Life Of A Dragon: re-mastered

Chapter 00 "Prologue"

          I feel the weight of gravity leave my body as I try not to let go of the handlebars of my ATV below me as it leaves the ramp below me. Now, it's only a small jump, but it almost feels as if I'm flying. I honestly wonder what it's like to fly. The rear wheels of my ATV hitting the ground jar my mind back to reality. I almost jerk my handlebars left as the upcoming turn came faster than expected, temporarily sliding out of control. Adrenaline rushes my body as I swing the handlebars the other way, straightening myself out on the track. Oh boy, that was a close one.

          "Alright," I say to myself, reassuring myself while slightly shifting my grip on my handlebars, I manage to reposition myself as much as I can on the seat and get back on the throttle, catching up to the racer in third. On the upcoming turn, I go for the inside, but I'm cut off and forced to the outside, allowing fifth to approach me. I cross the finish on the checkered flag and release the throttle, continuing straight instead of turning, riding under the bleachers and slowly make my way back to Carla's trailer, driving it up. Once I have the ATV off, I hop off and slip the helmet off my head, tucking it under my arm. I hop down from the trailer as the ATV's latched down. Carla walks up to me and wraps me in a hug. I try to hug her back, my riding gear making it awkward to hug.

          "Good run, Shawn," Carla says from my shoulder. I break the hug and reposition my helmet under my arm. I smile at the compliment quickly and head to my dad's truck, tossing my helmet in the back. Struggling to get my chest protection off, I feel a pair of hands unlatch it and slip it over my head, tossing it in the truck on top of my helmet. Turning around to see who my helper is, I'm once again met with the face of Carla. I smile lightly at the familiar face, chuckling in slight embarrassment.

          "Thanks," I say. Carla just shrugs lightly before my mom walks up to us.

          "Come on. Let's get you all home," Mom says. Both Carla and I look at Mom before giving a light shrug and climb in the truck before we head off home. Reaching the house, we see a few men dressed up in suits waiting at the door. Worry fills me as I look at Mom, seeing she has the same worry. I've heard about this happening before, I think. We all get out of the truck and walk up to our house to meet the men.

          "Hello? Are you May Johl?" One man says, stepping forewords. I take a nervous step back as the man steps forewords.

          "Yes," Mom says. I'm getting a bad feeling about these people, seeing their actions and reactions.

          "I regret to say this, but John Johl has been suspected KIA," the man says. Mom's face drops as he says that, but it takes me a second to register what was said. KIA, isn't that, oh no. Dad's been killed in action. I feel a tear threatening to fall. This can't be possible. He was the most aware and accurate person.

          "No," I hear Mom whisper. I move behind Mom a little, still not really believing what's happening. I zone out temporarily until the men leaving snap me back to reality. I hurry in the house and jog up the stairs to my room. Perhaps reading a few stories on Wattpad would cheer me up. After a while, I shut my computer down, tired. After making sure it's shut down, I head over to my bed and lie down.

[1 year later]

          Waking up, I'm no longer in my bed, but rather, in a field of what looks like elephant grass. I carefully get up, as I heard this stuff can hurt, badly. It's either this, or something else I'm thinking of. Standing up fully, I still can't see above the grass. Come to think of it, I'm not that tall myself. That's quite odd. I jump up to see if I can't get a look at where I am, and subconsciously note that I can jump quite high. Out of the elephant grass, I see nothing but a vast, sparkling blue sea ahead, a few soft, white clouds turning pinkish orange in a sunset. Turning around, I jump again and see a small village, looking to seem as if it would fit inside a fantasy novel, a tall stone pillar behind it all. And, when I say tall, I mean tall. Intrigued, I begin my walk through the tall grass, jumping over it every so often to keep in check that I'm still heading the right way. I stop jumping as I near the edge of the grass, but instead of emerging at the edge of the village, I emerge into the darkness of a cave, but notice that it's actually kind of bright for a cave.