Chapter 8

8

Simon darted around the massive tail of the dragon… creature… thing that should definitely not exist.

This isn’t real. It’s not real.

But the muscular tail which lay like a fallen log in front of him was definitely real. As were the warm, metallic scales under his palm when he planted it on said tail and leapt over it, running for dear life.

He skidded to a stop as the dragon appeared in his path, leaning down to glare with bright green eyes. It shook its head, and flames licked along the ground behind it, silhouetting its terrifying form to an even darker black than before.

Simon whipped around and fled in the opposite direction.

Again, the dragon blocked his escape, fire exploding behind it to emphasize its point: You’re trapped.

He backed away slowly, watching the beast track his movements. Maybe if I can get behind a tree.

Whump!

Maybe if I ? —

Slam!

Over and over, the dragon blocked his escape with its bulk and fire, which seemed to emanate from every pore of its body instead of its mouth like a normal dragon.

Normal dragon? What the hell am I thinking?

Simon spun in a circle, assessing the approaching fire, desperately searching for the escape route that would mean the fewest burns. A low grinding sound rent the air behind him, and a tree capsized, sending sparks flying into the air. Simon lifted his arm over his face, but none of the sparks burned.

He lowered his arm and saw only leathery darkness. He reached out a shaky hand, stopping just short of touching the wing before it moved, revealing the fire beyond. The dragon twisted around to peer at him. It shook its head, almost as if to say no , then closed its eyes and rubbed its head against him.

A manic giggle escaped before he could stop it. “I’m hallucinating, aren’t I? You’re a figment of my imagination.” He coughed, choking on the smoke that burned his throat. “It’s the smoke,” he wheezed. “I inhaled too much, and now I’m seeing a creature that could live in this hell.” It lifted its head and looked at the fire before turning back to Simon.

Through burning, watery vision, Simon saw the dragon shake its head again. It rose on its hind legs, towering over him. He shrank back when it opened its mouth, revealing a glow in its throat.

Grasping his jade pendant with his parents’ names, Simon closed his eyes. “I’ll see you soon,” he whispered aloud.

A sound like the deep rumble of a jet and the snapping of twigs accompanied by searing heat rushed past him.

Without touching him. He inhaled with relief.

And realized he could breathe.

Simon opened his eyes again to see the dragon breathing a line of fire directly at the approaching forest fire. The two infernos collided, and when the dragon stopped, the other fire was no longer advancing. More whooshing, and the dragon roared as it beat wings easily spanning three times his height. Warm air burst past him, nearly blowing him over.

And the crackling sounds of the forest around them receded farther into the distance. Simon turned to the dragon, thoughts overlapping one another in his rush to process what he was seeing.

“You’re… you’re helping me? Why would a drag—ah!”

It grabbed him and took off, bobbing and weaving toward the tops of the trees. It flew erratically, bumping into branches and letting out shrieking roars. They passed over flames into clearer air, and Simon breathed deeply, then gasped as the dragon listed to the side and landed awkwardly.

It set him on his feet, and Simon backed up, eyeing the dragon warily.

It shook its head repeatedly and pawed at its nose, revealing several long cuts along its arm and sides.

“Hey, are you okay?” What the hell is wrong with me? I’m talking to a dragon? But one that had saved his life. “Can you understand me?”

The dragon’s head snapped up, and it stared at a point beyond Simon’s shoulder. It closed its eyes, tilted its face to the sky, and began to shrink, wings drawing into a body that quickly became paler and more human.

Shouts from multiple people reached him, but Simon barely registered the people searching for him. He couldn’t think of anything beyond one fact.

Where the dragon had stood only seconds before, now stood a very pissed off, very naked Patient Twelve.