Felix Discovers the DreamWorld and Other Stories

by Alyce Wilson

dragon were smaller," Drusus said, wistfully. "Then he'd be easy to defeat."

  Felix wished as hard as he could that the dragon would be smaller. As if by magic, the dragon shrunk from the size of a house, to the size of a bus, to the size of a small dinosaur, to the size of a boy. It hovered in front of them, looking confused, staring at its wings. It made a noise that should have been a roar but now sounded more like a squeak.

  "He's kind of cute," said Drusus. Then, as Hobart aimed his laser at a petite dragon's nose, Drusus blocked him: "Don't hurt the cute baby dragon!"

  Hobart said, in a robotic monotone, "He is still big enough to burn things." So Felix made the dragon smaller, shrinking the beast to the size of the frog. The dragon flew onto Felix's outstretched hand. It rubbed its head against his fingers, gently.

  "Aw, he wants to be friends," Drusus said. He craned his neck down to get a better look at the mini dragon.

  "Should I destroy it?" intoned Hobart.

  Felix stroked the back of the tiny dragon that only minutes ago had threatened to burn up his house. He agreed with Drusus: it was kind of cute. "Leave it alone, Hobart," he commanded.

  As Felix held the little dinosaur, it rumbled against his hand, almost like purring. Felix closed his eyes and smile; when he opened them, he realized it was his cat, lying on the bed next his hand, purring at Felix's touch.

  At breakfast, Felix told his mom how he'd flown and fought a dragon, and how the dragon turned out to be as tame as a kitten.