Dragon Chase

 

            Evan slammed his foot down on the accelerator as he nervously checked the rearview mirror. He sped down the highway while listening for any sign of pursuit.

            Then came the sound he had been dreading: a fearsome, earth-rattling roar. Evan looked in the rearview mirror again and saw a great green dragon hurtling toward him. Its mighty wings beat fiercely, giving it incredible speed. Evan tried to push the accelerator down further, but it was already to the floor. The speedometer read 120 miles an hour, but the dragon was still gaining on him. Sweat poured down his face as he tried to think how he was going to escape. The road stretched out straight in front of him as far as he could see. Looking back, the dragon was coming ever closer. Soon it was only a car’s length behind him with its huge talons outstretched. Evan screamed when he realized there was nothing he could do.

            Evan woke up, covered in sweat. His heart was pounding a million miles a minute, and his entire body was tense. He saw the sun shining through his window. He jumped up to look outside. There was no sign of a dragon. He heaved a great sigh of relief and flopped back on his bed.

            These nightmares were getting worse, and they were becoming more and more real. He took deep breaths to calm his breathing and his nerves. At least today was Saturday. No school today, thank goodness. High school would be one less thing he had to worry about.

            Evan thought back over the last few weeks. He had had a dream about a dragon every single night. It was always the same dragon, though it wasn’t always chasing him. Sometimes it seemed that it was trying to talk to him, but Evan never understood what it was trying to say. He shook his head to clear it. It didn’t matter anyway. Dragons weren’t real.

            With that thought, Evan got up and dressed for the day. He and Dad were supposed to hike to the creek to do some fishing. The thought cheered him up a little. He loved being outside. The outside air would help to clear his head of the nightmares. Maybe he would sleep better tonight. Maybe.

            When Evan and Dad got in the car later, Evan felt much more relaxed, but Dad seemed anxious for some reason. “Are you ready to catch some fish today?” Dad asked in a distracted voice.

            Evan wasn’t sure why Dad would be anxious. They did this every other weekend, when Dad wasn’t on one of his business trips. It was tradition. “Yeah, sure,” he answered. “Are you ready for me to catch more than you?”

            Dad smiled and he relaxed slightly. “Don’t count on that, son.” But the anxiety returned when he said, “I’ve got to talk to you about something.”

            “What is it?”

            “Well, things change as you mature and get older.”

            Evan held up his hands and said, “Whoa, Dad, we’ve already had this talk, remember? I already know.”

            Dad shifted a little uncomfortably in his seat. “I’m not talking about that.”

            “Okay, what then?”

            Dad slowed down as they reached the trailhead. He parked the car and turned to look straight at Evan. “You and I are different from everyone else.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “Well, I guess you could say we have magical powers.”

            “What, you mean we’re wizards or something?” Evan smiled, thinking of Harry Potter.

            “Not exactly, no.” Dad stopped to think for a minute. “I guess I’ll just need to show you.” He opened the car door and stepped out.

            Evan followed him. They pulled out their backpacks, but when Evan went to grab the fishing gear, Dad said, “We won’t need those today.” Then he set off up the trail.

            Confused, Evan hurried to catch up. “We’re not going fishing?”

            “Just wait and see,” Dad said with a mysterious smile.

            They hiked up the familiar trail, but when they came to the fork where they usually turned right toward the river, Dad led them off to the left instead. Soon they came to a wide grassy meadow.

            “Okay, here we are,” Dad said nervously. “Are you ready?”

            “Ready for what?”

            Dad just smiled and looked out at the meadow.

            Evan looked too, wondering what they were waiting for. He was about to ask when, all of a sudden, there was a dragon standing next to Dad. Evan took a few steps back as he tried to process what he was seeing. Was this a dream? This dragon looiked different from the one he usually dreamed about. This one was blue.

            While Evan stood there, trying to work things out in his brain, Dad said, “Evan, meet Arturo. He’s my familiar.”

            “Your what?”

            “My familiar. You have one too, you know.”

            Evan’s head felt like it was going to explode. “Excuse me?”

            “Arturo tells me that you have a familiar now too, but that you haven’t met him yet.”

            Evan said nothing, just stood and stared.

            “You and I and our ancestors have always had familiars to help us and guide us in our lives. It has always been our task to protect those around us.”

            “Protect from what?” Evan asked seriously.

            “Well, dragons aren’t the only mythical creatures in the world, you know. There are so many terrifying things that we have been tasked with keeping secret and away from civilization. I myself have gone with Arturo on countless missions to protect humanity without anyone knowing it.”

            Evan tried to make sense of what Dad was saying. “So all your business trips were actually demon-hunting trips?”

            “Yes, exactly. Now that you also have a familiar, you will be able to join me.”

            “Wait, I don’t have a dragon!” Evan nearly screamed.

            Arturo made a sound that was almost a laugh. He and Dad looked at each other and then Dad said, “All you have to do is believe, son. Apparently, he’s been with you for a few weeks now.”

            Evan’s head throbbed. Was he going crazy? He stared at Arturo and thought about all the dreams he’d been having lately. Could they be real somehow? Did he really only have to believe it?

            Evan took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He saw the green dragon in his head and was amazed at the amount of detail he could see. He saw the dragon’s great wings held close to his side. He could see individual scales all down the dragon’s body. He studied the dragon’s face. Then he heard a voice: “Finally, you see me!” it said happily.

            Evan’s eyes snapped open and he was shocked to see the green dragon standing next to him. Inside his mind he heard, “My name is Mateo, and it’s a pleasure to meet you, Evan.”

            “There you are!” Dad said happily. “Who’s your friend, son?”

            “He said his name is Mateo. Didn’t you hear him?” Evan looked quizzically at his father.

            “He only talks to you. Now you’re ready to learn all about the family business.”

            For the next few hours, Evan learned what it meant to be a protector of humanity. It all seemed like a dream every time he looked at Mateo. He learned that things and creatures he had thought were all myths and legends actually turned out to be real. He learned how to communicate with Mateo and how they would forever be together now. Mateo could vanish at will. They were a team.

            Later that night, Evan went to bed, exhausted from the day’s events. The last thing he did before he fell asleep was ask Mateo, “So, am I going to see you in my dreams tonight?”

            Evan heard Mateo chuckle and say, “Those dreams were only trying to get your attention. I’ll make sure you get a better sleep tonight.”

            “Thank you,” Evan thought as he rolled over to sleep. He smiled, and for the first time in weeks, he had slept peacefully.