Draggy

Writing Prompts: Fantasy and Paranormal

(Your pet dragon transforms into a person.)

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I always visited Draggy near his cave at the base of the mountain. He was so afraid that the men in our village would see him, and think they had to kill him. Most dragons hide all the time. The few who dare to venture out? Don’t usually come back. It’s very sad.

I found Draggy when he was just a baby. He scooted away from me at first, but I just sat quietly and sang to myself until he finally figured out I wasn’t there to hurt him. The day he put his head in my lap was the very best! I petted is head and tickled his chin, and he got a big fat tear in his eye. The way he looked up at me was just the way my dog looked at me. He loved me, and I loved him back.

One day, as I walked into the woods to Draggy’s cave, I saw a boy about my own age walking toward me. He had a very serious face, and I didn’t know him. Although–hmm. Something in his eyes. . . .

We met on the path. He was wearing leaves, big ones, twisted together by their stems. It was the strangest thing I ever saw. His hair was longish, kind of brown but not really. It was those eyes, though, that made me feel I should know him. They shifted color whenever he looked away, from brown to gold to green and sometimes silver. It was spooky!

“Uh–hi! I’m Beatrice. Tricks for short. What’s your name?”

To my complete shock, he opened his mouth and growled so I could hardly understand him, “Draggy. It’s Draggy!”

“No it is not! Draggy is my dragon friend, and you’re a boy!”

“Wait!” he growled. And then, with a great deal of squinching of the eyes, puffing out of the cheeks, and heavy breathing, he began to grow scales. He plopped down on what became his big haunches, with his arms going short. He sprouted wings! He grew a tale! Finally, his face changed, and he was my friend Draggy once again!

I plopped down on my own haunches. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I mean, I’d heard fairy tales about people changing into animals and then back again, but I’d never actually SEEN it before!”Draggy! How did you do that? Who taught you? And you can TALK!”

His voice was still growly, but now it sounded the way a dragon’s voice should, “Nobody taught me. I just wished I could be a human boy, so we could play together, I thought it and thought it and thought it, and gradually it happened! It feels very strange, hopping in and out of someone else’s skin, but here I am! Your very best dragon friend!”

“Wow,” I whispered. “Draggy, do you know what this means? It means you can come home with me, play with me in our garden. You can eat. . . .well, do you still eat dragon food when you’re a human boy?”

“Don’t know. Haven’t eaten as a boy. What do boys eat? Dogs? Cats? Maybe sheep?”

“Oh, Draggy, you’re so FUNNY! No, boys eat, well, soup, and vegetables, and roast beef and bacon and food from the garden! Fruit from our trees! All sorts of good things!”

“Don’t they have bones to chew? I love bones!”

“No, Draggy, No bones. Mama uses them to make broth for soup.”

“Huh. Well, I guess I can do all my eating when I’m Draggy. What’s my human boy name?”

“How about. . . ummm. . . WAIT! I know! Dragoslav! I heard about a man by that name. You can be Dragoslav! Drago for short! But, you know, we have to find you some clothes. You can’t go into the village dressed in leaves! I know, we’ll wait until tomorrow. I’ll bring something of my brother’s. He’ll never miss it. He doesn’t like to change clothes because it means he had to take a bath first!”

“Well, okay. I can wait. It’s more comfortable being a dragon than it is being a boy, anyway,” growled Draggy.

Next morning, after chores, I stuffed my brother’s oldest clothes under my tunic. As I walked out the door, I said, “Mama, I’m going to the woods.!”

“Well, watch out for dragons,” laughed Mama.

I laughed, too. This was going to be SO much fun!

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