Allin sighed as she watched Mrs. Waddol waddle down the hallway. It was narrow, and she had a hard time fitting. Students pushing and shoving while trying to get ahead wasn’t helping either. “Class, class, settle down,” she kept saying, but nobody listened.
Alec walked next to her, his glasses falling down his nose as usual. A book on Draconian species was in his hands. He caught her eye and smiled. A silent joke went between them, and Allin had a hard time keeping the grin from becoming a laugh. Alec was her best friend in the world. He was smart, funny, kind, and almost knew her better than she knew herself.
She was shoved from behind; Alec caught her and helped steady her. Sniggers rose from the crowd behind them. Mrs. Waddol turned, and Allin almost ran into her. She hadn’t realized that they had reached the end of the hallway.
“Class, settle down,” her teacher said, but her words were absorbed into the laughter and giggles of the class. Only Alec and Allin remained quiet. Giving them a quick, grateful smile, Mrs. Woddol continued, “Today you will be hearing from a few representatives of the DDNC, or Dragon and Drakon National Committee. They will tell you how to successfully hatch your drakon.”
Allin couldn’t help notice that she didn’t say dragon. Curious. But before she could think about it, the doors opened. People oohed and ahhed as colorful displays of eggs organized in complex rows opened in front of them. But that was nothing compared to the beautiful drakon guarding the entrance.
Its scales were a beautiful blue, with green fins on its ear holes and tail. It hissed in warning. A burly man with a heavy amount of stubble stood in the corner. Clearing his throat, he stepped forward. “Welcome, class.” His voice was deep, but not unkind. A fishing jacket covered his chest. “Please sit. Gemio will make sure you stay in the boundaries. One way or another,” he added with a twinkle in his eye. As soon as the class sat, the drakon slid over to the side of her master. “Today you will be hatching dragons-or drakons.” The class sat attentively. “There are rules, for your safety and your hatchlings. Please go in an orderly fashion; no dashing around. Touch each egg with your index and middle finger. Wait 5 seconds, and, if nothing happens, go to the next. Signs vary, but if you start to feel anything, get one of us immediately.” His eyes hardened. “Do not try to hatch it on your own. There will be consequences. No pushing shoving, or tripping, and be respectful of anyone and everyone. Be safe. That’s about it. Remember to walk. Now go ahead!” The class stood up, and began to run away. The man sighed and shook his head. Mrs. Woddol looked at him sympathetically.
Alec had already disappeared. Allin decided to explore by herself. She ran her fingers over eggs, but nothing happened. After a few rows, she began to get bored. A dingy sign half hidden by unused carts caught her attention. She looked closer and made out an arrow. Underneath it was the word “Dragons”. Finally, she thought. Almost as if the was a compass needle pulling inside of her, she was drawn to the direction the sign pointed.
It was a narrow hallway. She smiled imagining Mrs. Woddol trying to fit through. At the end there was a heavy wooden door, riddled with cracks, yet it still held tight when she tried to move it. Jiggling the handle, she finally got it open. She was shocked by the sheer starkness of the room.
An old lady stood in the corner, dusting something. “Hello,” Allin called, but the lady didn’t answer. Shrugging, Allin decided to explore. Only about five eggs were in the room. The first was dull, its shell rough and crumbly. The needle pulled her past that one. The next was slightly cleaner, its shell gleaming in the dim light. She pursed her lips and drew past. The other two were pretty, but she didn’t feel a connection. The last came into view. Her eyes had to adjust to the radiance coming off it. It was black, with yellow bands running across the shell. Her needle instantly stopped pulling.
Tentatively, Allin reached a hand out. A burst of warmth shot up her arm. It wasn’t hot, but it made her feel strange. Allin couldn’t tear her eyes away as it began to splinter. Something pricked at the back of her mind, but the painless fire smothered it. It had spread all over her body now, like a warm blanket.
The first large crack split with a small, gurgling crunch. She stood, mesmerized, as a silvery mist broke free. It writhed around, like a serpent. She instinctively put her hands out. When it touched her palms, she felt an odd sense of peace. The substance felt wet, but it didn’t slosh around. With a sucking sound not unlike mud, it absorbed into her hand. All at once, Allin was thrown away from the egg.
The lady from the corner had her by the shoulders, and was shaking her violently. Spittle flew from her lips, which were making unintelligible words. Allin wanted to scream, but her voice caught in her throat. Footsteps echoed down the hallway. Someone was coming.
“Get away from me!” Allin protested, pushing against her attacker. Manicured hands grabbed the lady’s shoulders and pulled her off Allin. Another man held her back. Words still flung from her mouth, eyes blazing hatred.
“What did I do?” Allin said, panic building in her chest.
“Relax, dear,” the woman said. “I’m so sorry about that. Look!” She moved away. A small creature blinked slowly at Allin from inside the remains of it shell. It was a dragon. Her dragon. Allin moved forward, but the thing crossed the distance in mere seconds. It leaped into her arms and cooed appreciatively. The woman smiled, but Allin could tell something was wrong. The man had taken the lady away, but the fury of her attack scared Allin. “Come with me,” the woman said, and began to guide Allin out. She followed happily, absorbed with her new hatchling. She emerged beaming as the tiny dragon did a little flip. Mrs. Waddol hurried up.
“Allin Drayone, where were you!? I looked all over but you were gone! I was so scared! You are my responsibility you know. Get back with the class.” Looking up, Allin spotted Alec, who was holding a small grey-blue drakon.
“Whoa, Allin! He’s cool!” Alec said. “Like mine?” Allin nodded. It was indeed pretty. “It’s a girl,” Alec informed her.
“How do you know?” she teased. He blushed a bit and smiled.
“Imagine how happy our parents will be,” he sighed.
“Hey, Alec, did you happen to notice anything strange about when it hatched?” He looked at her strangely.
“No, they just came over and caught this sort of mist thing in a bottle, and then left. Why?”
“Oh, nothing,” Allin lied.
Alec walked next to her, his glasses falling down his nose as usual. A book on Draconian species was in his hands. He caught her eye and smiled. A silent joke went between them, and Allin had a hard time keeping the grin from becoming a laugh. Alec was her best friend in the world. He was smart, funny, kind, and almost knew her better than she knew herself.
She was shoved from behind; Alec caught her and helped steady her. Sniggers rose from the crowd behind them. Mrs. Waddol turned, and Allin almost ran into her. She hadn’t realized that they had reached the end of the hallway.
“Class, settle down,” her teacher said, but her words were absorbed into the laughter and giggles of the class. Only Alec and Allin remained quiet. Giving them a quick, grateful smile, Mrs. Woddol continued, “Today you will be hearing from a few representatives of the DDNC, or Dragon and Drakon National Committee. They will tell you how to successfully hatch your drakon.”
Allin couldn’t help notice that she didn’t say dragon. Curious. But before she could think about it, the doors opened. People oohed and ahhed as colorful displays of eggs organized in complex rows opened in front of them. But that was nothing compared to the beautiful drakon guarding the entrance.
Its scales were a beautiful blue, with green fins on its ear holes and tail. It hissed in warning. A burly man with a heavy amount of stubble stood in the corner. Clearing his throat, he stepped forward. “Welcome, class.” His voice was deep, but not unkind. A fishing jacket covered his chest. “Please sit. Gemio will make sure you stay in the boundaries. One way or another,” he added with a twinkle in his eye. As soon as the class sat, the drakon slid over to the side of her master. “Today you will be hatching dragons-or drakons.” The class sat attentively. “There are rules, for your safety and your hatchlings. Please go in an orderly fashion; no dashing around. Touch each egg with your index and middle finger. Wait 5 seconds, and, if nothing happens, go to the next. Signs vary, but if you start to feel anything, get one of us immediately.” His eyes hardened. “Do not try to hatch it on your own. There will be consequences. No pushing shoving, or tripping, and be respectful of anyone and everyone. Be safe. That’s about it. Remember to walk. Now go ahead!” The class stood up, and began to run away. The man sighed and shook his head. Mrs. Woddol looked at him sympathetically.
Alec had already disappeared. Allin decided to explore by herself. She ran her fingers over eggs, but nothing happened. After a few rows, she began to get bored. A dingy sign half hidden by unused carts caught her attention. She looked closer and made out an arrow. Underneath it was the word “Dragons”. Finally, she thought. Almost as if the was a compass needle pulling inside of her, she was drawn to the direction the sign pointed.
It was a narrow hallway. She smiled imagining Mrs. Woddol trying to fit through. At the end there was a heavy wooden door, riddled with cracks, yet it still held tight when she tried to move it. Jiggling the handle, she finally got it open. She was shocked by the sheer starkness of the room.
An old lady stood in the corner, dusting something. “Hello,” Allin called, but the lady didn’t answer. Shrugging, Allin decided to explore. Only about five eggs were in the room. The first was dull, its shell rough and crumbly. The needle pulled her past that one. The next was slightly cleaner, its shell gleaming in the dim light. She pursed her lips and drew past. The other two were pretty, but she didn’t feel a connection. The last came into view. Her eyes had to adjust to the radiance coming off it. It was black, with yellow bands running across the shell. Her needle instantly stopped pulling.
Tentatively, Allin reached a hand out. A burst of warmth shot up her arm. It wasn’t hot, but it made her feel strange. Allin couldn’t tear her eyes away as it began to splinter. Something pricked at the back of her mind, but the painless fire smothered it. It had spread all over her body now, like a warm blanket.
The first large crack split with a small, gurgling crunch. She stood, mesmerized, as a silvery mist broke free. It writhed around, like a serpent. She instinctively put her hands out. When it touched her palms, she felt an odd sense of peace. The substance felt wet, but it didn’t slosh around. With a sucking sound not unlike mud, it absorbed into her hand. All at once, Allin was thrown away from the egg.
The lady from the corner had her by the shoulders, and was shaking her violently. Spittle flew from her lips, which were making unintelligible words. Allin wanted to scream, but her voice caught in her throat. Footsteps echoed down the hallway. Someone was coming.
“Get away from me!” Allin protested, pushing against her attacker. Manicured hands grabbed the lady’s shoulders and pulled her off Allin. Another man held her back. Words still flung from her mouth, eyes blazing hatred.
“What did I do?” Allin said, panic building in her chest.
“Relax, dear,” the woman said. “I’m so sorry about that. Look!” She moved away. A small creature blinked slowly at Allin from inside the remains of it shell. It was a dragon. Her dragon. Allin moved forward, but the thing crossed the distance in mere seconds. It leaped into her arms and cooed appreciatively. The woman smiled, but Allin could tell something was wrong. The man had taken the lady away, but the fury of her attack scared Allin. “Come with me,” the woman said, and began to guide Allin out. She followed happily, absorbed with her new hatchling. She emerged beaming as the tiny dragon did a little flip. Mrs. Waddol hurried up.
“Allin Drayone, where were you!? I looked all over but you were gone! I was so scared! You are my responsibility you know. Get back with the class.” Looking up, Allin spotted Alec, who was holding a small grey-blue drakon.
“Whoa, Allin! He’s cool!” Alec said. “Like mine?” Allin nodded. It was indeed pretty. “It’s a girl,” Alec informed her.
“How do you know?” she teased. He blushed a bit and smiled.
“Imagine how happy our parents will be,” he sighed.
“Hey, Alec, did you happen to notice anything strange about when it hatched?” He looked at her strangely.
“No, they just came over and caught this sort of mist thing in a bottle, and then left. Why?”
“Oh, nothing,” Allin lied.