"Dragon Valley" Chapter 5

        "Dragon Valley"

Chapter 5

-Danielle Myre

        I reach the top of Dry Ridge and below me Dragon Village sparkles with light. Its beauty is breath taking with the stars twinkling over the land. I can’t stop my heart from hammering itself against my ribs. I snap a few pictures from my spot and start my descent. Thank goodness the path down Dry Ridge on this side is mainly a downward slope. 
        “We are still going to the clinic when we get down to the village,” Kyle says, coming up next to me. 
        “I’m really fine you know,” I smile, picking up my pace. He easily keeps up with me. “I’ll go. But I promise you that I’m fine.” 
Kyle snorts, “Yes, you just fainted and made me carry you for several hours. You are just fine.” I smile and shrug at him. He smiles and shakes his head at me. “Be careful so you don’t fall.” Just as he gets done saying that I slip on gravel and land on my butt. I hear Kyle sigh and laugh at the same time. 
        I get up from the ground with Kyle’s help. My eyes lock onto Dragon Village again as I dust off my butt. I can now see tiny specks of people moving about the town. I glance at the lake; the moonlight makes the water glisten like shiny black snake scales. I smile and start walking again. My eyes don't leave the village for a second as I move towards it, and because of that Kyle has to help me up from the ground five times. 
        I plant my feet at the base of Dry Ridge and stare straight into the village. Ten more feet, when the dry and crackling ground turns green, I will truly be inside Dragon Village. I take a step forward and a gush of wind caresses my skin and blows my hair out of its messy bun. With my second step warmth fills my entire body, tingles wiggle their way through my body with my third step. Each step increases the sensations around me and inside me. As I take my final step I feel my body go numb and I lose all my senses. I can't feel anything, anything at all. It's like my body has disappeared completely and I only have my conscience.
        Quickly, everything starts coming back to me. I stumble in place but Kyle is there to keep me upright. His laughter is gone now, and he can only shake his head at me. "Take a look around," Jim's voice booms. "You are in Dragon Village. I'm glad to see that everyone is in one piece. Alright, I'm sure you are hungry and tired so follow me.” I expect Jim to lead them straight into the village but he leads them towards the direction of the lake.
        “There is a stable over there with a few horses,” Kyle says from behind me. I turn and look at him. “It’s a couple of miles before reaching the living quarters so they will take a horse and buggy the rest of the way.” 
        I look back to the group. They get into wagons like the ones in old western television shows and the horses start trotting towards town area of Dragon Village. “How did you get horses in here?” There are animals here, unnatural ones, but not horses or anything of like. 
Kyle glances up at the sky, “Once a month, the wind barrier that protects the sky over this place shifts. When it shifts a small hole is created that allows us to get some supplies in cargo containers down here via the sky but it closes within minutes.” I look at the sky. I’ve always wondered why they don’t use a helicopter to drop us into the village. The barrier up there is probably a lot stronger than the wind in the Wind Zone therefore more dangerous than travelling through the valley.  
        “Let’s go,” Kyle tugs my arm and leads me in the direct of a two story log house 100 yards away. Even from this far away I can see the large red plus sign like those on first aid kits painted neatly on the door. 
        I open the hospital door and gawk at the wide open, spacious and beautiful room. The floor is painted a shiny white and the non-log shaped walls are painted a creamy, pale green. Everything smells fruity and like early morning dew. I don’t know what I expected but I never expected to see painted walls, a table with blue and pink flowers or neatly made beds lining a wall, or a huge reception desk or chairs and book shelves. It’s cozy. 
        “Surprised?” A woman exits from a door behind the huge desk and makes her way towards me, “Most newcomers are.” She smiles at Kyle and motions us forward. “So what happened to this one?” 
        I shrug. “She slid down the drop in the Needle Forest, cut her hand, and fainted before entering the Rain Zone.” Kyle states and the woman pales. Before I can tell her I’m fine she rushes to the stairs near the book shelves and chairs and yells for a man named Dave, and instantly I hear foot steps above. 
        “What’s going on Delly?” a man, Dave I’m assuming, asks. The woman, Delly, tells him what Kyle told her but he doesn’t look nearly as panicked. He walks over to me and holds my hand while checking out the bandaging. “Let’s examine you,” he smiles. 
“I’m fine,” I sigh. “The cut is just from the impact and I only fainted cause I’m sacred of earthquakes.” I’m starting to believe my own lies. Dave looks at Kyle and they have a silent eye to eye chat. When Dave looks at me he smiles again and guides me towards an examine room. I knew that I wouldn’t get out of it but I still had to try. 
        I sit down on a hard wood chair, like the ones in the rest area. Dave sits on a square wood stool in front of me while Kyle leans against the door watching me like a hawk. “Let’s take this wrapping off shall we?” Doctor Dave peels the tape back and unwraps the gauze. I stare at my hand in disbelief. When I saw my hand before Kyle wrapped it, it was cut up pretty badly. But as I look at my hand now it looks just fine except for a few tiny paper-cut like wounds. Uneasiness fills my being and makes my stomach turn. Impossible, this is completely impossible. I shake my head and pull my hand towards me. 
        “This isn't so bad,” Dave smiles at me. I glance at Kyle and he is frozen. I turn away because I can’t face him. He saw how bad my hand was cut up and now it’s not. My stomach clenches with fear and something inside me realizes that being here isn't good idea. I shouldn't be here. 
        All of a sudden my fear doubles. The air around me cools dramatically. Dave notices and so does Kyle because he snaps out of his frozen state. I shake my head and cover my ears and squeeze my eyes shut. The ground under my feet starts vibrating and a loud hum starts echoing around me. The hum get’s louder and louder and turns into a growl and makes the very air tremble and me tremble with it. I don't pass out this time but I wish that I would. I wish I would have never came here.