‘I can’t believe you just fitted that in your mouth,’ said Kat in disgust. And then added, ‘You’re absolutely sure about this, Tomas?’

  I gave them both a ‘you think I’d lie about something like this?’ look.

  ‘So he didn’t get burned messing about with chemicals?’ Kat said.

  I shook my head. ‘Looks like he got on the wrong end of those green jets to me.’

  ‘It certainly explains all the weird behaviour,’ Ted mumbled through sticky toffee teeth. ‘I mean being too preoccupied to lay into us. And that fuss he made about his leg when Kai hardly touched him.’ Ted threw Sunny a lump of even stickier apple and the dragon’s belly shone brightly as he gobbled it up.

  ‘Trust Liam to muscle in on the best thing that’s ever happened to us,’ moaned Kai.

  ‘But when? And how? You think he really sneaked into your grandad’s garden?’ Kat asked

  I already knew he had.

  ‘Don’t you remember the night we camped?’ I said. ‘After the dragons chased Grim away, we saw Liam in the lane. He must have followed us earlier, sneaked into the farmer’s field, watched us catching the dragons through the hedge and then waited till we’d left. He could easily have crawled through and caught one. There were still fruits on the tree. We were just too excited about catching ours to hang about.’

  Kai groaned.

  ‘The question is, what are we going to do about it?’ I asked.

  ‘Whatever we do, it can’t involve getting into any more trouble,’ Kat said. ‘Mum already erupted more spectacularly than that volcano Vesuvius when she found out about the farm trip.’

  I thought back to the lecture we had all had from Mr Firth, and Mum’s horror when she’d been informed of our part in it all. I guess I can see why he thought the four of us were entirely responsible for the utter devastation that our school trip turned into. As he’d come around the corner he’d seen Ted covered in cake and jam in the middle of the food fight. Then, beyond him, Kat with an armful of piglets, climbing over the fence of the paddock, and Kai chasing a hysterical ostrich. And then there was me, staggering out of the barn, leaving the nursery of flowers burning behind me. Whichever way you looked at it, it didn’t look good. I’d just had time to see Liam smirking as Mr Firth frogmarched us away.

  ‘We are “on very thin ice” apparently,’ Kat said doing a surprisingly good imitation of her own mum.

  ‘And it’s not helped by those two,’ Kai said, pointing u
p at Crystal and Dodger. ‘It’s not easy hiding two dragons.’

  ‘Especially those two,’ added Kat.

  I watched Crystal frosting Dodger’s tail. Every time he bashed the icicles away she did it again. It looked like they were as good at winding each other up as Kat and Kai were. I guess they’d learned a few things from living with the twins.

  ‘Have you noticed they’re getting bigger too?’ Ted said. ‘Sunny used to be able to hide inside my jacket, but now I’d look as if I had a cushion stuffed up there.’

  He was right. Sunny had grown the most of all of them.

  I glanced across at Flicker. I’d got used to him being small enough to tuck out of sight. I hadn’t really stopped to compare him to the others. But as I looked at him I realised he was now far smaller. In fact, I wasn’t actually sure he’d grown at all. And I wondered again if, on that first night, I had knocked his fruit from the tree rather than waiting for it to fall like the others had – making him hatch out too soon.

  ‘You know, Sunny flew off with Ally’s hamster the other day,’ Ted said. ‘Luckily I spotted him before the poor thing got taken out the window. I don’t think he was planning on eating Hammy,’ he added defensively. ‘He was just showing him the sights.’

  I wasn’t sure Ted’s sister Ally would have believed that any more than we did.

  ‘But we can’t let Liam keep it,’ Kai said. ‘Imagine the trouble he’ll cause, having a dragon.’

  I was also worried about how we were going to continue to keep the dragons a secret. I didn’t want to think about what would happen if people got to hear of them. Images of cages and men in suits with clipboards prodding the dragons flashed into my mind.

  ‘Liam’s such a blabbermouth. I bet he won’t be able to resist showing off about what he’s got,’ I said sadly.