JOURNEY OF THE DRAGON By Lindsey Moore 1 In which the Circus comes to town It was Saturday, and the circus

was in town. Jake, his mother, and his sister Nancy always went and enjoyed it. Jake loved the lion tamers and the acrobats, but Nancy, who was eight, always liked the trapeze artists the best. She said one day, she would run off to join a circus. She said that she would tell the ringmaster to put her on the flying trapeze. Jake, being twelve, told her that her legs were too short to fit on the trapeze. Nancy just pouted and turned away. As it happened, this particular circus was nothing special. When Jake first saw it, he almost asked his mother to drive them back. Almost. But something caught his eye. When he looked back on this occasion, Jake wasnt entirely sure what had attracted his attention. A bright flash, like sun reflecting off a mirrored surface, was that it? Or some slight movement in the shadows? Jake turned back to the car. Look, theyve got clowns! Nancy shrieked. Lets go see them! Nancy, unlike many other small children, loved clowns. They had clowns last year, too, said Jake. and theyre just a bunch of people in costumes. Come on, Jake, said his mother. You dont want to miss it this year, do you? Jake shrugged. It was a pitiful collection of shabby tents haphazardly constructed in a rough circle. There were only three public tents: the main ring, the sideshow, and the restrooms. I guess not, he moaned. But he followed them in anyway.

It was as lame as he had feared. The acrobats werent flexible, the trapeze was stationary, and the clown car only had four clowns in it. Jake was nearly asleep by the time the announcer announced, AND NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I GIVE YOU A drumroll started from somewhere offstage. THE ONLY SIX LIMBED ANIMAL IN THE WORLDTHE FLYING,
FIRE-BREATHING

Dragon, Jake thought. Get on with it. DRAGON! Yeah, right, thought Jake. But the very unhappy-looking lion tamer was leading something out from backstage, something gray-green and huge that glittered in the stage lights. It had four legs, a head with two horns and silvery eyes, and a tail that ended in an arrow-shaped point. Its hide glittered and shone as if every scale had a diamond in it. It walked with dignity and purpose, like a cat. Its wings were like a giant bats, but with a shiny layer like a soap bubble. Its eyes were downcast, and Jake could see the countless scars crisscrossing its back and muzzle. It was the saddest creature he had ever seen. The lion tamer led the dragon up to a small, round podium. It sat upon it, first turning around three times before dropping with a thud. It ended up with its back to Jake, revealing chains binding its wings. It sneezed suddenly, releasing a ball of flame. It lit up the opposite side of the ring for a few seconds. Someone screamed. Jake saw that clowns with fire extinguishers were posted every twenty feet around the ring. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ALL THE WAY FROM THE HIMALAYAS, THE ONLY DRAGON EVER TO BE
CAPTURED ALIVE! IT HAS MANY UNIQUE TALENTS, SUCH AS

The announcer paused in his

announcing as one of the clowns poked it with his fire extinguisher. The dragon roared, clawing at the clown and making the audience jump. SCARING THE PANTS OFF THE

AUDIENCE.

A few laughs. The dragon turned, pulling on the chain around its neck. It

reared up on its hind legs, exposing a glittering diamond underbelly, and roared again, its haunted eyes searching the audience. They locked with Jakes. He felt as if he were drowning in diamonds. Help, those eyes said, please help me. Then the spell was broken as the lion tamer yanked the dragon back around by the neck chain. Jake felt a brief moment of pity, then sat back and pretended to enjoy the rest of the show. 2 In which Jake makes a plan On the drive home, Jakes mother asked, Did you enjoy the show this year? Jake nodded. It was okay. Especially the dragon. Too bad it was fake. No need to raise suspicion. Ever since the dragon had looked at him, he had been thinking. No, that wasnt the right word. Plotting. He had been plotting about how to get the dragon away from the circus without attracting any attention. It certainly wouldnt be easy. He had thought about it for a good long time, but still didnt have much of an idea. I loved it, Nancy was saying, Especially the horsies. There had been a few scrawny draft horses with acrobats attempting to do handstands on their backs in the circus. Nancy had squealed and laughed through the entire thing. Good, good, said their mother. I thought it was pretty good, although last years was better. No flaming hoops this time, huh? Yeah. How could they be so blind?

You seem very quiet tonight, Jake. Are you feeling all right? Jakes mom twisted in her seat and tried to feel his forehead. Jake squirmed out of the way. Hey! Mo-om! Im fine! The light turned green and the car lurched forward. I was just thinking about Roxanne Stevens. Where had that come from? Now his mom would start quizzing him about her. I was just thinking about how he paused, trying to think. Uhhow cute her gerbils are. Boy, that sounded dumb. He tried to take it back: II mean but his mom was already saying, Aw, I didnt know she had gerbils! Next time I see her, Ive got to ask her about them Jake was very adept at tuning his mother out. As she babbled on and on about how much gerbils eat, he was back to plotting. Plotting. And slowly coming up with a plan. * * *

Mom, how long will the circus be here? Jake was lying in his bed at home, his mother bending over him, ready to kiss him goodnight. I dont know, honey. Probably about the same as last year, maybe a little less. Around two weeks. Jake frowned inwardly. So much for that idea. Thanks, he said anyway. I was thinking we should see the last performance. His mom frowned. Maybe. So many emotions were packed into that one small word that it was difficult to understand. The tickets are pretty spendy, so well go if we can afford it. Your dad and I will do our best, but with him losing his job, that might not be enough.

Her face relaxed and she kissed him. Dont worry about it. Goodnight, Jake. She pulled up the blankets and clicked the light off. Sleep tight. She backed out of the room and closed the door. Dont let the bedbugs bite. Of course, as soon as she shed left, Jake got up and went over to his desk. He pulled out a sheet of paper and got to work, writing a letter to his parents explaining what he was going to do. When at last it was perfected, he folded the paper in half and left it on his desk. Then he yawned, stretched, and got into bed. He fell asleep to visions of thousands of diamonds. 3 In which a dragon is rescued On Sunday morning, Jake was ready to put his plan into action. At 6:30 sharp he got up, dressed, and went downstairs for food. When he had enough, he scribbled a note saying that he had gone outside for a hike, then a picnic, and he would be gone until dinner at the latest. Then he put on his hiking boots, grabbed a picnic basket full of things he needed, and left as quietly as he could. No one else had woken up yet. It was 7:00. Jake found where he had parked his bike the day before (against the garage) and used a bungee cord to secure the picnic basket to the handlebars. Then he pedaled off to the circus. Just before he arrived, Jake dropped his bike and hid it in some bushes. Then he took three pieces of chicken from the basket, wrapping them in his mothers handkerchief. Bait for the dragon. He also took a small package of rubber bands, stuffing them in his pocket. Weapons. He was a decent shot with them, actually. Then he climbed the fence and snuck into the circus.

If it had been a much bigger circus, Jakes plan would have been hopeless. There would have been too many tents, too many people. Jake would have gotten caught. But this circus was small. It was easy to find where the animals were being kept. For one thing, it smelled horrible. A mix of elephant and large carnivore feces does not smell like a rose. There was another smell, too; a burning, smoky smell that Jake was sure was coming from the dragon. But there were small campfires everywhere, so he couldnt be sure. He kept going, ignored by everyone. He slipped into the big animal tent and ran into the lion cage. Stifling a scream, he carefully stepped around the lions. The tent was circular, and the cages were set up around the perimeter. Jake tiptoed behind the cages, passing lions, seals, an elephant Then he saw it. A huge cage, covered in black cloth. The dragon? Jake hoped so. It was hot in the tent and he wanted to get out as fast as possible. He peeked under the cloth. The dragon was there, chained down. It had some sort of muzzle on, preventing it from opening its mouth. Its diamond-studded scales sparkled in the dim light. It whined softly. Aw, come here, you poor thing, said Jake, squeezing through the bars. The dragons head jerked up as far as its chain would let it. Its eyes widened in recognition. A questioning sound echoed from its throat. What are you doing here? Have you come to rescue me? Jake nodded and put a finger to his lips. Shh. He went over to it and unhooked the muzzle.

The dragon opened and closed its mouth a few times, then blew out a wisp of flame. Jake stepped back. Ahh, the eyes said, thats better. Jake nodded again and took a piece of chicken out of his mothers handkerchief. He offered it to the dragon. It snapped it up with obvious delight, then sniffed for more. Jake whispered in its ear hole, Ill give you more if you sit still while I unchain you. He wasnt sure if the dragon understood, but he started working on the chains that bound its wings anyway. The dragon sat perfectly still while he worked, and soon the wings were free. Its muscles tensed to flap, but Jake whispered, Dont! and grabbed its wings. They relaxed, but he could still sense the dragon itching to move. The wings had been chained loosely to the body, but the manacles were locked. No matter how hard he pried, Jake couldnt get them open. Frustrated, he shoved rubber bands through the first one by one, leaving the ends poking out. He told the dragon to put all its weight on that foot. He pulled all the rubber bands back as far as they would go and tied them to one of the bars of the cage. Now! Jake whispered, and the dragon yanked its foot out of the manacle, which had opened just enough. The manacle flew across the cage and was stopped short by the chain. It held there, suspended at an angle from the rubber bands. The dragon, meanwhile, had slid a claw under the other manacle and severed it after only a few seconds. It clanked to the floor. Now, there was only the neck chain to worry about. Wassat? came a sleepy voice from outside. I dunno, said another, whose voice had a smokers rasp, lets go and see.

Jake glanced at the dragon, but before he could do anything more than hide behind it, the cage opened. Two men walked in. They were probably clowns, judging by the multicolored clothes with frilly edges. One of them still had a rubber nose over his normal one. The first one to enter the cage had straight brown hair and a curly brown beard. The other, the one with the rubber nose, wore a frizzy multicolored wig. He was also holding a beer. Thats a little un-clownish, thought Jake. He decided to call them Beard and Beer Bottle. Beer Bottle went over to the manacle supported by rubber bands. If he turned around, he would see Jake. Where the helld it get these? he said, pointing at the rubber bands. I dunno, said Beard. He was the one with the raspy voice.It got the other one off, too. He walked around the dragon and pointed at the manacle on the ground. Jake was now in full view of both men. Beard looked up and saw Jake. Hey! he said, leaping at Jake. Jake tried to scramble up and over the dragons back, but his shirt got caught on a row of small spikes he hadnt noticed before. As he struggled to pull it free, the dragon burst into action. As the men were staring at the manacles, the dragon had been sawing the neck chain with a claw. When it leaped up, the weakened chain snapped. The dragon spun around, and the chain whipped straight at Jake. He caught it to prevent it from hitting his face and held on for dear life. The dragon slashed at the chain holding the suspended manacle. It snapped, and the manacle continued toward the wall. Unfortunately, Beer Bottle was in its way, and it

hit him, full force, in the gut. He doubled up, swearing, and the dragon ran out the wide open door to the cage. Beard leaped after them, but his foot caught on a chain and he tumbled down. The dragon, with Jake on its back, ripped through the fabric of the tent and out into the morning. As soon as they were in the open air, it spread its wings and leaped into the air, catching Jake by surprise. Its powerful wings beat at the air and they circled once, twice to gain altitude. Jake saw his bike and said, Stop! We have to land down there! The dragon coasted down. Jake, whose shirt was still caught on the spikes, said, Can you grab that picnic basket? The dragon bent down and yanked the basket by the handle. It came away with the bungee cord still attached. Now lets go! The dragon needed no encouragement. With the basket clamped between its teeth, it got a quick running start and took off. 4 In which they take a trip to the beach and fight a helicopter In short, the flight was terrifying. The dragons wings were stiff and weak from weeks of disuse, so its flight was shaky. If Jakes shirt had not still been stuck, he would have fallen. After only a short time, the dragon was panting with exertion and they were forced to take refuge in a park. The dragon landed with a jolt and Jakes shirt finally ripped, sending him tumbling to the ground. An instant later, the dragon flopped on its side, still panting. The picnic basket fell from its jaws. Incredibly, it stayed shut.

Jake pulled the other two pieces of chicken from his pocket. One was a wing; the other was a piece of the breast. He offered them to the exhausted dragon, who immediately snapped them up and sniffed for more. Jake opened the picnic basket, revealing two apples; a bottle of water; a turkey sandwich; an ace bandage; a rope; his dads jackknife; a little bottle of hydrogen peroxide; a box of band-aids; some beef jerky; and the rest of the chicken. He took half of the last item out and gave it to the dragon. Even in the dim light of the cage the dragon had looked magnificent; but now, in the bright morning sunshine, every scale glittered as the dragon polished off the chicken. Thanks, said the diamond eyes. The dragon heaved itself to its feet and belched a cloud of flame. Jake thought it looked a bit embarrassed. Jake and the dragon must have been thinking the same thing, because they worked in near-perfect harmony. Jake closed the basket and climbed back onto the dragon while it swept away most of their tracks and picked the basket up in its jaws. Jake, his torn shirt having not caught this time, wrapped the remainder of the neck chain around his waist and poked the end back into the loop. There. He hoped it would stay. The dragon backed up a few steps, then ran forward, making a gradual takeoff. It circled around the park, then flew off, wings beating powerfully and evenly. Its scales sparkled and shone as the light hit them, glancing off in every direction. The shiny coating on the wings really did look like soap bubbles. We must look like a mini sun from the ground, Jake thought with a smile.

Or from the front. They almost didnt see the news helicopter until it was too late: Jake caught one look of the terrified pilot before the world tilted crazily as the dragon rolled down and to the left. It clawed at the helicopter, its talons making horrible screeching noises on the helicopters fuselage. The spinning rotor missed the dragons wing by inches. The sound was deafening. The dragon screeched in return and continued over in a backward half loop and corkscrew. Jake threw up. When he was done being sick, Jake wiped his mouth. It tasted foul. He wished he were back home. At least the chain hadnt slipped. Jake sat back and tried to enjoy the rest of the flight, although this is hard when you smell like puke and you have spikes sticking into your jeans. He managed. Soon, he fell asleep. When Jake woke, he was lying in a bed of sea grass. He sat up and looked around. He was at the beach, at some deserted cove with no one else, excluding the dragon. It was standing in a tide pool, snapping at crabs and small fish. The picnic basket was a short distance away, half buried in the sand. The sun was close to setting. Oh, no, moaned Jake. I was supposed to be home for dinner. Was there still time to get back? He doubted it. The dragon ambled over to Jake. It trilled, blowing fish-scented air over him. He made a face. Yuck. The dragon made a dry rasping sound in its throat. It repeated the noise, more urgently this time. Youre thirsty? Jake asked. Ill bet you know that salt waters not good to drink. He walked over to the picnic basket. He opened it and got out the water bottle. He

was surprisingly thirsty, too. He opened the bottle and held it out to the dragon. Here. Take a drink. The dragon shook its head. No, its eyes said. Thirsty. Jake sighed and thought for a moment. I know, he said, Open your mouth and let me pour it in. He had noticed that the dragon had no thumbs. The dragon stepped nearer and opened its jaws. They were formidable, crammed with fangs several inches long and a forked tongue. Jake gulped and poured about twothirds of the water down the dragons throat. It swallowed several times, then sighed, its thirst quenched. The dragon wandered a ways off and turned around three times before curling up in the sand and grass. Jake sighed as well, then drank half of the remaining water, and ate an apple and some beef jerky. After putting everything back in the basket, he threw his apple core to the seagulls. As they fought over it, Jake built a small sand castle. When he was nearly done, a wave came and washed it all away. By that time, the sun had set, and true darkness was beginning to set in. A chill wind blew in from the sea, ruffling Jakes hair. He shivered. How would he stay warm at night? He hadnt brought a blanket, and his shirt was ripped all the way up the back. Could he bury himself in sand? He started digging a hole, but it kept collapsing and the sand was cold, anyway. By now, it was really getting dark. Jake looked over at the dragon. Its nostrils were glowing softly with each exhalation, looking like two mini lanterns. Surely, the dragon would be warm. Jake walked over to the picnic basket and covered it with sea grass. Then he went to the dragon and lay down next to it. It was soft and warm, and only slightly scaly. Its

eyes stayed closed, but it extended a wing to cover him. They lay there, boy and dragon, all night long. 5 In which they search for a home Jake woke to a diamond tent, with sand beneath him. Soft light was filtering through the wing above him, and his head rocked back and forth with the dragons slow breathing. He lay there for a minute, just thinking, until he got bored and slithered out from beneath the wing. The early morning sun was shining down on them, and again he marveled at how beautiful the dragon was. Every scale was sparkling and glowing as if made of diamonds. The actual color of the dragon was a light gray-green, but it was easy to look over. Asleep, the dragon looked like a reptilian cat, one with a long neck, horns, wings, and spikes. Looking closer, Jake saw many very fine whiskers set behind its nostrils and eyebrows. Its eardrums were reptilian, with visible eardrums and flaps of skin partially covering them. There were two long fangs that extended past its lower jaw about half an inch, and the entire body was covered in scaly skin. There was even a small patch on its back that was shedding, and new scales showed through, even brighter than the old. The flight muscles were probably in the chest, with the front legs set farther forward. The hind legs tended to splay out to the sides like a lizards, although they could be brought underneath the body for walking. The paws were all digigrade, like a cats, and looked extremely powerful. It was streamlined for flight, with a roughly triangular head, and was naturally thin. Being underfed in the circus had made it rather skinny, but it had recently

gorged on crabs and small fish from the tidepool. And a seagull. It had retractable claws on each toe, again like a cat, and had four toes on each foot. As Jake watched, the dragon awoke and stretched like a cat. It flapped it s wings a few times and licked its diamond-studded lips. It ignored Jake and splashed into the nearest tidepool to catch breakfast. It ate lightly, still quite full from last nights feast. Jake, however, ate the entire turkey sandwich (which was going bad anyway), some beef jerky, and pried open a clam or two with his dads jackknife. Having no fire, he had to eat them raw, and they tasted pretty gross. The seagulls seemed to like them all right. Jake looked at what food he had left: Half of a drumstick and chicken breast, one apple, and about half a bag of beef jerky. He was certain he would give the chicken to the dragon, but that would leave only an apple and the beef jerky. He would have to eat the rest of the apple today and save the beef jerky for tomorrow, but then what? He had no clue how to hunt. He knew some people ate dandelions and he knew how to find licorice ferns, but he didnt see either of those here. But he was getting ahead of himself. By tomorrow, he would be back at home, with plenty of food and water Water. Jake frantically dug out the water bottle. There was only a sixth of the original amount left. He screwed the cap on even tighter and replaced the bottle in the picnic basket. He could catch rain, or get some water from a stream or something, but what if it didnt rain? And beach streams werent drinkable, were they? Jake wasnt really willing to risk taking a drink from one of those. Maybe if he got thirsty enough He stopped himself. If he thought about being thirsty, he would get thirsty. He should think about how to get more water instead. And all that thinking about running water

made him really need to go. Jake hurried over a dune and relieved himself in some seagrass. When he was done, he came back over the dune and found the dragon waiting for him. He noticed that the chain and the neck manacle were still around its neck. They looked as if they were chafing a bit. Cmere, Jake said, Let me get that off you. The dragon stepped closer, offering its neck to Jake. He weighed the chain between his hands. It was very thick and sturdy, and Jake couldnt imagine how the dragon had cut through it so quickly. He inspected the end; it had been severed cleanly. He took his fathers jackknife and tried to pick the lock on the manacle. It opened after only a few minutes work, and as it fell to the ground, Jake saw the full extent of the damage. The ring of skin where the manacle had been was rubbed raw, exposing the tender flesh to the open salt air. The dragon screamed as it came off, a high, piercing keening that ripped into Jakes ears and bounced around inside his head. When the scream had faded to a soft whine, Jake tore his shirt into strips and dribbled hydrogen peroxide onto it. Using the strips, he gently bound the wound. Then he gave the dragon most of the remaining water, saving the rest. He would need it later. He secured the strips with two band-aids. The whine subsided. Jake looked directly into the dragons eyes. At first, he saw only pain, but that soon faded into pure diamond. Then, an image appeared. It grew larger, and Jake could see that it was a mountain range, seen from above. The image jerked, then zoomed in to show a hidden valley with a stream running down into a bright silver lake. Crevasses

dotted the cliffs surrounding the valley, and brilliant points of light moved about in every direction. The dragon blinked, and the image vanished. Jake thought it looked a little sad. Was that your home? he asked. The dragon nodded. The announcer in the circus said you came from the Himalayas. Is that true? The dragon nodded again. And you want me to take you there? The dragon nodded for a third time, and now it definitely looked sad. That place looked great. Ill bet you miss it a lot. The dragon bobbed its head, a glimmering tear falling to the sand. Jake picked it up; it was hard. Dragons weep diamonds, said the eyes. Another glittering treasure dropped to the sand. Jake picked that one up, too. After all, they might come in handy. Jake walked over to the picnic basket. He pulled out the rope, threading it through his belt loops. Can I tie this around your neck? Theres not enough to go under your belly. I promise I wont touch the sore spot. The dragon nodded, so Jake climbed up onto its back and secured himself. Im ready. The dragon picked up the picnic basket, took one last look at the lovely tidepools, and took off. Jake was flung backwards and would have fallen off if he hadnt tied himself so well. As it were, he slid past the base of the wings before he grabbed the rope. He knew it would be all right. 6

In which two men get yelled at, and Jake builds a shelter Beard and Beer Bottle were mad. Not only had they been duped by a kid and a dragon, but they were responsible for letting it escape. The Ringmaster was hopping mad. How dare you two clowns let my prize escape! You say somesome boy snuck in here and helped it get away? Well, heres what I say to that! He spat at them. When he spoke again, his voice was mocking and dangerously soft. Now, if it had been an elephant, all Id have to do is get in a nice, fast car and catch up with it in a couple of minutes. But no, it had to be the ONLY DRAGON EVER CAPTURED ALIVE! Bloody hell, you two, what are you waiting for! Go get in a helicopter and chase after it! If one of you saw the kids face, go tell the police or something, but I DONT WANT TO SEE YOU AT ALL FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS, you HEAR? Unless you get that dragon back, youre FIRED, morons! On that happy note, the Ringmaster strode out, slamming the door behind him. Beard and Beer Bottle stared stupidly after him. So, uh, what do we do now? said Beer Bottle. I dunno, said Beard. Both clowns had to think for a minute. I know! said Beer Bottle. We should go rent a helicopter like the Boss said. Okay, said Beard. You go over to the cops and tell them about the kid. No, dunce! You do it. What the hell! You do it. You do it first.

Meanwhile, Jake and the dragon were soaring over the vast stretch of water called the Pacific Ocean, searching for islands. They needed one with a stream, no people, and

far enough away from land to not attract attention. They had inspected nearly half a dozen before finding one that fit their requirements. There were a few trees surrounding a meadow with a stream running through it, a few cliffs, some seabirds, and oddly enough, a cow. The cow was drinking from the stream, so Jake figured it was safe. He drank deeply, and so did the dragon and the cow. Jake refilled his water bottle and replaced it in the picnic basket. Then he cut the apple up and ate it, core and all. It was the best apple hed ever eaten. The cow would have been proud. Its thirst quenched, the dragon found a comfortable spot in the tall grass, curled up and went to sleep. Bored, Jake whittled a stick down to nothing and then fell asleep himself. When Jake woke up, it was almost dark. I should build some kind of shelter. He went over to the two glowing points of light that were the dragons nostrils and gently shook the dragon awake. When it understood what needed to be done, it half raised one wing as if beckoning Jake to sleep where e had the night before. No, said Jake, We have to build a shelter in case it rains. These are my only pants, and I dont want to spend the next few days drying them. Besides, what if the guys from the circus come looking for you? For us? You wouldnt want them to see you, would you? The dragon grudgingly agreed and heaved its tired body to its feet. As Jake went off to gather some long branches from the scrubby trees, it dug out a small hollow in the place where it had been lying. When Jake came back with his arms full of wood, the dragon dug up a boulder and used it to form one wall of the shelter. Then it helped Jake lay the branches against it to form the roof. Lastly, Jake piled grass that he had cut with

his fathers jackknife on top of the branches. Now, they would be fine if it rained. Which it did, quite suddenly and violently. Against his will, Jake got soaked. The dragon was waiting in the shelter. Water was dripping from a leak in the roof onto its snout. Its wet scales were steaming slightly. It looked grumpy, but it let Jake crawl under its wing to warm up. Jake ate some beef jerky, then offered the rest of the chicken to the dragon, who refused. It was still full from the tidepool feast. After Jake finished, he curled up against the dragons side and fell asleep. Jake woke to find the dragon gone. After locating the picnic basket, he crawled outside the shelter, brushing dirt off his bare chest. A few minutes later, the dragon returned, walking through the trees and carrying a dead rabbit in its mouth. It set the dragon down and scratched out a small hollow in the earth. It dropped the rabbit in, then stepped back. Jake saw the dragon take a deep breath and blow a careful stream of fire into the ditch. Every few seconds, it would reach into the ditch and turn the rabbit, which it hadnt bothered skinning. When it finished cooking the rabbit, the dragon took it from the pit and tore at it with its teeth. Jake looked away. He didnt want to get sick again, especially with limited food. All he had left was a little beef jerky and some chicken. At the thought of food, Jakes stomach tried to growl, but then he thought of the dead rabbit and pushed the hunger away. When the sounds of tearing meat and small bones crunching between powerful jaws stopped, Jake went up to the dragon. It licked bloody lips and looked at him. This time, instead of the now familiar almost-words, Jake saw a question. He wasnt sure what

the question was, being as he had never seen a question before, but it was definitely a question. Then he realized that the dragon was asking him what he wanted to say. Well be staying here for a while, he said. If were going to the Himalayas were going to have to catch a ride across the Pacific. And if were going to catch a ride, were going to have to wait here until a ride shows up. Got it? The dragon sighed, making the barely perceptible lights in its nostrils flare brighter. It looked at him directly, then trotted off into the scrubby trees. Jake shrugged, but followed it. No harm in seeing where it was going. The dragon went on until it came out onto a small bluff overlooking the sea. It looked over its wing at Jake, who had just emerged, panting, from the trees. It sat down. Jake seated himself next to it. Apparently, it intended to wait for the ride. As they sat, time dragged on. Hours passed. Jake grew increasingly bored, but the dragon showed no sign of boredom. The shadows of the trees slowly crept around to cover them. For the first time, the dragon stopped sparkling and glinting, and Jake could easily see its true color. Lying down with its wings spread out, it looked like nothing more than a strangely shaped boulder. Jake decided it was safe enough to go back to the shelter and get the picnic basket. He came back carrying it and again joined the dragon in staring out to sea. Jake had left just in time. A few minutes later, a helicopter flew by overhead. Jake heard it and retreated into the cover of the trees. The pilot, Beer Bottle, spotted the makeshift shelter. Put us down there, said Beard, who was also in the helicopter. I see something.

Beer Bottle landed the helicopter in the pit the dragon had cooked the dragon in. Look! said Beard. Theres guts and blood all over the place. I think it killed the kid. Of it did! Killed and ate it! We should go tell the Boss. Beard thought for a long moment. I have an idea, he said. Why dont we go tell the Boss? Beer Bottle shook his head. Sometimes you astound me, buddy. Beard shrugged and walked back to the helicopter. Beer Bottle followed. With a swirl of leaves, it rose from the ground, rotor spinning. Seconds later, it was gone. 7 In which the dragon is shot Jake and the dragon stayed on the island all the next day and halfway into the next. One morning, Jake woke up and found the cow chewing on the roof. It was then he decided that theyd better leave as soon as possible. Fortunately, later that day, the dragon spotted a ship on the horizon. It appeared to be a cruise ship, but it was so far away that it might have been an ocean liner. Jake packed, meaning he wrapped the bungee cord around the picnic basket so it would stay shut and tied himself to the dragons neck. The dragon roasted two seagulls and had Jake carry them in the picnic basket. Then it went to the bluff with Jake on its back. Jake shivered as the chilly wind hit his bare back. The dragon paused with its front claws over the edge, opened it wings, and leaped. Jake screamed as they plunged downwards, they were going to crash, he knew it! Then the rush of air caught the

dragons spread wings and it flapped once, twice, three times and they soared upwards. Jakes scream of terror turned into a whoop of delight. The tough, shiny skin of the dragon wings billowed and snapped like sails in a breeze when the dragon glided; it stretched taut when it flapped to power them toward the ship. In the bright sunlight, the dragons scales glittered in an almost unbearable way. If they didnt, the dragon would have overheated. Each one of the dragons scales acts as a reflector, turning away the heat and light of the sun. This makes it possible for the dragon to see almost no glare, but it makes the dragon seem to emit light. This was why the people in the helicopter found them so easily. Jake squinted against the wind, not wanting to miss even a second of the glorious flight. In minutes, they were nearly upon the cruise ship. Unbeknownst to them, though, the passengers and crew of the ship were glued to their binoculars, watching the helicopter overtake the dragon and rider. Suddenly, a flash of gunfire exploded from the belly of the helicopter. The spectators saw tiny black dots that were bullets bounce off the diamond-hard scales and fall into the ocean. The dragon rolled, exposing its underbelly but protecting the boy. The helicopter fired again, and the dragon was thrown backwards. It began a slow spiral down into the waves, blood seeping from wounds in its wings. Jake clung on for dear life as the dragon fell out of the sky. He hadnt seen the helicopter until it had shot the dragon. He had gotten a glimpse of the pilot, though. It was the Ringmaster.

Earlier that day, the clowns Beard and Beer Bottle returned to the circus. At first, the Ringmaster was furious that they hadnt found the dragon, but they told him about the site of the killing and he grew quiet. Hmm, said the Ringmaster. Take me to the place in the helicopter. I have to get on its trail as quickly as possible. It may already be far away. Why would you want to do that? said Beard. You truly are a dunce. Let me spell it out for you: I need to kill the dragon. When I find it, I will shoot its head off. Got it? What? Oh, never mind. The Ringmaster snatched the keys to the helicopter out of Beards hand. But I thought you wanted to keep it, said Beard, staring stupidly at his empty hand. Are you still talking about that? Well, I changed my mind. With that, the two men marched back to the helicopter, where Beer Bottle was waiting. 8 In which the dragon is rescued again The cruise ship The World was in an uproar. Most of the passengers were standing outside the Captains office, chanting, Lifeboat! Lifeboat! until he sent out a lifeboat to go rescue the fallen dragon and rider. In the end, it took three lifeboats, each with 60-horsepower engines and seats for twenty to get the dragon up to the main deck of The World. The boy, it seemed, hadnt united himself from the dragon and was being

dragged beneath the surface. He was still conscious, but the dragon had been knocked out by a combination of pain and hitting the water. Jake stayed by the dragon until it woke up and breathed a cloud of boiling steam at all the humans. He waited until it calmed down, then went up to it and hugged it tightly around the neck. This is my friend, uh-- he said, realizing that the dragon didnt have a name. The dragon, he finished lamely. I rescued it from the circus. It sort of told me that it wanted me to take it to its home in the Himalayas. How do you know that, sonny? said the Captain. It told me, said Jake. So you want me to take you to the Himalayas with a dragon that might or might not have lived at one point in those mountains? Yup, said Jake. Id be honored to serve a dragon, said the Captain. Passengers! We have a change of plan. We are going to the Himalayas! Nearly a week later, The World was traveling up the Ganges River. Enormous mountains loomed in the distance. The Captain went up to Jake. I have some bad news and some good news, said the Captain. Which would you like to hear first? The bad news, said Jake. It was something he always did. He wanted to hear the good news second to cheer him up after the bad news. The bad news is, said the Captain, your friends in the helicopter have been tailing us.

But thats impossible. We just traveled across the entire Pacific Ocean. How can they be tailing us? The Captain sighed. I dont know how they did it, and I dont care. I just dont want to put you in danger again. You or the dragon. But Now, listen. I love kids, I really do, but I cant just let you go so you can get shot again! The dragon still has massive bruises from where those bullets bounced off its scales. As a kid, I loved dragons, but now, you come first. Do you want to hear the good news or not? Whatever. I have no choice but to let you two go on alone. The rivers too narrow and dangerous for my ship. I would recommend leaving as soon as possible. Jake whooped and ran off to find the dragon. 9 In which the dragon finds its home Later that day, Jake and the dragon flew all the way to the foothills of the Himalayas. They descended only when the sun had set completely and the dragon as too tired to fly any farther that night. It was a warm night, so they slept out under the stars. Jake fell asleep watching the stars turn in their slow, cold, endless circles. In the morning, the dragon woke up before Jake. It hunted and sat down to wait until Jake awoke. Jake slept until a ray of sun fell across his closed eyes. He sat up and yawned. He felt stiff from sleeping on cold earth all night. The dragon was impatient to go, so he quickly put on the brand-new backpack full of food and supplies that the

Captain had given him and roped himself to the dragons back. The Captain had given him some more rope, so he was able to tie himself down more firmly. The dragon got a running start and took off, circling until it was high enough to be mistaken for a glittery bird or an oddly shaped plane. It spread its wings and glided quickly through the nearest valley. Jake could feel joy radiating from it like beams of sunlight on a cloudy day. It was home! It was finally home! It looped-the-loop for joy. Jake was very glad of the extra ropes when the dragon looped. The scenery was stunning, with stark contrasts between the snow on the peaks and the grass in the valleys. The day wore on, and still the dragon did not rest. Toward noon, it started gaining altitude until it was level with the peaks on either side. The air became cold and thin, and Jake panted even though he was sitting still. The dragon circled still higher. How high are we going to go? Jake thought. In answer, the dragon snarled. Then, with a final burst of power and speed, it flew above the peaks. A blanket of clouds masked the ground beneath them, and the dragon flew over the highest mountain. Jake gasped as he saw the hidden valley that lay below them now. It was exactly like the image he had seen in the dragons eye so long ago. It was long rather than wide, with a stream running from a waterfall at one end to a silver lake at the other. Many cracks split the cliffs on all sides. The lake emptied through one of the cracks, leaving no way to enter or exit the valley except by air. Brilliant clusters of light danced along the cliffs and ground. Then the dragon dropped into a dizzying dive, rocketing toward the ground at a terrifying speed. As they grew nearer, Jake could see a small cluster of huts on the edge of the lake. Then, when they were only five hundred feet from the ground, the dragon began to pull out of the downward plunge. It opened its wings slightly from

where they had been clamped against its sides and the angle of descent lessened. At less than a hundred feet, it suddenly flared its wings and turned nose upward. It hung there for a moment, then circled around in a great arc. Jake clamped his hands over is ears as the dragon roared. The sound bounced off he now distant peaks. The dancing lights froze in place. Then an answering roar sounded from somewhere close by. Jake saw a large cluster of lights start zooming toward them. The dragon landed. Jake squinted at the lights. There was something very familiar about the way they moved. Something seemed to shift inside his head, and the lights became a pair of wings, a head, a tail A dragon. As it grew nearer, Jake saw that this one was sleeker in profile than his dragon. It had shorter horns, and seemed more graceful. It was also deep green, with gleaming emerald scales. It had the same sheen on its wings as his dragon, but it seemed greener somehow. It landed a few feet away and rushed toward the gray dragon. Jake realized that this dragon must be his dragons mate. Someone tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around, expecting Beard, or Beer Bottle, or maybe even the Ringmaster, but it was just a girl with long brown hair and dark brown eyes. She smiled at him. Welcome, friend, she said in perfect English. To the Valley of the Dragons. 10 In which the Valley of the Dragons is discovered Jake gaped at the girl. She smiled again.

I see from your expression that you didnt think I could speak your language. Well, let me tell you this: I am a Dragonrider, and all Riders have the gift of tongues. I came out here to find out what my Kira was so upset about. Id recognize her roar anywhere. Then I saw you and Nakyl and I wondered how you got here, she paused. Whats your name, any way? Jake, said Jake. Whats yours? Cora. Then I wondered if Nakyl had really Found someone, and then I thought, how did he get here? He disappeared months ago and everybody thought he was dead, but now hes come back and Kiras really happy cause he was her mate and Wait, said Jake. Nakyl? Is that myI mean the gray dragon? Yes, said Cora. Didnt I tell you that already? He is He? Nakyl is a male dragon? Of course! Kiras his mate. Jake clapped a hand to his forehead. I cant believe Ive been calling him it or the dragon all this time! Cora patted his arm. Its all right. Most people dont know what gender their dragon is until it matures. How did you find him, anyway? Wait, no, dont tell me. We need to be inside for a proper story. She grabbed his hand and tugged him into one of the huts. Once they were inside, Jake told Cora and her astounded mother how he had seen Nakyl in the circus and had decided to rescue him. He told how he had left the letter on his desk and snuck away on his bike. He told how he helped Nakyl escape, how he tricked the two clowns Beard and Beer Bottle, and how he had left his bike behind the

bushes. He told of their flight to the beach and their flight to the islands and how they built the shelter and how he had gotten soaked by the rain. He told how they had flown to The World and had nearly died, he told how kind the Captain was, and how they had come to the Valley of the Dragons. Finally, he stopped. That is quite the tale, said Coras mother, who was a Dragonrider herself. Now, youd better get to bed. Its getting dark out, and the altitude may have affected you in some way. I would like to know more in the morning, Jake gladly shuffled off to bed.

The next day, Jake and Cora went to their dragons lair. It was a deep cleft in the rock about a quarter mile up the mountain wall. The only way from the ground to it was a stone staircase that zigzagged up the rock. Cora scuttled right up, but Jake clung to the inner edge of the stairs. The part of his mind that wasnt terrified thought Wow, this is the first time Ive ever heard my knees actually knocking. When at last he made it up to the cave, Jake leaned against the wall and took several deep breaths. Then he looked around. Kira and Nakyl lay in the back of the cave, wings around each other. Cora was sitting on Kiras back. Jake went up to the gray dragon. How are you? he said, looking him in the eyes. Warmth and happiness seemed to flood from the eyes. Good, they said, I am good. Then abruptly the eyes switched to pure fear and hatred. Jake looked behind him and saw three men enter the cave. He recognized them instantly.

They were Beard, Beer Bottle, and the Ringmaster. 11 In which Beard and Beer Bottle get new jobs So, said the Ringmaster. You think youre so clever, coming all the way here to try and hide. But let me tell you a secret: Ive been looking for this place for years. I will capture all the dragons and use them in my new circus. It will be the greatest circus the world has ever seen! The public will pay millions to see even a glimpse of its splendor. And I will rule all of it. He gestured with the gun held loosely in his right hand. Tie them up. Beard and Beer Bottle came forward, carrying ropes. Quickly they tied Jake and Cora together, leaving their mouths ungagged. I want to hear them plead for mercy, said Beer Bottle. Throw them in the back of the cave, said the Ringmaster, and bring the dragons to me. Beard, who was stronger than Beer Bottle, tossed Jake and Cora carelessly in the back of the cave. Beer Bottle carefully fitted a muzzle over Nakyls snout and tugged the unwilling dragon over to the Ringmaster. Now, purred the Ringmaster, I was lucky with you last time. I caught you exploring outside this valley. When you got away from me, I swore to kill you. I will take back my oath if you join my circus again. If you dont, this bullet goes through your head. Understand, lizard?

Nakyl rolled his eyes and tried to pull away as the Ringmaster stared him hard in the eyes. But the dragon was no match for the Ringmaster. In minutes, Nakyls head sagged, and all signs of fear or aggression were gone. The Ringmaster smiled. See? he said to Jake, Cora, and Kira. See how easily I dominated him? Capturing all the dragons will be easy. Remember how this one fought last time? Jake was in no fit state to answer. His head was throbbing from the effects of the hypnosis used on his dragon. His dragon! The dragon was his and no one elses! The Ringmaster couldnt do this! It was an outrage! The Ringmaster sent Beard to drag Kira over. Jake clutched his head; something had happened to his mind. Whatever it was, it was giving him a blinding headache. It felt like something was digging away at the back of his head, but on the inside. As the pain mounted, he squeezed his eyes tightly shut. Then it was gone. He opened his eyes. Something miraculous had happened. He was still himself, but at the same time he was also Nakyl. He was seeing things from two different perspectives; one set of his eyes saw everything that happened with perfect clarity while the other set saw with his own less-than-perfect vision. His wings rustled against his sides, his feet pawed the stone beneath them. His arms were bound to Coras, his head rested against the wall. He was one of them and yet both of them, and in this state he was totally and absolutely free. Jake wasnt sure if this was his doing or Nakyls, but he suspected it had been both of them combined. Now they truly were combined, they were one being, they were whole. He heard Nakyls voice coming from somewhere deep within them. He didnt speak in words, but Jake understood perfectly. He replied with a roar from his dragon

mouth, and with that roar came flame, flame that was more than flame; it was somehow purer and the precise color of diamonds. It was joined by an emerald flame from Kira/Cora and both flames engulfed the Ringmaster, who screamed in pain. Jake/Nakyl paused to draw breath and then more flames rushed forth. The Ringmaster seemed to collapse in on himself, much to the amazement of Beard and Beer Bottle. Finally, Jake/Nakyl stopped breathing fire. Kira/Cora followed their example. They looked at where the Ringmaster had been. A bawling baby lay on the floor of the cave. Its head poked out of the neck of an overlarge shirt. The rest of the Ringmasters clothes lay in a heap nearby. Wheres the Ringmaster? Jake said with Nakyls mouth. That is the Ringmaster, said Nakyl in Jakes head. Of course, he didnt talk in words, just feelings and images. The diamond and emerald fire burned away his evil, leaving him only a hatchling. Nothing compares to the innocence of a child. I suppose its better for him, said Cora. He deserved to start over again. What about us? said Beard. Yeah, said Beer Bottle. Are you gonna babify us too? Jake shook Nakyls head. No. Beer Bottle brightened considerably. Then would you be willing to take us on as handymen? Me an Greg were carpenters before we joined the circus. I dont think he liked the Ringmaster any more than I did. Yeah, said Beard. But before that we were plumbers. Remember that one leaky pipe under the sink in that old ladys house, Ernie? Will YOU shut UP, Greg? Ernie punched his arm.

Ow, said Greg. Of course wed be willing. Some of these cave could use some fixing up, said Cora. She shut both sets of her eyes and returned to two separate beings. Jake did the same. Nakyl obligingly cut through their bindings. Jake helped Ernie up onto Nakyls back in front of him. Both dragons glided gently down to the waiting village below. After some arrangements with Jakes mother (and a few long phone conversations), Jake was allowed to stay at the Valley of the Dragons. Then, miraculously, everyone lived happily ever after, even the baby.