[OLD] Cursed

Chapter 6

     Water sloshed against Thomas's boots as he pushed his raft onto the water. He held his breath, hoping it would float. The raft bobbed up and down but didn't sink. He grabbed an unlit torch, his fire starter stones, and a piece of driftwood to use as an oar and pushed his raft away from the ship, silently hopping on.

     He carefully dipped his oar into the water, trying not to cause the water to ripple, as if a lurking beast was there, under the depths of the murky waters. But the truth was, the beast was back on the ship, fast asleep. The ship got smaller in the distance the farther he got, until finally, he could see endless waters every direction he looked. What if there is no land? What if that was all tales?

     Moon was full tonight. She probably had something to celebrate about. But that didn't help him know which way to go. Something cut through the air, like an arrow. His eyes followed it. Moonlight. Did Moon send her to tell me where to go? He pushed the raft through the water, following the silver trail. There was something on the horizon. Something green and big, as if it had burst from the water. Land.

     The faster he went, the closer it got. Thomas paddled up to the land. There were yellow specks on the ground, gradually fading into a deep brown. There were green stalks coming up from the brown ground, probably grass. He stood up on his raft and took a step forward. Snap!

     He winced as something sharp, like electricity, raced up his foot. The land is dangerous. Captain's words rang in his ears. Unless I take a part of the sea with me... Thomas stuck his boots in the ocean, letting them fill up with water. It felt uncomfortable and cold, but if that was what it took to walk on land, it didn't matter to him.

     His first step felt odd and unbalanced. The ground didn't constantly shift like the seas did. It was solid and firm, reliable, unmoving. And there were trees. Trees taller than him, branches like arms opened wide in welcome. The breeze ruffled the grass, as if it was comforting it with it's gentle sway, and billowed the leaves on the trees. Then he came face to face with a wall.

     It wasn't like one of those wooden walls back on the ship, which really didn't make a difference when his crewmates were drunk and tried to kick them down. It was a silverish-grayish color, the two colors spiraling together. He reached out with one hand to touch it. His hand went right through and he jerked it back. It went through! But what- but how?

     Thomas peered through the wall in the dark. As his eyes adjusted, he saw the endless field of grass, waving at him, tempting him to come to them. He glanced back at the sea, then stepped through the wall.

     What he saw was breathtaking. The horizon stretched on from every corner of the earth, and endless plains filled with lush green grass was a carpet under his feet. And there were stars. Stars everywhere, filling the night sky with their light and beauty. Heaven... she's there. There was a rustle behind him, causing him to turn around. A figure was standing there, gazing up at the stars as well. He silently approached, unsure of who or what the figure was.

     Crunch! The figure turned around with a hiss, immediately on defense. He grabbed his firestarters and banged them together. A small spark of flame rewarded him, and he used it to light his torch. He raised it, getting a better look at the creature. It was a girl. She had long blond hair, which was tangled and wild, as if she had stood on a mountain peak all day and let the wind itself blow through it. Her brown eyes reflected the stars, but there was suspicion in there as well, making every bit of him inside scream, there's something dangerous here! But he knew that the dangerous thing was himself.

     The girl tilted her head at him, and the suspicion in her eyes was replaced by curiosity, then unease. Does she recognize me? But how would she? Her eyes shifted to the torch, and stayed there, as if she couldn't tear her gaze away. She acts as if she's never seen anything like it.

     Thomas took a step towards the girl and she let out a threatening hiss. Is she human? Maybe she's one of those shapeshifting dragons, from the legends. No, dragons are myths. "Are you human?" He asked. She just blinked at him few times, her brown eyes looking straight into his. Maybe she just doesn't speak my language. The girl glanced at the fire again. "Magic?" She asked. Her voice was heavily accented, as if each word was foreign and unfamiliar to her. But if she's human, how could she not speak the language? He thought, surprised. "It's called fire." "Fire." She repeated, keeping her eyes on his torch.

     "You've never seen it before?" Thomas asked. The girl shook her head. "If... had... night dragons... find me." If she had the fire, the night dragons would find her? Is there... something wrong with her mind or does she just imagine things? "I'm taking it you never really spoke the language either?" She shook her head again. "What language do you speak then?" He asked. The girl looked up at the stars, then back at him. She hesitated for a moment, as if deep in thought. Finally, she answered. "Dragon."

     "Okay... um, that's an unusual language." Thomas said, deciding that the girl was crazy. "I think not. Human is unusual." "How did you learn to speak human then?" "I read the human scribbles." "Oh... nice." Yup. She's definitely insane. "So... you speak dragon because you're a dragon?" She hesitated again. "Monah is moon dragon."

     By the things she was saying, and how much she didn't know about the human world, Thomas was beginning to be convinced that what she was saying was true. Okay. Let's say she lives in a world of dragons. Fine. I'll believe that. But if this 'Monah' person, I mean dragon, is a moon dragon, then she's not one of those shapeshifter ones. That would make sense. But she's not, which means she can't be a dragon. Unless... unless she is a human and she just doesn't know...