Dragon's Blood

"On the 3rd night you will betray them all." Lyla heard that voice in her head agian! She couldn't get it out! Then she went black. She was falling. Down into a bottomless pit. No one to catch her. Just her and death. No one to comfort her. Just her and the darkness. She started to scream. Screaming, screaming, screaming! Then she hit the bottom.

She awoke with a fright. Lyla looked at her clock. 7:35! She was going to be late for her first day in high school! She grabbed her things and ran down stairs. Her mother looked at her. “Well, I don’t suppose you’re going to school in Pajamas are you?” “AHHH! Sorry I was in a rush!” Lyla said. She ran upstairs. She quickly put on her dull uniform, a gray tartan shirt with a khaki skirt. Probably the worst outfit ever! She put her long red hair into a low ponytail. She put on a little make-up – Hoping to impress the boys. Her Tall Slim body did not look good with the uniform. She wished she hadn’t moved! She wished they could move back to Montana! She missed her old friends! She wanted to talk about boys with Lindsey again! She wanted to taunt her little brother! And most of all, she wished her parents didn’t get a divorce.
She headed down stairs to find a huge breakfast of Pancakes and Waffles. She looked at her mother who was smiling slightly-she hadn’t smiled like that since the divorce.
“Happy first day of school Honey!” said her mom.
“Mom did you have to go to all this trouble!”
“Yes I did! I wanted my little girl to be Happy on her first day!”
Lyla sat down and started eating. The pancakes tasted so good. She looked on the table and found Vermont maple syrup. She looked at her mom. Her mom nodded. She poured the whole bottle onto her pancakes and waffles then ate them. She looked at the clock. 7:50. she waved good bye to her mom and headed out the door.
She walked for 5 minutes before she came to the school parking lot. There were lots of Mercedes and convertibles. She spied a few 4x4s though. She looked at all the seniors then at the freshman. The seniors had all polished cars as they sat on the hood of them. Boys were crowding around the girls as if trying to ask them out. (Lyla thought they probably were) The freshman looked exactly the same but just shorter and younger. Boys crowded around girls, so on and so forth. Lyla looked at the school. It was huge! She never thought she would get to know the whole thing in one day! She let out a sigh.
She felt something on her shoulder. Lyla turned to see the Principal. “Welcome Lyla to Fire Prep!” said the principal. “I’m principal Ignus”
“Ignus?” said Lyla
“Yes. Is that a problem?” He said firmly
“No.”
“Very well then. I think you should be heading inside now.” Lyla knew this was going to be a long year.

Lyla walked in to the gigantic school. She could look down the corridor and not see the end. Bright red Lockers lined the walls and students were talking very loudly. Lyla walked into the office. She looked at the secretary’s desk, Ms. Serpento. Lyla stared at the name oddly. She heard a voice,” Can I help you?” It was Ms. Serpento. “Yes. I’m-“I know who you are ms flame.” Almost no one knew Lyla’s mom’s maiden name! “Um. Ya.” Said Lyla. She looked around the room.
The walls were lined with pictures of old alumni. Lyla saw the class from 1984. Her mom was in the first row! What was she doing there? She looked at others trying to forget about it. There were the winners of the 1970 spelling bee, a very old picture from when the school was founded. There were 14 students in the graduating class. Some looked as young as 13! She looked at others. There was some kid with an afro the size of the door way! Lyla snickered. Ms. Serpento looked at me. “Is something funny?” she said. “No ma’am. Do you have my schedule?”
“Yes. I do. Your locker is number 306. Your first class will start soon. First door after your first left down the hall.” She motioned to the door way. “You may leave now.” She nodded and left swiftly. Once she left the office she ran into someone. Lyla looked up. There was a girl- a sophomore- who just stared at her. She had straight silk blonde hair. Her clothes were tattered for some reason. Her eyes were watering and her make-up was completely messed up. Lyla looked at the girl's hand. It was singed! She just stared at it. She pulled away and walked into the office. Lyla turned to look at her. She was talking to Ms. Serpento.
She turned to Lyla and said, “Don’t you have somewhere you have to be?!” she said fiercely, and she slammed the door. Lyla brushed herself off and walked to her new homeroom.
Lyla walked in just as the bell rang. She looked around for a seat. Immediately everyone put their feet up on the chair next to them. The only chair left was in the back next to the AC. She walked over and soon realized why no one sat there. It was freezing! She was going to freeze by the end of this year! She sat down. The chair was very uncomfortable. Lyla could barely move without making a sound. She looked at the girls. They all looked the same. Hair pulled back into a ponytail. Boring old khaki skirt and tartan shirt. But it all worked on them! She slouched in my seat and looked at the guys. The all had smoothed back hair and huge muscles. Lyla just stared for a second. The guy she was looking at turned to her. He nodded smiled and turned back. She almost couldn’t stop looking at him. The Emerald green eyes, Jet black hair. Lyla was in love. All of a sudden all of the boys moved UN comfortably. The girl she bumped into at the office walked in. The only difference was she was fine! Her hair was fixed; her make-up was back on, and her clothes weren’t torn! I slowly looked at her hand. It wasn’t there. The singe was gone. Lyla thought she was crazy.
The teacher walked into the room. “Hello, class. I’m Mrs. Gamely.” She said. She started taking attendance.
“Annie Ama.”
“Here”
“Lucy Barbot”
“Here”
“Katherine Donny”
“Here”
“Matthew Flama”
“Here” That was his name thought Lyla. The boy she liked. He had the almost exa-
“Lyla Flame” Mrs. Gamely said cutting her thought off.
“Here…” Lyla said quietly
“Excuse me please speak up.” Said Mrs. Gamely.
“Here” She said.
“Good. Now Synthia Flama”
“Here!” Great thought Lyla how can this day get any better. It was the girl with the singe. She was Matt’s sister. Mrs. Gamely finished the attendance. About 18 kids in the class. Mrs. Gamely then said, “Now I know you may remember some of these students and some you may not remember. There are new faces and old faces. So getting on with what I was saying. We combined the classes. Last year’s incident was nothing to remember. But after that miss hap a lot of Students and teachers left. So we have to combine the freshman and sophomore classes. Any questions?” Synthia’s hand shot up. “What happened to Kylie?” said Synthia. “I don’t know. She never returned the resignation letter. So apparently she is still a student here. But she has not shown up yet.” Synthia shot Matt a look. He shrugged and continued reading a book he just pulled out.
For the rest of class they collected their books for the year and started learning about the history of China. They learned about how The Chinese used to believe in the old myth of Dragon’s and how they were beautiful creatures not one to be feared. The Chinese also loved- the bell rang. Everyone gathered their stuff and left. But Synthia, Matt, and Lyla stayed behind. Lyla was in the back of the class and over heard their conversation. “So. What do you think?” said Synthia. Mrs. Gamely replied, “I don’t know, but all I do know is that she couldn’t stand it. I saw a scale on her ski-” They turned to me. I stared back. Synthia shot me a look. Matt just smiled. Lyla grabbed her stuff and ran out of the class. Then she bumped into someone. “Hello Ms. Lyla.” Lyla looked up. It was Principal Ignus. He nodded toward the door and she sped out.

Lyla couldn’t wait till break. 1 hour of nothing but peace and quiet. She was so wrong. Break… not in this school. They eat during Math. All of a sudden Lyla wanted, no needed to go home.
Synthia kept staring at her all through school, Lyla kept staring at Matthew. Every time he looked back at her he smirked. Lyla kept blushing.
Mrs. Nicole -the English teacher- stuck her under the AC just like Mr. Yemo and Mrs. Kemmy. She was freezing! She couldn’t stop shaking. Her back was so clammy it felt like spines were sticking into her. What was the odd though, her feet were burning! It was like they were on fire! Lyla breathed slowly. Her throat burned too.
She couldn’t take it anymore. She raised her hand. “Yes, Lyla.” Said Mrs. Nicole. “Can I go to the nurse?”
“Sure, but why may I ask?”
“My throat is on fire.”
She saw Matthew smile at her bigger than before. Synthia threw me a disgusted look and turned away. “You may go.” Mrs. Nicole replied.
She rushed down the corridor and down the stairs, only to run into someone. “Hello, Lyla I’m Nurse Flow. You were just coming to my office right?” Lyla looked at her. Her breath sent a chill down Lyla’s spine. Great Lyla thought just what I was trying to escape. Nurse Flow’s hair was white and wavy. Her skin was snow fragile. She wasn’t very old. She looked like a perfect snow flake. Lyla looked down and said, “Yes. But how did you kn-”, She got cut off. “I just knew. Follow me please.” She ushered Lyla into her office.
_____________________
“So, your throat’s burning right?” said Nurse Flow. “Ya. I freezing one second then burning the next. Then my back was in searing pain.” Then she remembered her feet. “Oh. And my feet were burning too.” Lyla added. Nurse Flow nodded and wrote something down.
Lyla peered over at what Nurse. Flow was writing. Conformation she is an f- She looked at me. “Do you usually look at what people write?” Nurse Flow said with a sneer. She finished writing and looked at me. “I will be back. I am going to the office, do not move.”
Nurse Flow left. Lyla looked around. She wanted to see what Nurse Flow had written, so bad! Her day has been too crazy. She wondered if school would be over soon. There was no clock on the blank white walls. All there was was a couch, the desk, and a bathroom. And it was freezing! Almost as bad as her seats. An odd office. Lyla thought.
She stood up and looked at Nurse Flow’s desk. There was a computer, the couch she was sitting on, a calendar desk pad with a date marked off “Icicle council” and a couple of drawers. Just when Lyla was about to open one Nurse Flow walked in.
________________
Lyla quickly slipped back into her seat on the couch. “Alright.” Said Nurse Flow. “School will be over in five minutes, so you may head up to your homeroom.” Lyla stood up and left.
When she got up to her class Mrs. Gamely handed her a book. “This is your homework; read the first three chapters for tomorrow.” She handed Lyla the book.
Lyla sat down and picked her backpack up off the floor. A little post-It note fell out. She picked it up. We know who you are. You will know too soon. She crumpled up the note and stuffed it in her pocket.

“How was your day?” Lyla’s mother said with a smile. “I ran into a lot of people, literally.” She replied, “Wasn’t the best day.” She flopped down on the leather couch and picked up the remote. She flipped through the channels until she found the news.
“Wow.” Said her mother. “These ice storms are getting worse. I hope they don’t hit the U.S.” they watched the pictures of forests and cities from Canada. They were trashed. You should be saying I hope they don’t hit Florida. Lyla thought.
Lyla turned on the volume. “-storms are getting so bad they have already hit Montana.” Lyla looked at her mom and arched her eyebrow. “My words have become reality.” Her mom said. They both looked back at the TV. The news reporter continued. “This is a picture of a house only hit hours ago.” They both stared not even blinking. “M-mom. That’s our h-house.” Lyla stuttered. “I know honey, I-I know.” Her mother shakily replied.
Her mom picked up the remote and shut off the TV. “I think that’s enough TV for today.” Her mom swallowed hard. But, I didn’t matter to Lyla. She still had the image in her head. The shingled roof was broken in half; the green paint was peeled back till there was almost nothing left. Blue shutters frozen shut, dagger icicles hung off the house in every place.-It looked like her old doll house after her brother went through it to look for his power ranger Lyla stole. The ice, the cold. Lyla shivered at the thought.
I hope Jason and Dad are ok. She thought. Lyla went into the kitchen and sat down at the kitchen table. “Can we forget about this, and get back to my day?” Lyla slowly said. “Well.” Her mom started “I remember you leaving off on ‘I ran into a lot of people, literally.’” They both laughed.
“Well. I got a call from Nurse Flow. You OK?”
“Ya, I’m fine. I just felt a little warm.”
“You sure?”
“Yes mom! I’m sure!”
“OK Then.” Her mom went to the fridge, “You want a snack?” she said. “Sure!” Lyla replied she was starving! Her mom pulled out a half of a burger and fries. “Want to split it?” said her mom. Lyla really wanted it to herself, “Fine.” She growled.
As the burger was cooking all Lyla could do was stare at the micro wave. She skipped Lunch to doodle in her notebook. There was this drawing she couldn’t get out of her head. A small ‘S’ with flames around it. She just thought of it and had to draw it. As soon as Lyla heard the ding she quit daydreaming and ran to the micro wave. She pulled out the food grabbed two plates and started dealing out the food- giving herself the biggest piece of course. She grabbed the plate and dove back into her seat. She dug in so fast. Juices dripped down her chin. Still juicy after a whole day. The fries were a bit soggy, but she didn’t care. It was so good!
“Hey mom.” Lyla said. “Do you think Jason and dad are ok?” Her mom looked at her sternly. “I thought we were done talking about this. But if you want to know, I’m sure they’re fine. I remember they went to see Jerry’s mom in California.” Jerry. Lyla thought. Why can’t you just call him ‘your father’ he’s’ still my dad! She went to her backpack and pulled out there book.
__________________
It was 5:30 pm. Lyla was almost done with the third chapter. “-then the fire engulfed them all… Pleasant.” Lyla said as she closed the book.
She sat up on the couch-she moved there about 45 minutes ago- and placed the book on the coffee table. She went to the dining room to find her mom. “Hey mom?” she said.
No answer.
“Hm…mom!” She repeated. Lyla wandered around the new house. She looked in her mom’s bedroom; she looked in the laundry room, even in the bathroom. She was nowhere upstairs. She tried calling her one more time. “MOM!” She heard a car door slam. Lyla slipped down the stairs.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw something move. She looked through the arch to the dining room. There was a little lizard on the table. She went over and held her hand up to the lizard. It immediately jumped on.
As Lyla was walking to the door way it opened. Her mom walked in. “Hi, Honey. Finished your book?” she said as she put some groceries on the kitchen table top to the right of her. “Um, Ya.” Lyla replied. “I’m just gonna put this lizard outside. Some how it got in the house.” Her mother nodded and Lyla went outside.
The grass was cool against her bare feet. The wind blew through her hair. She knelt down and placed the lizard on the little hill in the yard. It hopped off, then just looked at Lyla; not moving. She swayed back and forth. The lizard’s eyes moved with Lyla’s movement keeping its body completely still.
“Well this is odd.” Said Lyla. “Do you have something to say?” The lizard stared at her. “Ya, I thought so… oh what am I saying! I’m talking to a lizard!” Lyla screamed. She sat down on the grass with her head in between her knees. “Why don’t you just leave? You have a whole family. I’m not a lizard so I don’t know what they’re like.” Lyla joked. She looked up for a second and the lizard finally blinked. Then it ran up her leg onto her knee. The little lizard yawned and curled up in a ball like a dog.
“You are a strange lizard.” Lyla said sniffling. “I’ll keep you for a bit.” She moved the sleeping lizard onto her hand and stood up. Lyla slowly walked into the house. “Hey mom? Do you know where my old fish tank is?” she asked. “Ya, it’s in your room. Why?” her mother responded not looking up from chopping her carrots. “Um. No reason.” Lyla quickly ran up the stairs.
______________
A black cave, no, not a cave, just nothing. A whole bunch of nothingness. Then Lyla in the center falling. Then a blue face faintly was shown. Women by the voice. “More blood will be spilt, even a dragon cannot bear.” Then more nothingness. Screams, roars, flapping. That was what she could hear. Then came the worst of it all; the fire. It was burning her. “AHHHHHHH!!!!” she cried out. The pain was unbearable. She screamed and screamed and screamed, and then she hit the bottom.
______________
Lyla sat up. Three days of school, three nights of nightmares. Finally, the weekend. Liz-the finally named lizard- was sleeping silently in her tank. Lyla put on her fuzzy green robe and slippers, and walked down the hall to her mom’s room.
Lyla’s mom was watching the news again. “Wind storms are mixing in with the ice-“said the reporter. “- this is not related to the weather, but Earthquakes have started to hit other parts of the world such as Haiti and Chile, some even starting in California. I swear we are entering the storm of all sto-” She turned the TV off. Lyla’s mother turned around and saw her daughter staring at her. “Do you want some breakfast?” she said. Lyla’s stomach growled. “That’s your answer!” Lyla grabbed her mom’s hand and rushed her down stairs. “Woo! Hold On! I can get to the kitchen myself!” said her mom.
Lyla didn’t care She pulled her mom own the rest of the stairs and into the kitchen. “Make something really good! I am starved!” Lyla’s stomach growled even louder. “OK.OK.” Her mom replied. “But you’re helping me.” Lyla rolled her eyes as her mom pulled out eggs, flour, yeast, sugar, vanilla, and many other things Lyla couldn’t name. Finally came out an old cookbook. Her mother opened up to a recipe for donuts with sweet and spicy frosting.
“We haven’t made donuts together since I entered third grade. And sweet and spicy frosting... wow. Thanks mom!” Lyla shouted. “A little loud, honey. But you’re welcome.” Her mom hugged her.
They started pouring the flour into the bowl, cracked the eggs in, and added the rest of the ingredients. Then they- the doorbell rang. “I’ll keep mixing you get the door Lyla. Said her mom. Lyla went to the door. She unlocked it and opened it only to find a package. She looked around; down the street and up the street. No one was there. She picked up the package and walked inside.
“What you got there Lyla?” asked her mom. “It’s a package addresses to me. But there is no return address.” Said Lyla. “Just open it. We’ll see what it is.” Her mom said eagerly.
Lyla got a knife out of a drawer just as her mom put the donuts in the oven. “Well so much for making them together.” Lyla’s mom said. Lyla grabbed the package and brought it to the table and tore off the tape. Her mom walked over behind her wiping off her hands. As Lyla opened the box they stared at an old beaten choker necklace.

Beep, Beep. “Oh Donuts are done.” Lyla’s mom was taking the donuts out of the oven. Lyla was still staring at the necklace. It was a cowhide strap with a medallion on the center. It was gold with a faded carving.
“Can you make out what this is mom?” Her mom walked over. “No. It’s really faded. I’ll take it to the jewelers this afternoon.” She replied. “Ok. Thanks.” Lyla said. She kept staring at the choker. When she felt the bottom she moved over something. She flipped it around and found a small green gem. “Wow. This must be worth a lot. There’s a small Jade gem on the back.” She said. She turned to the mom. “You think we should sell it?” her mom looked at her with a firm look. “Maybe we should see what this thing is first before we do anything stupid. Besides it’s a nice piece of jewelry us might be hundreds of years old. You might also want to wear it one day.” She said.
“I don’t know, it’s a little odd.” Said Lyla.
“Well, you never know until you try.” Her mother shrugged her shoulders and started to frost the donuts. “I’m gonna go check on Liz.” Said Lyla. “OK. Give this to her.” Her mom handed her a piece of chicken.
Lyla picked up the necklace and ran upstairs. When she got to her room, she looked on her bed. There was Liz, sleeping on top of the orange sheets. She held the chicken on her hand. Liz immediately sat up and ate the chicken out of Lyla’s hand.
When Liz finished eating she looked at the necklace. She slowly walked over to it. With her little body, she flipped the necklace over to the back revealing the gem. She stared at it. Lyla noticed something, “Hey,” she said. “The gem is the same color as your skin.” Lyla sat on the bed. She reached over and grabbed the necklace touching the gem; Liz flinched. Lyla studied Liz for a bit, then she let go of the necklace. Liz relaxed a bit, but was still tense. Lyla looked away for a second. All of a sudden Liz let out a little screech. Lyla quickly turned around almost knocking over her lamp. She looked at Liz.
For a second it looked like there was nothing wrong with her. Same small body. Same little tail. Same tiny feet. But once Lyla took a double take, she saw she was so wrong. Liz’s skin had become a dark green, with black spots, and her eyes as well. One minute they were yellow, the next red. Lyla blinked fiercely.
Liz looked at her. She scurried up to her shoulder. Lyla watched her as she yawned and fell asleep. Lyla picked up Liz and put her in her tank. Her mom helped pick out a cool setting for Liz to live in. Little Tropical trees surrounding a dragon’s nest. Lyla thought it was funny since Liz was a lizard.
Once Liz was sleeping on her nest, Lyla went back over to her bed. She sat down and picked up the chocker. It felt warm. She flipped over the medallion and looked at the gem. Well, new she knew the gem as not jade. It was dark green with black spots.