Dragons in Our Barrio

There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. In fact, there wasn’t much in the Valley. Strip malls, taco stands, stone throw from Mexico and an hour from the beach. The Valley wasn’t the best but to me it was great and now I’m not so sure. It started not to long ago people became sick something was in the air that was affecting the community hospitals became overrun to the point that it became better to stay at home and pray for recovery. No one knew what caused this, those affected stated they smelled sulfur and heard thunder before heeling over out of breath. All around the Valley men, women, and children it was random no one seemed to be at risk but everyday someone healthy would end up inches from death. The world all over began to report cases no real cause, no real answers.

I like many others believed I was safe I stayed active, I didn’t smoke, I didn’t drink, I was a nobody, I am a nobody. Though like many others I was hit by this scent, I immediately knew what it was, the pain in my lungs like no other, the smell of sulfur filled my nose, I couldn’t get away from it as I began to suffocate, my eyes began to tear, no air to let out screams of anguish, no air to inhale for a moment of relief, I was drowning outside of water. On my knees just before things went black, I heard it the thunder, it was deafening, it was shockwave of heat and pain nothing in my life has ever sounded or felt that ferocious. The few that survived began to call it the voice of God being heard, a sign of the times. To many this was biblical, to me and many others it wasn’t, the pain that followed could not be inflicted by the one so many pray to, this was something else, something darker. One day the thunder stopped the smell no longer present, but the community remained in the dark so many things unanswered, so many deaths with the cause unknown. The world began to recover the population all around now lower in most communities. A new gas mask law began to emerge many against, many willing. As the tension began to break as we began to recover the worst was just beginning.

The thunder returned the masks kept many safe but those who denied them began to understand why so many still clung to them for safety. The smell of sulfur plagued our streets, business, and homes became safe havens for those affected. Staying inside was the new norm for many the streets empty and the hospitals full once again. This time we pretended to be ready we knew what medications helped, we knew that for many it wasn’t an end and for the many already affected once it seemed to only cause headaches if anything at all. It was around this time, the second wave, that we began to get answers the Valley and many places around the world saw the voice, or it should be stated the voices.

The question at hand finally answered but the perplexity of the answer did not help, we ended up with more questions than before. A week into the second day was when it began. Our days began to grow dark shrouded by smog around the world clouds began to disperse, the earth began to crack, mountains began to cave, and thunder was heard across the world but no clouds in the sky could be seen at the sound of the clap. Claws began to protrude from the ground, flames from the earth grew with no signs of stopping for that 10 minute of emergence the world was glowing orange and engulfed in smoke and death. The panic that ensued was biblical the voice of God began to feel like an accurate description. The first sighting in the valley was strange a small dragon appeared and began to terrorize the mall. The smell of sulfur became a signal to run to those not affected by the exposure. Pain to the lungs, the pain the communites ears. The flaps of wings and the dread coming from others as they witness the ferocity. The dragon though no larger than a horse was not bothered by regular ammunition. Our local first responders did not have the ammunition needed; the military was deployed for the first time in ages on American soil. Not only the National Guard and the reserves but full forces began to make camps in areas of emergence. The Navy lined our coast to keep other dragons from entering. For the first time in a long time all superpowers in the world came together for a cause, the survival of humanity.

I stated I was nobody and for many and myself I still am, but through this I have found that those affected before have a gift an immunity to the voices. The headaches that came from the dragon’s presence became our way of finding nest. Small pain killing inhalers became norm to be sent to those arming themselves to serve the community. I chose to take that path, I chose to enlist in the Valley’s local task force, the Dragon Battalion. Stupid name, stupid kids, and stupid me. Local troops became the last stand for many communities as the government saw it fit to leave smaller cities to the local police to keep larger population cities safer. We we’re left alone the Valley was no longer protected those we needed. It was in our hands to protect our homes and our people. This is a story about the end of the world and the birth of our new one. Things will never be the same and no matter how heavily we armed ourselves or how many dragons we are able to kill and study, we remained in the same spot day to day fighting to survive. No, things will never be the same.