Fate Of The Dragon

by Richard Lovegood

  Chuck nods his head vigorously.

  “Excellent! Then I challenge you to a battle of wits. Prepare yourself!”

  Chuck reaches into his pocket and pulls out some dice. One of which has more than the normal six sides, is light blue in color, and has 20 numbers on it. He holds it up and shouts, “Roll for initiative, dude!” Dominick does the exact same thing, except his is black with white numbers.

  “Chuck? Why do you have dice in your pocket?” I ask, as I’m very confused.

  Chuck looks at me blankly.

  I point and tap the object in question. “What is this?”

  “Oh! This is my 20-sided die, or D20 for short.” he says proudly and laughs at the end. “I carry it everywhere I go for cases such as this. I have met a fellow gamer!” He turns to face Dominick, and both men crouch down and roll their dice. Chuck rolls an 18 and Dominick rolls a 17. “Ha!” Chuck exclaims. “I win. Now then, a robe if you please.”

  Dominick bumps up, “Shopkeeper bonus adds plus 5 to initiative. So, I win.”

  Chuck wags a finger, “Nice try, dude. But you didn’t specify prior to the roll, so that rule doesn’t apply.”

  Dominick stomps his foot, and Chuck rolls again. This time his die stops and shows a 20 as the top most number. “Besides,” Chuck continues. “I just rolled a natural 20 on a bluff check. How about that robe?”

  Dominick squints his eyes. “Well played, good sir. Well played indeed. What dost thou have in mind?”

  “We would like the dark brown cowl, please.” Chuck says.

  “Excellent choice, sir. It’s not listed, but this one comes with a plus 5 to intellect.” Dominick grabs the item from the wall labeled “Casters” and hands it to me. “Here you go. I think this will suit you better than…whatever it is you’re wearing. What kind of traveler's clothes are those?”

  I sigh and roll my eyes a bit. “Though they are covered in mud, they are sweats.”

  There is a long pause. Then Dominick pushes the cowl package into my arms and says, “Oh you poor citizen. Please take this on the house. I can’t bear to see someone trapped in the dirty eighties. Have a nice day.” With that he waves his hand dismissively and ushers us to the door.

  As we leave the store, Chuck and I stop momentarily on the sidewalk. I’m not sure how he’s feeling, but I’m stunned. I’ve seen some things in my life that are very confusing, but nothing compares to what just happened in there. I look over at Chuck and I immediately retract my previous thought…he seems to be quite exhilarated. “So, where do you suppose I should change clothes?”

  “Well, your home or mine, I suppose. I guess it really depends on who has the closer place.” Chuck says.

  The mental image of my neighbors at my apartment complex appears, followed by what state my apartment is in. I don’t want to introduce Chuck to that mess. “I think my apartment may be leased out to a new tenant. I haven’t been there for some time.” I thought about lying, but this was as truthful and non-informative as I could be.

  “Hey, that’s cool with me. As long as you don’t mind a super pregnant wife, you’re welcome to change clothes at my place.” He says.

  “Nope. I don’t mind at all.” I say with a shoulder shrug.

  “Great, then let’s go. My house is just another three blocks from here. So, if you don’t mind walking a little while longer we can make it.” Chuck says.

  “It really is ok. I’m an expert walker by this point in my life. Let’s go.” I say with a small chuckle.

  We carry on towards Chuck’s house, which was just another few blocks away, just as he said. We passed by some more destitute areas of the town, some more disheveled than others. Chuck's house seems to be in pretty good shape. It’s a cute little one-story house with a one car garage. An aluminum fence lines the front yard and wraps around to the back of the house. The grass is patchy in a lot of areas. A huge ant nest sits tucked in one of the far corners of the yard. On the front porch is a rocking chair made out of wicker, and painted white. Next to the chair is a flower pot with soil in it, but nothing coming out of the soil. Chuck pulls out his keys and opens the front door. We go inside and he sets his keys down on the side table by the front door.

  “Hey hotness, I’m home!” Chuck says with a hand up next to his mouth. He looks at me, “I’m pretty sure she’s in our room.”

  A voice comes from the back of the house, which I guess is the master bedroom. “Where are you, oh sexy man of mine?”

  “I’m home to see you, baby! Oh, and I brought a friend with me. His name is Elverson, and he is a brand-new Christian as of today!”

  “That’s so wonderful!” she says. “I’d love to meet him. I’m decent, so if you boys want to come on back you can.”

  Chuck leads me to the back of the house and into the master bedroom. He walks over to the bed where his wife is propped up in a nest of pillows and blankets. He leans over and gives her a loving smooch. You know, I’ve seen a lot of movies in my time, and have heard lots of stories. In about 90% of them the expectant soon-to-be mother is usually cranky due to lack of comfort. This clearly is the 10% category: genuine love and affection despite the pain and lack of comfort. I stand there holding my newly acquired outfit.

  “Who’s your friend?” she asks.

  Chuck stands up straight. “This is Elverson Spaid. He is an ex-priest at the Catholic church here in town. Elverson, this is my amazing wife, Brie.”

  Brie sat there on the bed, surrounded in fluff central, hands on her tummy, beaming from ear to ear. “Hello, sir. It really is nice to meet you. Please excuse me for not getting up.” She rubs her tummy a little.

  “Please, I understand all too well. You are with child! It’s one of the greatest privileges ever. I don’t expect you to forgo your comfort level just to shake my hand.” I say. I make my way over to the side of the bed and extend my hand; we shake. “Um, may I use your bathroom to change clothes?”

  “You most certainly may. If you would like to take a shower, that’s perfectly fine too.” Brie says. “Please use the one in the hallway. We have the master bath set up for the birth of our first baby.”

  “Yep! We’re going to do a water birth, and it’s going to be awesome.” Chuck says.

  “A what?” I ask puzzled.

  “A water birth.” Brie says calmly. “Based on the research Charles and I have done, we found that it’s more natural and easier for both baby and mommy. We have a doctor on call should I go into labor.”

  I nod my head. “That’s a very sound plan. I understand that you are only five weeks away now, is that right?”

  “Yes, sir. It sure is!” she says with great joy.

  I smile as well and turn to go change. I turn back and say, “One other question. Where can I put my dirty clothes?”

  Chuck says, “Leave that to me. Ever since the doc put Brie on bed rest, I’ve amped up on my household chores. I’m the cook, laundry man, dishwasher, and house cleaner. In other words, I’m the ultimate servant!”

  Chuck and Brie share a good laugh.

  “Thank you.” I turn and head to the hall bathroom. Now that I’m alone, I finally get a good look at myself in the mirror. My face is frighteningly thin, I have saggy wrinkles, and a very huge beard. I smile a little because I can easily pass for an old sheriff in a western movie that refuses to retire. Just give me a ten-gallon hat and I’m all set! I chuckle a little. The rest of me, though, looks like sun dried leather that had been soaked, stretched, crumpled into a ball, and then stretched back out again. I look like a completely different man! I let the sweats hit the floor, and a small cloud of dust puffs up from all the dirt caked onto my clothes. Good grief! I’m hesitant to know how I smell. I lift my arm and perform the proverbial sniff test. My face quickly wrinkles in protest, and I turn away as fast as possible. A sack of moldy onions is more appealing to the nose than my armpit’s current condition. The thought of a hot shower sounds very relaxing right now.

  Pulling back the curtain, I turn the water on and
let it heat up. Rinse, lather, repeat. The water cascading off of me feels so amazing. All the cares in the world seem to flow right off of me along with the dirt and grime. My head slumps down, and rests against the shower wall just below the shower head. This feels so good. Somebody bring me a pillow, because I want to fall asleep right here! My eyes blink open after a while, and I do a quick inspection for cleanliness. Satisfied, I turn the water off, get out, and dry off. I turn my attention back to the mirror, and stare at myself for another moment. Then, there is a knock at the door.

  “Hey, are you ok in there?” Chuck asks me.

  I shake my head and blink my eyes a few times. “Yes. Why?”

  “Well, because you’ve been in there for an hour.”

  My jaw drops. “I’ll be right out. Sorry!”

  “No worries, man!”

  I’m not quite sure what happened there. I swear it was only a couple of minutes. I quickly unpackage the cowl, and put it on. It fits perfectly. I pull my hood up, and it drapes over my face quite a bit, almost completely concealing my identity. I move it back and let it hang behind me. The rest of it is a good length. The bottom of the sleeves drape a little bit over my hands, and the bottom of the robe stops just slightly above my toes.

  “Just leave your old clothes on the floor, and I will wash them for you.” Chuck says.

  I open the door. “If you want, you can throw them away. I highly doubt I’ll wear them again.”

  “Right! Good point. Dude, you look awesome! I have to show you to Brie.” He takes my hand and brings me back into the bedroom. “Hey babe, check it out!”

  Brie smiles and says, “Cool! You look like a wizard!”

  I smile thinly and nod my head. “So, I’m told.”

  Chuck taps my shoulder, “Without further ado, I believe it’s time for you to have something more substantial than a granola bar. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  Food! I nod my head with great delight.

  “No offense or anything, but I think you could use a little nourishment. By the way, I heard you snoring in the bathroom. I have to say, you’re a very talented man to sleep standing up like that. I can only imagine how exhausted and hungry you must be. I’m going to make you something to eat. Feel free to have a seat in here.” He points to a chair next to the bed, and I happily take him up on his offer.

  As soon as my bottom finds residence in the chair, I breathe a huge sigh of relief. I guess I hadn’t realized how tired I was. Brie looks over at me with a face that seems to ask for a story. “You’ve had a long day, haven’t you?” she says.

  I smile out of the corner of my mouth, and I say, “Yes I have. Rather a series of long days.” I begin telling Brie everything, and I leave no details out. Tears well up in her eyes when I talk about my mother. My story goes on for another 10 minutes or so, but then my nose catches a fragrance in the air. I smell food. It smells like spaghetti and meatballs! Sure enough, just as my nose predicted, Chuck comes around the corner with a plate of pasta, smothered in marinara sauce and topped with three giant meatballs.

  “Dig in, man. The meatballs are a combination of ground beef, sausage, and turkey. The sauce is homemade, and so are the noodles.” Chuck says with pride.

  “Wow! I don’t know what to say, other than thank you!” And with that, I take the offered fork and begin to dig in; ignoring all manners. Chuck and Brie don’t seem to mind given everything I’ve been through. I polish off the plate with a thick slice of garlic bread that Chuck brought in. He leaves and comes back with a big glass of water, and I chug it down. With the plate shiny, the glass empty, and my tummy surprisingly full, I settle deeply into the chair. My eyes begin to get very heavy, and I drift off to sleep.

  23

  Peregrination

  The next morning, I wake up in the guest bedroom, still dressed in the dark brown cowl. Two things spring to a stunning realization as I sit up in bed. The first is that I didn’t have any dreams at all. That’s a huge relief. The second is that there is a very inviting smell drifting into this room. It’s undeniably the smell of a hearty breakfast. I get out of bed and stand up. I stretch my arms over my head, and let out a big yawn. I walk over to the door; the amazing smell of breakfast embraces my entire body. Whatever Chuck is cooking, I want it.

  I walk into the kitchen, and see Chuck dancing as he is cooking! Ha ha! This is quite the site to behold. He has on a set of headphones, and is singing along to whatever he’s listening to. Walking over to the stove to get a closer look, I see that there are three pans on, all of which contain a different food item. The oven appears to be on as well with something inside. I see scrambled eggs, slices of ham and bacon, and then a large pan full of potatoes, vegetables, and cheese. Chuck is adding seasoning to the larger one, while the other two are simmering on a low heat. He turns, sees me, and gives me a huge smile.

  “Well hey there, sleepy head!” Chuck says. “I was wondering when you were going to get up.”

  “Food did always have a way of waking me up.” I say sheepishly.

  He laughs a little. “Everything is almost ready. Please, have a seat.” Chuck turns back to the stove and begins turning everything off. He opens up the cabinet and pulls out some plates. Turning back around, he asks me, “What can I get for you to drink?”

  “Water will be just fine.”

  Chuck nods, and grabs a plastic cup. He serves my plate, and sets it down on the table in front of me. He then grabs the plastic cup from the counter and fills it up at the tap. Granted it isn’t filtered water, but he has been plenty gracious with his hospitality. So, I will not complain. Besides, I’m not a big fan of confrontations. I look back at my plate, and I smile with gratitude. Not only does it look amazing, but it smells really good too. Chuck seemed to know exactly what I wanted for breakfast; everything.

  I begin eating. I’m thoroughly blown away by how delicious everything tastes! I know I was ravenously stuffing my face, but I quickly remembered where I am, and slow my pace. Slightly embarrassed by my brush with gluttony, I look up to see Chuck smiling at me. He doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t condemn me. Nothing. Instead, he grabs two more plates of food and heads to the master bedroom. This is probably the most peaceful house I have ever been in.

  I finish my breakfast, and I bring my things to the counter. Then I hear Chuck call from the back, “Just leave your stuff. I will take care of the clean up!” Well that’s mighty nice of him. He must be used to it after Brie was prescribed bed rest. At any rate, I kind of feel like royalty! At the same time, I’m unsure of what to do with myself now. I don’t have a job, I don’t have a home of my own, and I don’t have a car. Come to think of it, I don’t have much of anything anymore. I do know this: I have the Lord and I have a purpose. I have to confront Jeffers about all of the nonsense. Before I do, I need to have all of my facts straight. What evidence do I have that he set me up to be left for dead? I need more data. This is why I have to go to Los Ricos. I have a feeling that is where Jeffers got his start.

  I walk back to the bedroom, and I knock on the partially closed door.

  “Come in, we're decent!” both Chuck and Brie say with a little laugh. They’re snuggled together on the bed, just holding each other. There’s no television on, no radio, not even ambient background noise. It’s just the two of them, laying there in a loving embrace. Chuck has his hand on top of Brie's hands, which are interlaced at the fingers and resting on her very pregnant tummy. Her breathing is rapid.

  “Are you alright, ma'am?” I ask.

  Brie looks at me and smiles. “Oh, absolutely. Being on bedrest has its challenges, but I’ve now become addicted to Sudoku and other puzzles. They keep me pretty entertained, well, that is up until my favorite game show comes on.”

  “Which one is that?” I ask.

  “Oh, you probably haven’t heard of it. It’s such a silly baking show.” Brie says with an almost guilty pleasure smile.

  “You mean Anybody Can Bake: True or False?!”

  “Oh, my goodness, yes
! You’ve heard of it?” Brie almost leaps out of the bed.

  “Heard of it, my dear lady, I’m one of the show’s biggest fans! Well,” I rub my stomach. “Maybe not so big anymore.” We both share a laugh.

  “Don’t you boys have somewhere to go today?”

  That caught me off guard. “Yes, we do. We won’t leave for a few hours though. I was thinking of going by myself, because your husband needs to be here with you. I’m no expert on babies, but I’ve seen lots of shows on television. Of course, that doesn’t help things. What I’m saying is that I know a needful expression when I see one.”

  Brie smiles back at me and says, “It really is no trouble at all. That’s why I have him on speed dial.” She says with a wink. “If I need anything at all, I know he’s only one button press away.”

  “So, we have nothing to worry about.” Chuck says. “What time would you like to leave, Elverson.” As much as I would like to provide a snappy comeback or a witty phrase to make me sound smart, I have nothing. All I can do is mindlessly stare at my new friends. “I’m thinking the closer we are to lunch time, the better we will be. My food is amazing and all, but I don’t think the Dragon’s Garden is open yet anyway. Let's hit the road around 11:30am so that we can get a decent spot and not have to wait too long. The sooner we get there and take care of business, the faster we can come back. Aside from that, you’re going to need time to digest breakfast.”

  “I like this plan. Are we walking?” I ask.

  “Nope. I think you’ve done plenty of walking recently, ha ha! We’re going to take my car.” Chuck says. “Besides, it only makes sense to drive there and then take you to Los Ricos after that.”

  “Honey, you know how worried I get about that place. I don’t like you going in there!” Brie says. “Do you have to go back?”

  “Yes, we do, babe. Elverson has some things to check out in Los Ricos, and he thinks there may be a connection somehow between there and the restaurant.”