The Gift

There were not always dragons in the valley, that's how Maddy started her story, yet after writing that line she was stuck, she did not know where to go from there.

Maddy joined a challenge from her writer's forum, she had given other writings that never made the grade, she almost did not join this challenge either, but she decided to give it another shot. Maddy had written over ten thousand poems and authored a book, yet this forum challenged her to the point she did not know why she even joined. She felt like she had regressed in her abilities after not making the list of other challenges, she never has had a problem expressing herself before.

Now she has entered another challenge and they supplied the first sentence, there were not always dragons in the valley. she loved that line and thought she could author a story that would blow them away. She was sure she could at least win something. Yet Maddy sat and stared at that sentence, what is wrong with me? Maddy thought, why am I dead in the water? why can't I just author some magical story about dragons? am I losing my abilities to even think of a remarkable story line.

well hours turned into days and days turned into weeks, Maddy would sit down thinking she knew what she was going to write, yet when she saw the sentence, she froze like an ice cube.

Then one evening Maddy pulled out her writings, looking over them she began to see something she never had faced before, a pattern her writing took on! from the very first poem to the last one. oh my gosh she said yelled out, I cannot even believe I did not realize this about myself. I do not know how to dream up some magical story, I never have, I've only writing about myself. all my poems and my book are based on my life. Then Maddy franticly looks over and over and over every poem, every short story she had ever written. It is true I am not a dreamer or a writer I am a self-absorbed idiot!

No wonder I have never been able to win at writing contest, I do not know how to dream. all I write about is myself my own feelings, as in a third party. my poems reflect my pains, my joys, and gains. All I do is ramble on and on about me, without even knowing it. I tell my story about my feelings very well; I do not even know how to author a factional story about a dragon. I am doomed, I am ashamed to even call myself a writer now. writers can tell any story, about anything she thought. she slumped down on her bed thinking; I give up, I quit! I cannot even dream up some stupid story about a bunch of dumb dragons. I know what I will do, she thought. I will just close my account, and nobody will ever have to know about this horrible discovery I learned about me. so, she was about to do just that when her phone rang.

Hello, she said, howdy old friend, the caller said, is this Maddy Mccleer? Yes, it is how can I help you? this is Braddy the dragon, and you have won an all-expenses paid trip to the valley of the dragons. She spoke saying, what did you just say your name is? and what did I win? she looked at her phone as if this must be a joke, someone has been listening to me talk about my issue. I said this is Braddy the dragon, and you have won a trip to the valley of dragons! are you ready to go I will be there in a few moments to pick you up? Wait, wait what? you will be here when? then a hard gust of wind blew through the window with a Hugh thump.

Then Maddy hears a voice saying, Hello! Hello anybody home? outside her bedroom window. Then a Hehe Haha laugh, I am here for Miss Maddy. Then the dragon pops his eye to the window to look inside. Maddy screams with fright, Then the dragon says oh I am sorry missy, and shrinks himself down to her size. Maddy says what is going on right now? am I alive? are you really a dragon? why are you at my house? and how did you know about my issue? I am freaking out right now.

Do not worry little lady your safe with me, I am real to you, and I heard through a reliable source you have never been able to dream or even author a fictional story. So, I am here to show you how dreams or fictional dreams come to life. Are you ready to go? Go, I am not going anyplace with you! I am losing my mind. I must have fallen asleep, yes that is it I fell asleep, and I am dreaming right now about a dragon in my room. Maddy starts hitting her face trying to wake herself up. "smack" "smack" wakeup you are just dreaming it is not real! The dragon watching Maddy says, still here! Maddy grabs the glass of water on her nightstand and dumps it over her head, the dragon says, nope still here! Maddy convinced she is dreaming pinches herself then yells, ouch that hurt! the dragon says, did not work I am still here.

Maddy then jumps up from bed and runs as fast as she can and hits the wall knocking herself out, the dragon sighs saying, nope I am still here. picking Maddy up and putting her in the safety harness atop his back. Just then Maddy wakes up from her knock out. what? what are you doing with me? are you going to just take me against my will? the dragon says hold on this may be a bit bumpy at first, I am just learning how this whole harness gadget thingy works.

then the dragon jumps out the window with Maddy atop of his back and enlarges to his normal size. Maddy is so overwhelmed she again passes out.

Is Maddy asleep and dreaming or is she really on a trip of a lifetime that she will never forget? it is not clear how this dragon found her, or where he is taking her other than the valley of dragons. all she knows is she was going to quit trying to author stories when the phone wrang.

to be continued Theresa McQuillen