by S. R. TABONE
***
Nathan had been the most rebellious child at Dark Bells. It was against the rules to talk about family members back home. As hard a Rex tried to block the children’s thoughts it wasn’t possible to completely make them forget about their pasts. As punishment Rex had Nathan locked up in a cell underground in dungeon.
Achodon was the head monster in charge of the prisoners. Nathan had been chained to a wall in the dungeon for three weeks. One of the monsters whose job it was to clear the left over food from the Castle kitchen to share with the other monsters took a handful to throw on the floor in front of Nathan. With his wrists chained he had to kneel to eat the food from the cold stone floor almost as if he were a wild dog and there was a bowl of water within reach for him to drink. No one knew how long Rex intended to punish Nathan in this way.
Nathan didn’t know if it was night or day, the dungeon was lit by oil lamps. He’d often pass out because of the smell of the gases that came up from the tombs. He would wake when the monsters left the dungeon once a day to report to Rex in the courtyard. When the doors opened as the monsters were leaving and as they later entered, a strong gust of wind would fill the dungeon.
When Nathan was sleeping he had the experience of being awake, out of his body he could walk around and view his chained up physical body. He felt free but when he woke the feeling of freedom he had was met with the grim reality of his situation.
“I saw you crying earlier.” Nathan said to Achodon who came to check up on him.
“How did you know I was crying?” Achodon asked knowing that Nathan could not have known because when Achodon cried he was in another part of the dungeon not in sight of Nathan. Furthermore when Achodon cried he didn’t make a sound, his cry was silent, only tears fell from his eyes.
“I saw your tears. I could almost feel your pain. What troubles you Achodon?”
“I’m not meant to communicate with prisoners. It’s against the rules.” Achodon replied.
“I also saw you hitting your head with your right hand.” Achodon knew then that Nathan had some kind of power to see beyond his normal view of sight.
“I don’t know who or what I am. I don’t understand what I’m doing here. I don’t want to be here but I understand I was created to be here.” Achodon said.
“If you can help me get out of here then maybe I can help you too in some way that might change your life.” Nathan said.
“You help me? How can you help me! Look at us. We together are powerless against the might of Rex and this place. How can I possibly help you and how can you help me?” Achodon said.
“I have an idea. If you trust me we can come up with a plan.” Nathan said hoping Achodon would agree with what he had in mind.
“Okay, state your plan and I’ll decide if it’s achievable.” Achodon replied. Nathan told Achodon about his plan and Achodon said he’d think it over.
Over the following few days Achodon spoke with Dusur-the-fast-one, a dragon secretly sympathetic to the children's circumstances. He was part of a team of 90 dragons that patrolled the skies around the island, protecting it and the castle from intruders.
Dusur agreed to Nathan’s plan. The dragon made two trial trips to Blackpool. He’d been instructed to find tower block Nathan used to live in and check to see if his family still lived there.
Dusur needed to escape detection not only from the humans in England but also from flying outside of the radius zone the other dragons flew within and then returning without raising any suspicions that he’d been away.
On the first trip he’d been waiting for a cloudy night to disguise his escape. In a flash he flew high into thick cluster of clouds and then headed in a north east direction, over the North Pacific Ocean then across the United States of America over the North Atlantic Ocean towards Great Britain. Within 30 minutes he was in England where it was morning in that time Zone.
They hadn’t called him the fast one for nothing. He found the tower block, swooped around the building, his beady orange eyes peering into the windows from afar. He saw the Parker family and flew back to report the news to Achodon.
On his return journey, flying at 35,000 feet he slowed down to avoid some passenger planes. For a few seconds he flew alongside a Boeing plane heading for America. Most of the passengers were busy reading the morning papers, magazines, drinking, taking and some taking a nap. A boy spotted the dragon and waved in disbelief. He woke up his mummy to tell her what he saw but by the time he persuaded her to look out of the window Dusur was long gone. He made it back, swooping down into part of the sky which wasn't patrolled. None of the other dragons noticed that he’d been away.
Dusur planned a second trip. He had to arrive when it was night in England and hoped Olivia would be sleeping since Achodon told him to send Olivia a message as she slept. The friendly dragon collected the message and got ready to deliver it.
Olivia was aged 4 when Nathan was taken. She didn’t remember him much since his name was seldom mentioned. She had been sleeping when Dusur appeared from high above the Blackpool sky swooping down in towards the tower block, passing her window. He blew dream waves containing the message that had been given to him. He circled the tower block and each time he passed her window continued to deliver the same message. Olivia began to experience strange dreams though Dusur couldn’t tell he continued to blow the message for as long as he could.
Olivia woke up at 4:36 in the morning. Sweating and sat on the edge of her bed with the message fresh in her thoughts. She tried to work out what it meant.
Dusur saw her looking out of the window and though it was still dark outside he didn’t want to be noticed fearing he might frighten her to death. Most ordinary people living on Earth are not aware that such creatures exist. The dragon had been warned too not to be caught by the Parkers in case they sent an email to the Professor thinking maybe it was another gift from him and this information could leak onto Rex. So he had to be extra careful. But little did he and the others know Rex had found out that there was a stray dragon.
When the boy who had spotted Dusur had landed in America he vlogged about it showing a drawing he created. Rex used a database crawling algorithm that collected key information from the internet about different aspects of the Dark Bells Foundation including the creatures on the island. He was called to his control room by one of the children working on the computers to alert him of the boy’s YouTube video. The Professor didn’t know what dragon it was or what it was up to but oh by golly by gosh he was sure going to find out one way or another.
With the thoughts still fresh in her mind, one night Olivia told her mother that she was afraid to sleep because of the strange dream she had. Bella suggested it might help talking to a doctor about her concerns. But she decides that wouldn’t be a good idea when Olivia told her that her dreams are about Nathan and that she saw him locked up in a castle crying out for help.
Chapter 3: Nathan’s Spirit Rides the Dragon
A few days had past and Achodon had helped Nathan remain asleep for longer and longer each day so that he could exist longer in spirit form. He made sure that no fresh air made it into the dungeon.
Bella and Olivia had continued to discuss the fear her daughter had about sleeping due to the chance the strong dream might reoccur and upset her.
Meanwhile Nathan has fallen asleep and his spirit walked through the dungeon closed door. He met with Dusur high up on a hill beside the edge of a cliff, the sea crashing on the rocks below. The dragon was sitting waiting for him as planned.
“Are you ready? Can you see me?” Nathan asked standing beside the dragon neck.
“I can’t see you but I hear you okay. Climb on my neck, hold on to my horns and let’s get going.” Nathan climbed up onto the dragon’s thick shiny skinned neck and grabbed its smooth horns.
“Are you on?”
“Yeah”
“Hold on tight we’re off!” The dragon said as he stood on his four legs, spread his huge wings and lifted them high in
to the sky. Within seconds he increased his flight speed, slicing through the air as if the light from a laser had met a reflecting airborne telescope 10 miles away and continuing to travel by reflecting off other telescopes, on and on covering hundreds and hundreds of miles until they reached their destination. So fast the colour of the dragon’s skin changed from brown to blue and the metal edges of his wings and scales turned white from the heat generated because of the dragon’s great speed. Just as well Nathan was in his spirit form because his ordinary human body wouldn’t have survived the almost 7,000-mile journey that had taken only minutes to complete.
All this talk of Nathan causes Bella to experience stressful thoughts. She stands and walks to the kitchen leaving Olivia worrying about whether to go to sleep. Bella opens a drawer to look for the pink bottle of pills. She can’t see them and searches through the other drawers but she couldn’t find them.
A few miles from the tower black, Dusur reduced his flight speed and slowly and quietly spread his claws and grabbed the corners of the building. His neck was level with the flat of Olivia and her family. Nathan dismounted the dragon and his spirit entered the flat through a closed window. He had an idea where the pills might be kept. He was correct and removed the two bottles of pills and placed them in an invisible pouch he had tied to his waist.
Bella sensed someone was in the flat and Nathan saw she was experiencing his presence. Nathan decided not to communicate with anyone though he could be heard. He’d come for bottles for pills which kept the Parkers from remembering him. The bottles would not be able to go through a window or wall unless inside the pouch.
As Nathan rushed through the wall of the flat and climbed on Dusur’s neck the children in the flat about spotted the dragon’s head leaning against their window. They screamed and called for their ma. Dusur pushed away from the building to fall from their sight. In that moment, Nathan who had hardly made himself comfortable and not holding on, lost his balance and fell off Dusur’s neck. The two bottles of pills had been dislodged from Nathan’s pouch as he slipped and fell.
Dusur didn’t feel Nathan leaving his neck but heard him cry out as he fell. Within a split second upon hearing Nathan Dusur beamed to the ground, landing too fast and hard on his back, he managed to hold his wings together forming a shape like a baseball glove and caught Nathan.
Dusur was injured he couldn’t stand and he felt pain as he flapped his wings. He lay unable to move his back legs.
“Get up Dusur; we’ve got to get out of here.” Nathan said.
“I can’t. You go without me, go before we are both caught.” Dusur replied.
“How can I get back to the island it’s impossible. Please Dusur try and get up—try we must get back. I don’t know what Rex will do if he finds out.” But as hard as the dragon tried he couldn’t force his body to move. He was paralysed.
“I tried my best to help you because I knew you missed this life. I’m sorry I can’t continue…I can’t take you back. I’m sorry.” Dusur said. The children who’d spotted the dragon and who’d reported what they’d seen to their ma could see the dragon on the ground below and so could their ma. She telephoned the police.
A patrol car was sent to the tower block. Shortly after, several news network helicopters were flying filming the dragon. The army arrived with a mobile truck crane and placed Dusur on a tipper lorry and drove him to their base.
The story of the dragon was reported on a number of news networks and shared on social media to many millions of people. The dragon was front page news in many worldwide newspapers the next day.
A few hours afters later the army put out a statement informing the media that the dragon wasn’t real. They claimed it was a large Hollywood style lightweight costume and inside this costume there was a powerful drone. And that it had been some kind of prank.
The army base received orders from British Army, General Henry to handover the dragon to the U.S. Air Force C-5M Super Galaxy, transport aircraft that would be arriving to take the dragon to America. It received the dragon and few it to Homey Airport in Nevada.
That night word had spread throughout Dark Bells about the missing dragon. Rex called a meeting of senior dragons, monsters, giants and creatures for first thing at dawn. The key creatures gathered in their places around the courtyard. Dragons stood side by side and facing the castle. Monsters faced west with the castle on their left and the rising sun behind them so that their faces were hidden from the light. The giants stood facing the sun. The colours of the sun’s ray caused them to grow. Rex walked into the centre of the courtyard and the drawbridge behind him and all the others lifted shut.
“You’ve been summoned here because there are traitors amongst us.” Brutus Rex Barbatus wore a long, dark hooded cloak and leather military boots. His voice was loud and echoed within the walls of the courtyard. Some of the creatures became restless. They whispered, grunted and fidgeted, uneasy of the many suspicious searching eyes looking at them. Only the giants stood unshaken, their arms crossed they didn’t allow any negative thoughts of being falsely accused to cause them to fear. Rex had to be careful with his words because internal conflict and insurrection were things he wanted to avoid happening.
“There are enemies working against our leader’s aims. We must identify who they are and stop them.” Asog, the giant in charge of all the other giants told all the creatures who stood on parade.”
“Gremlon! Go check on the prisoners and report back here ASAP.” Asog instructed the monster. He moved his lizard skinned bear body walking first on his hind legs then falling onto his fore legs and running into the castle. He banged on the dungeon door.
“Open up it’s Gremlon.” When there was no response Gremlon stood and banged really hard on the door three times. He used so much force the door hinges began to come away from the stone frame. Achodon who was nervously trying to listen to what was being said through a vent at the rear of the dungeon ran to answer the door.
“Didn’t you here me the first time?” Gremlon asked.
“I was…I was.”
“You-was-what? Spit it out. Emm-Aurh move out of my way. I have orders to check on the prisoners. Stand aside.” Afraid of what might happen as a result of this his check, Achodon’s body felt cold and his ability to think as if halted by a sense of what might happen next. He stood still in front of the open door, the heat and smell of Gremlon’s sweat confronting him. “Stand aide.” Gremlon said. Achodon didn’t move. “Aside I said.” Gremlon pushed him onto the dungeon floor and entered. Achodon quickly got up and closed the door.
Gremlon stepped slowly on four legs carefully inspecting the prisoners he came across. The sound of his sharp claws scrapped along the smooth stone floor as he moved deeper into the dungeon. His yellow black eyes peered into the prisoner’s eyes, some woken by his entrance. He stared as if looking into their very souls. The further into the dungeon he ventured the darker it became. Achodon had lowered the torches in the area Nathan was being held. Gremlon’s shadow faded closer to his body as he got closer to the rear of the dungeon.
“What is there? He asked. “I cannot see what is there. Light, light…more light!” He turned shouting at Achodon.
“Okay, okay, I’m here, here.” Achodon assured turning up the gas lamps.
“Why is this prisoner sleeping?” Gremlon demanded to know. Nathan was lying on the floor. “Wake up!” He started. When no movement came from Nathan’s body Gremlon roared. He growled and moved his head inches away over the boy’s body trying to sense any signs he might be pretending to be asleep. “I said up!” The monster shouted over his face yet still no movement could be detected. Gremlon bit Nathan’s shirt collar and yanked his head. Achodon who was standing behind Gremlon couldn’t see what was going on. He couldn’t see properly because Gremlon had his back up and fore legs lowered. Achodon thought his Gremlon was biting Nathan by his neck.
In that moment Achodon felt a sense of duty to protect Nathan’s lifeless body. Anger boiled beneath the b
rown rabbit fur covering his gorilla top-end and sheep like rear-end body. He thought about burying his long, sharp canines into Gremlon’s backside and when he’d turn in pain and no doubt fight back, Achodon also considered whether he might bite Gremlon’s slimy tongue and rip it out of his head. He decided not to in fear of how Gremlon might retaliate.
“What is going on here?” Rex asked. The monsters had not heard the door open and the Headmaster approaching. “I hope you haven’t just killed this boy.” He cautioned Gremlon who moved his head trying to release his crooked teeth from the cotton shirt collar. When he’d finally managed to free himself, he turned and faced Rex.
“I was trying to wake him Master.”
“Wake him or kill him?” Achodon complained. Gremlon showed his teeth. He wanted to pounce on Achodon and crush his bones by beating him with his powerful legs.
“Enough!” The Headmaster yelled raising his right arm. “Leave us.” he continued looking at Gremlon.
“Master.” Gremlon replied lowering his head and moving away from the boy. As he left turning from Rex he gave Achodon an evil look. Rex saw this and as Gremlon’s back past Achodon and him, he pulled out a bullwhip and when Gremlon was on his way out of the dungeon Rex raised the whip handle, pulled back and threw his arm down sending the leather forward lashing the monster’s backside urging him on his way. The monster ran back to the courtyard screaming and itching in pain. Rex had laced the whip with stinging nettle plant cream.