Paragons

I passed by the Dragon Carrier while she fumbled for her keys. My sweat was already drying so I wasn’t sure how much contact was possible. I gave her as much space as I could all the same. She was my ride. And she held that dragon.

“Huh,” I couldn’t help chucking, despite the dire situation. “You’re not wrong.”

I headed for the car with the blinking lights and manifested by the door.

“The name’s Yarden,” I repeated.

Galwix is primarily confused, but follows his new allies to the metal object with the blinking lights... mentally he prays they genuinely have a plan.

"Oh! Goodness," Adele exclaims and then sighs as Yarden appears by the car. She desperately tries to avert her eyes from certain areas of the naked body. She runs around to the driver's door and tosses her bag onto the seat. Keys still in hand, she pulls off her hoodie. "Hang on there, little buddy. Good work in there," she mutters to the dragon.

Then she gently tosses the sweatshirt across the car roof. "Here. Take this. Please."

Noticing an air of confusion about Galwix, she almost smiles. "Fingers under the handle and lift up and out to open the door."

Once they're all inside, she starts the vehicle, puts it in gear, and heads down the street. She watches the coffee shop area in the rearview and side mirrors and, after a few blocks, remembers to put her seatbelt on.

“Thanks,” I said, catching the sweatshirt as it slid off the roof.

I used it to quickly clear my skin of any remaining sweat before hopping into the car. I scooted myself to the middle and leaned over the center console.

“Well. Where to?”

Galwix is fascinated by the car.

“Eh? A car’age wit no ‘orses? Cle’ly magic says I!”

He grins and winks at Adele.

“You a Wit’cn o’ a Wizzer?”

"Uhh... Hadn't really thought about where yet. Just... away from here. Any suggestions?" Adele glances down at her dash to see the gas level. Just below half. Could make it a road trip. Just skip town. What are you thinking? You've got responsibilities, child!

She glances over at Galwix' enraptured expression. "Never thought of myself as either. It's just a machine. You know, lots of moving parts and things. Powered by fire, really, not magic." She suddenly realizes that maybe she should have paid a little more attention when her father tried to explain how engines work. "Anyway, it's pretty safe - unless the fire isn't contained, which occasionally happens... Happened to my dad twice. Sorry, I think I'm just trying to forget what just happened back there. And I haven't even introduced myself yet. I'm Adele. Pleasure to meet you both. Um. Any idea what's going on with... well, neither of you seem quite human, and that... thing back there, and the swirly thing... And how do I have a dragon? Is this for real?"

"Adele,” I mused. “Means nobility.”

“Adele dear, I’d say we are in trouble." I continue, realizing the Dragon Carrier sounds more confused than I am.

“No, thankfully I am not human. And if you’re not picky about cleanliness, I know a place. No idea how safe it is from wormholes, floating immortals, or vampire books but it’s secluded. It could give us a chance to think. Turn left in two blocks.”

Us.

I repressed a shudder.

I smiled at the dragon. I extended my hand in a request to pet them. “How did you come by this beautiful creature? That’s a question I am eager to know the answer to.”

"I'm not entirely sure," Adele responds to the question as the dragon reaches out its snout toward the outstretched hand for a sniff. Then it gives a contented low growl from its throat and shoves its head under the hand for scratchies.

"It all started Monday. I was drawing in the evening to relax, like I usually do. Drew this cute little guy. Then I woke up at two in the morning to rustling around in my apartment; I was sure someone had broken in. Took me awhile to build up the courage, but when I finally looked, he (she, maybe, I'm not sure) was tearing through my notebooks and supplies. I don't understand it. And I don't know how he got out of my apartment this afternoon and then found me... Don't have a proper name either; I was thinking maybe 'Prism.' Been mostly sticking to 'Squirt,' though."

Taking the suggested left turn, she continues, "Uhh, just how not clean is this place you're thinking?"

I lavished the little dragon’s head with scratches. It didn’t appear to be restrained or under duress.

“Hmm,” I remembered the fairy tales and fantasy novels I’d read in the library. How much of those were real? “If squirt has lasted five days, that’s a powerful illusion. Impressive. More astounding still would be if you drew a sentient life into being.”

I pointed at the approaching red and green sign.

“Take the next right after the pizza place. You’ll stay on that road for about five miles.”

“It’s a halfway house, of sorts. Under foreclosure. A handful of people take turns watching it for the owner. This week it’s mine. It’s better than the streets.”

Why am I telling them this?

“We don’t have to go there. You mentioned an apartment?”

"Oh, good. I was afraid it was a sewer or something," Adele sighs with relief. "Yeah, I've got an apartment. It's not too far away..., but I'm not sure how to get you two in there. You wanna try it?"

I laughed and disappeared.

"Easy enough for me. What about you, m- Galwix?"

Almost called him milky.

"How are you at subtlety and sneaking?"

To Grier~~

As you are asking the question, with a soft glittering of light, Galwix is suddenly a perfectly normal looking human, modern clothing and all.

“Don’t worry about me lovelies!” His voice is deeper and void of the accent you had come to expect. “Old Galwix has a trick or two you haven’t even seen yet.”

To Grier~~

As you are asking the question, with a soft glittering of light, Galwix is suddenly a perfectly normal looking human, modern clothing and all.

“Don’t worry about me lovelies!” His voice is deeper and void of the accent you had come to expect. “Old Galwix has a trick or two you haven’t even seen yet.”

"Oh! Gracious!" The car swerves ever so slightly as Adele jumps in response to Galwix' change of appearance. "Oh my word. Warn a person first or something!" She shakes her head and chuckles at the situation. After taking a few breaths, she adds, "So..., my place then? I don't really know what shape it's in since this fella broke out somehow. Just hope and pray that we don't run into Tom."

Huh. Well that's a neat party trick. What else can Galwix do?

Her place? I guess so. I’m going to her apartment. Adele navigated the car in what I assume was the right direction.

“Tom?” I asked. “Is he your enemy?”

A human asks for a drop of blood, oh no- that’s off limits. But let me take you to my residence? Oh suuuurrre, no problem there! I’ll hop right in.

Staying at a human’s place. That’s what got me into this whole mess. Who am I going home with?

I looked around for any clues about Adele’s life. No leftover pizza, stash of crumpled receipts, or toiletries. No empty water bottles, used coffee mugs, or evidence of children.

I liked her.

I moved the sweatshirt I had used and uncovered a pile of books.

Florida Wildlife Encyclopedia by Scott Shupe
Lizard Care from A to Z by R.D. Bartlett
Komodo Dragons: Biology and Conservation by James B. Murphy
The Lizard Keeper’s Handbook by Phillipe De Vosjoli
Mader’s Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery by Stephen J. Divers
How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

Can’t say she isn’t trying. I scooted around and dove to the floor. Ice scraper? Useful, but not interesting. First aid kit. Practical and boring. A cooler bag- bingo!

Humans carry snacks. I had that jalapeno cheddar scone, but something else wouldn’t hurt. Hummus and pretzels. Grapes and cheese. Maybe some eggs? I unzipped the bag and dove my hand in as far as it would go.

Adele chuckles at the suggestion of Tom being her enemy. "Enemy? No. He's the apartment manager and called me this morning about smelling something burning. I really don't want to try to explain the whole dragon thing; he wouldn't understand anyway. Nice guy, just not the kind to appreciate fantastical elements."

Turning to Galwix, she adds, "So, who are we gonna say you are? Brother? Visiting from outta state? And a name. You need a name that's more current and fits in. Uh... How's 'Gage' sound?"

Hearing a rustling from the backseat, Adele glances in the rearview mirror but can't see what's going on. "Yarden, you okay back there?"

"Empty bags? Who keeps empty bags in a cooler?"

I squirmed back up to the seat and reappeared.

"Your snack availability is atypical."

I looked over Galwix's human appearance. An incomprehensible being hiding in a mundane disguise. Though, to his credit, he was aesthetically pleasing as far as humans go.

"Gage. Of French origin meaning an oath or a pledge. Names aren't bestowed on a whim, but that one isn't bad."

"Gage seems alright, given the circumstances... would prefer a more romantic connection than familial one but given your logic I'll be your cousin." Galwix looks almost thoughtful as he talks, clearly taking this whole matter seriously. "We need to consider the reality that the creature we encountered back there may come looking for us and we need a strategy if that happens."

Adele scrunches her brow quizzically in response to Yarden's statement.

Who are these people anyway? And why on earth am I trusting them?!

She replies quickly to Galwix. "Yeah, look, I just don't want anyone to assume you're moving in or anything. And, yes, that... thing... is still out there and not too happy with us. But at least we can plan in relative comfort. I hope."

Eyeing Yarden in the mirror once more, she continues, somewhat skeptically, "Were you just gonna take something if you found it? I think you could at least have asked. And I've got food at home, if you're that hungry. We're only two blocks away."

When she pulls into the parking area of the apartment building, she makes sure to drive past her apartment and look for any visible damage to the outside.

Ask? ... Why would I ask?

"Yes." I answered honestly. "If I find a snack appealing, I tend to eat it. It's not hunger at this point, more like reserves."

Answering honestly left a stale, unwelcome taste in my mouth. I thought back to Dom's strange comments and the following chaos.

"We'll need those reserves. That thing was furious. I think encountering it again is an impending certainty."

I looked down to where Dom pricked me, the mark barely visible.

"As I warned, since it took my blood, I wouldn't be surprised if they could use it to trace me easily."

As we circled the parking lot complex, I disappeared again.

"Point out your window. If it's unlocked, I can meet you there. No sense risking having to do an invisible dance with your neighbors or Tom. Then perhaps we can make sense of our stories together."

I realized my lack of cordiality may make extending any hospitality repulsive. I would have to modify my behavior to gain the utility of having allies. Easier said than done.

"If you'll allow my company, that is." I hoped they could hear the sincere request in my voice, and not the fear.