Dave

Dave pondered just what to do with his night. He was bored and for the most part it was the sort of boredom that made ridiculous ideas seem like reasonable things to do. Dave had been in this city for too long a time. How many years had he lived in the brownstone in Brooklyn? Ten, maybe twenty years? No, it must have been longer than that. Dave realized he had purchased his home in 1930, he had spent roughly ninety some years here. He raked his long fingers through his jet-black hair just how long had it been since he was in the sky, feeling the air currents like fish might drift on the water. Roaming from room to room aimlessly his mind alighted on a new quandary, he thought about the woods, the mossy forest floor with the rich scent of growing things and pine trees rich with resins. He wondered how long it had been since he allowed his wild nature to overtake him.

Decades perhaps? Then again, the last time he flew openly those terrible contraptions made of little more than canvas, wood and an engine met him in the sky, reigning bullets on him. He had picked lead out of his hide for days. He no longer owned the sky and worse yet the insipid human crafted biwing flying machines soon became machines of metal. When humanity took its metal aircraft to the stars Dave cheered them on. Maybe they would all just leave and not come back.

Dave glanced around for his cell phone, he had every electronics device that this modern age had to offer, and yet that little square of plastic and computer chips always seemed elude him. Dave finally saw the little irritant in the bathroom perched onto the sink. It was so much easier years ago when the contraptions were tethered to a wall. Scrolling to find a number he glanced up looking in the mirror that hung on the bathroom’s door. Sighing he saw a handsome man, tall and lithe, not a line upon his face to betray his many years, with dark hair, fair complexion and startling green eyes. Whenever he ventured out he never lacked for female attention. After all Dave, had crafted this form when he was hardly more than a hatchling. His elder told him that the best way to stay alive was to blend in with the only creatures he had to fear.

Humans.

Whether they galloped on huge horses, in armor trying to kill him or chasing him with the flying machines, the point of the matter was that they made being a dragon damn near impossible. He held the phone and a thought came to him, what if he went to a remote place? Maybe … Canada, in the remote wilderness? Yes, he thought excitedly, he could fly below radar, hunt and otherwise for a while be his authentic self. He had hidden for far too long.

Dave found the number he wanted and soon a tired voice answered, “Dave it’s three o’clock in the morning can it wait?”

“Good morning, Chelsey, no it cannot. I need a flight as soon as possible to a remote area of Canada, I want a luxury cabin, car rental and a lake, mountains, and few people.”

“Sure, I will get on it at nine o’clock, you know, when I start work.”

“Chelsey, what did I tell you upon employing you?” He said still chipper anticipating the adventure.

“You will pay me an obscene amount of money as your personal assistant. You are a wealthy eccentric antiques dealer and sleep very little. Expect a call whenever you are working.”

“Wonderful! You listened. Now get on it and don’t forget to run the shop while I am gone.”

He thumbed off the communication and with his boredom relieved , he hummed looking for his passport . It had been a long time since he excitedly imagined of the joy of swooping down from the sky and snatching an elk or moose. To again have his powerful jaws and sharp teeth to rend its flesh, drinking the hot blood with its coppery tang, to eat in mighty chomps not pitiful little human mouthfuls. His eyes shown brightly as he found his passport to his false life, he would arrive as a human, stow his things in the cabin. Then for a little while he could just be a dragon again.

A tiny voice, that was his subconscious, said, “This is foolhardy and dangerous. Remember your uncle Cecile? That dragon caved into his need to fly, and it landed him in a government facility never to be seen again.”

Dave grinned wildly; he told his inner voice to stuff it. His uncle Cecile had been and idiot and tried to do this in the 1950’s in the Nevada desert. He was a much smarter dragon or so he thought. He was going to Canada a much friendlier place. Did anything bad ever really happen there?

The small dwelling, if you could call a two story building with solar power, heating and cooling appliances, satellite tv , internet , garden tub in one of its three bathrooms , anything as pedestrian as a cabin ,was by a lake . Chelsey the best personal assistant ever, had gotten him in a location that was secluded and yet had the few things he truly wanted. Dave loved sauna’s, hot baths and not missing a few of his favorite TV shows, he adored that humans had made satellites to beam his much-needed stories to the flatscreen TV.

Dave had parked the SUV, emerged from the vehicle, inhaling deeply and thrusting his arms out he bellowed a roar that rung off the mountains and lake. Where a man had stood seconds ago an enormous emerald green, bat winged, fifteen-foot dragon leapt to the sky, wings flapping propelling him up into the air. Dave was ecstatic as his wings with every sweep took him farther and faster.

He dove for the lake skimming the surface admiring his true self. Iridescent green scales glittering in the sun, wings at full extension with ebony black claw thought looked much bigger and sharper than the last time he had seen himself reflected on water. The lake was soon giving way to massive pines and snorting a jet of flame Dave waited till the last second to bank and climb higher into the sky. He had wanted to see if he still had his agility. Gods above and below he did. This was going to be a perfect three weeks. He spent the day carefully flying, sunning himself and making sure his gullet was filled with whatever unfortunate animal crossed his path.

Dave was on two feet, in the luxury cabin and pouring oil into the pot, and adding popcorn seeds. No self-respecting dragon would admit to liking popcorn, the true measure of a dragon was feasting on meat freshly killed. However, it was Sunday, and he had a date with a fantasy show. He loved popcorn, salt and butter as he watched his show about a princess who raised some orphaned dragons and was now overtaking a kingdom. It was a guilty pleasure, first off there was not a dragon in existence who would allow a human to ride them, also no dragon would care past the killing, eating, and looting who sat on the iron throne. Yet, he felt a certain thrill when they breathed flame and decimated a city. It was past the opening theme music he heard a cry. He set his popcorn down, this was unbearably rude , it was 10 PM, his show was on and something was squalling outside.

Fine he would ignore it , he would just… he stomped out the front door of his cabin, and with a lung full of air he yelled, “ Shut the hell up!!”

It was silent for a moment, even the frogs stopped their peeping and groaning as they advertised for mates. Dave almost turned to go back in when the cries continued, high pitched and shrill. Fine! He was a predator and Dave knew he couldn’t focus on his show hearing that …noise of something juvenile in distress. Perhaps he could swoop in, eat whatever it is and still see most of his show.

A second later he leapt for the air his keen ears homing in on the cries. It was the far side of the lake and there hanging from a tree branch was and angry toddler. The branch in skillfully threaded through the bib overhauls, with the frustrated child dangling ten foot off of the ground, screaming. Dave stared at it, snot ran down its face as it cried, its hair tangled with leaves and mud. Then his nose, if did not deceive itself, scented that the child had soiled its bib overhauls.

Dave knew the tender flesh would be succulent at this age, but the smell, Lord and Lady he couldn’t eat that. Well, not until he gave it a good rinsing off. Studying the child whose volume had not diminished, he determined he could leap up, snag the little brat with his fore claws and just tear it from the tree.

The maneuver went off with out a hitch and when he landed, he noticed the other benefit of his plan. The child was wide eyed and silent. Immensely pleased Dave contemplated just how to shuck his prize from the clothing to rinse off the offensive shit, that now seemed to be leaking from the pant leg. The child somewhat still stunned did nothing.

A voice harsh and feminine said, “What the fuck! Man, I just hung that thing to age up.”

Dave sighed turned and saw a creature that he had hoped died out since the last time he saw one. Harpies were disgusting creatures comprised of a vulture’s body, with a woman’s torso, instead of arms the Harpy had to content herself with black wings tipped in white. A harpy wouldn’t care if the child was covered in shit and hung to scream itself to death. To them that was fine dining. Dave was many things but needlessly cruel was not one of them. He put his prey out of its misery as a good dragon should.

Dave replied flippantly, “I found a hors d'oeuvre in a tree and I plan to take it home. I plan to eat it while watching TV.” The toddler fussed as it came around to the fact it was no longer in a tree and was next to a large…beast. Dave used the spade like end of his tail to poke the juvenile distracting it.

“OH NO, you didn’t. You overgrown lizard you stole that little crotch goblin I put in that tree for later. So, piss off, leave me my dinner.” The harpy fluffed up her feathers to look bigger and narrowed her eyes, then added “leave now or else.”

Dave in turn narrowed his eyes, they glowed in the dark and his slitted pupils rounded to see more in the wilderness at night. Staring at the single harpy he wondered was she mad? One exhale of his fire and she would be a roasted capon. Dave said, “I am rather sorry, but I do believe I am well within the rules here.”

“What damn rules?” the harpy screeched her feathers rattled as she puffed up more.

“Rule one, finders keepers’ loser’s weepers. Followed by the second rule.” He paused and pushed the little human behind him more with his tail, “I am a dragon, so no, YOU piss off .”

The harpy made a sound that simultaneously made the dragon’s ears ring, the toddler stunned once more fell over. Dave sighed and endured the ear numbing screams. Around him the pines shed needles as the trees shook. The bird-woman’s mouth open in such a way that no normal human could achieve, Dave was now tired of this prefight bickering and made her quit the unholy noise in the only why he knew how. The dragon spat fire on the harpy. Shrieking and panicked the harpy only stopped her screaming, when she noticed she was indeed on fire. Black wings flapped madly trying to fly and when she gained no lift, she instead made a waddling run for the lake. Being a dragon Dave didn’t have the range of ability to display emotion, as he did in his human form, but he felt like he wore an evil grin.

“What in the hell? You trying to fry my sister?” Came another voice with a second one hissing and circling menacingly. Great one harpy he could deal with, however now he had two more.

“She was too stupid to flap away. I found this little morsel I am keeping it.” He said faking a bored tone.

“Hold on here, mister greenie dragon. Me and my sisters killed that little group of campers and the child there that we gave to Ludmilla. Our little sister poor dear, is a might lonely, depressed really, if you know what I mean. That little one was a gift to cheer her up. You know something nice and tasty.”

The non-hissing harpy, seeing that the dragon did not give a fig about her reasons for gifting the toddler, changed track and said in a conspiracy laden tone. “The way I see it we’re all monsters here and no point in us making a big fuss over a little kid. Tell you what, you let Ludmilla have that sample size human, while my other sister Grunfeld and I will leave you to your night. We all just walk away.” Her human face smiled as if they had been discussing anything but the fact, he was a dragon and would never give way to a harpy.

The dragon who had used his tail to scoot the little human against his flank said, “Oh my goodness, I supposed we should be civilized about this. I am Dave Mondragón, and you are…” he let the sentence drop off and the harpy who now in the full moonlight looked almost like a copy of her sister Ludmilla, nodded believing he was buying her “let’s be reasonable shtick”

Please the harpy replied, “Oh my manners, of course, my name is Edith, please to meet you.”

Dave was not falling for all the distraction; he knew that Grunfeld who had been hissing and circling, had only stopped waiting for a signal. He nodded regally, playing his part in the farce, “Well, since we are all friends now, I believe I can settle this quite equitably.” He paused listening just were the hell had that oversized chicken Grunfeld gone?

“Do tell” Edith replied her eyes shining brightly.

Dave opened his mouth in an instant and snapped his jaws onto Edith’s head, shaking her until he heard her neck snap instinctively, he bit and tore. The dragon spit out the head as soon as the foul blood hit his tongue. Pain seared his side as, Grunfeld who had returned, raked his flank with talons and tried to peel the toddler off his leg. He used his tail like a club and stunned the harpy with a swift instinctive blow.

Dave roared and sensing another combatant joining the fight, he saw that the burned and wet, Ludmilla was lumbering towards him hissing and screeching. The fight became one of fents and lunges as he defended his prize and tried to kill the harpy, again. He wondered why it was Ludmilla who was primarily attacking now. While the other sister circled and screeched. This was why he hated fighting harpies.

Ludmilla backed off from a sweep of his talons to be joined by Grunfeld. The child mercifully had been silent, there was only so much caterwauling Dave could stand. The dragon knew that the simple solution would be to roast both, yet as the bird women circled and never were together in one spot, they just circled lunged and backed away waiting for an opportunity to snatch the toddler.

Dave spun got the child in his teeth using the convenient bib overhauls and launched himself into the air. Harpies were fast, but when it came to gaining altitude and distance nothing beat a dragon. The Harpies cursed him, and he continued to gain height, he had to make sure he lost them. With the kid in his jaws the harpies knew he could not risk dropping his prize to breathe fire on them. So, Dave outpaced them giving them no opportunity to attack.

Dave guessed an hour had passed when he started to circle back. The child undoubtable must be cold and passed out from sheer terror. Dave was cautious scenting the air for the harpies, while he had killed Edith, he knew Ludmilla and Grunfeld wouldn’t rest until they exacted revenge on him. He came in low and smelled smoke on the wind. He glided towards his rented home and saw the flames. Those god damn harpies. He landed and, in a flash, went from dragon to human holding the child like luggage. The SUV was undamaged, and he set the child on the floorboards used the keys he had left on the dashboard to turn over the engine and warm up the vehicle. They had been up quite far in the clouds and the child did have a bit of bluish tinge to it. He still scanned with all his senses, along with his magic to see if the harpies lingered to enjoy their handywork, but they had left.

Fine, he would just take his prize for later consumption, then comeback and kill the remaining harpy sisters. He used a little magic to form clothing on himself and getting into the SUV the rank stench of the child wafted up to make him gag. Ok, find a motel, hose off the kid, see if his dragon tv show was on it’s second showing yet , then decide how to eat the toddler.

The toddler at that moment locked eyes with him and said, “ gurrbfitbutt”

“Ok, well I am Dave , don’t loose track of the fact I will be eating you later.” He said tersely.

The child screwed up its face and howled, Dave took and index finger and touched the kids forehead , the child slumped and he put the SUV into drive . Anymore passing out and he feared the little thing might get brain damage. He drove for an hour until he saw a rustic hotel. He had in his car his emergency cash, passport and burner cell phone. He rented a “cabin” more of a wooden box with plumbing, and a TV that was 20 years old but they said did get cable. Not having luggage, Dave instead carried the child at arm’s length. His human form had unlocked the door, flipped on the lights and went directly to the bathroom. The child starting to wake up and becoming squirmy. He figured out the fasteners and buttons he stripped the toddler down to wash. He put everything the child had worn in the trash and tied off the bag. The water was cold and did not seem to be heating. He made a ball of fire in his hand to plunge into the water of the tub to warm it. The child, a girl he noticed, said watching him, “ OOOHHHH”

“thank you , someone should appreciate my talents.” He said using a washcloth to get the worst of the mess off of her, then plopping the child in the tub to wash her thoroughly. When he shampooed her hair, he saw that she had blond ringlets. The face once scrubbed was pink with very blue eyes. He was careful to not get soap in her eyes.

The girl splashed and he said, “I had a hatchling once a long time ago. Bathing was simpler we just waded into a river to rinse off then find a good rock to sun on.”

He drained the tub, wrapping the girl in a towel. He was tired and under no illusions the harpies were done with him. He set the child on the bed and kept her close, after all he did not work this hard to lose his meal now.

His subconscious, mockingly said, “Dragons do not tenderly bathe dinner and tuck it into bed. Admit it you can’t eat her.”

“Perhaps like fine wine I shall age her and eat her later.” He said irritably to his inner voice.

“Or maybe you see that looking after this little thing could relieve boredom and give you something to care about.”

Dave felt his eyelids grow heavy, “Shut up inner voice. I can always eat her tomorrow or in ninety years. I am a fickle dragon.” He pulled the blanket up higher and said quietly “I think I shall call you Grace, after a friend of mine who was a pirate , you would have liked her.”

It was quiet as they slept, and Dave dreamed of killing harpies and buying a little house in the country, where he could keep a little girl.

After all he was a dragon capricious and willful, he could do as he liked, and he liked his dream very much.