Chapter 12

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I am the last one to be called, and as I enter the gate, it closes with a rumble. The roof is open to the sky, and I can see the stars. I look around. There is a wall in front of me, with a corridor going off to both the left and the right. I mentally flip a coin and head right. As I enter the corridor, a cloud of smoke engulfs me.

I take a breath and start coughing. Within a minute, though, it clears, and I’m able to continue. That was weird. I think as I walk.

There is a doorway halfway down the hall, and I enter it. As I cross the threshold, I hear the sound of stone-on-stone. I turn around in time to see the way behind me sealed shut.

“I guess this is the way I’m going, then.” I mutter, making sure my sword is ready.

I head down the passage. Every so many yards, there is a torch blazing, but the light doesn’t seem to reach as far as it should.

I come to the end of a hallway, and I come out in a square room. In the middle is a creature I have only ever read about. A dragon.

It doesn’t have wings, contrary to some of the legends I read, but it still has razor sharp claws, scales, and is a giant reptile. It’s lying on its paws, tail flicking idly behind it. Then, as I’m staring, it speaks, in a deep, smooth voice.

“I theorize that you’re another of those trying to get through, correct?” It says. I nod mutely. “And you’re looking for a friend, from the team of blue?”

Confused, I glance at myself to see if I’m wearing any blue. I’m not. “How did you—”

He – the voice is obviously a male’s –cuts me off. “I know many things. Such as where your friend went.”

The dragon raises itself to its feet, and I see that his body is about thirty feet long, not counting the tail, which is almost the same length.

The dragon was blocking the view across the room. There are three doorways there.

“If you answer my question correctly, I will show you the correct way. If you answer wrongly, let’s just say I’ll have a nice midnight snack. Agreed?”

I have three choices. One, back out of the room and hope the dragon doesn’t pursue me. Two, attack the dragon, and probably get mauled to death. Three, play his game.

I square my shoulders. “Ask your question.” I say, mind racing to remember every fact I know. The dragon eyes me for a couple seconds, then utters, “What is strong and then weak, bold and then meek, always hoping for death, but ever afraid of it?”

I stand there for a long time, running the line through my mind over and over again. What goes from strong and bold to meek, weak and always being ready for death?

I turn over a few options, and discard them. Nothing seems to fit. Finally I think of one, but then discard that one too. It can’t be the answer. The dragon coughs politely. “Could you possibly hurry up?” He says. “I’m sure I’ll have more visitors before long, and I wouldn’t want to keep them waiting.

I decide to just go with the best answer I could think of.

“Alright, I’ve got an answer.”

“Wonderful! Let’s hear it.”

I take a breath, and say my answer. “A murderer. Before the murder, he’s strong, bold, able to go and do whatever he wants. But afterward, he’s afraid he’ll get caught, and so becomes weak and, well, meek.”

“And the part about death?” The dragon prompts.

“He wants to die, or is always ready for it, because he feels guilty for murdering.” As I finish saying it, I realize it all applies to me. I have a façade of being strong, but really, I’m afraid to sleep anymore, afraid that I’ll meet all the people I’ve killed there. Most of all, that I’ll meet Lee. I want to die, in a way, but I’m afraid that if I die, I’ll be turned over to the custody of all those I’ve killed.

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