Dragon Keeper — Part 1

In a world that doesn’t believe, the impossible happens.

Introduction

I woke up that day, normal. Normal job. Normal cats. Normal house. Normal life. I just want to begin this story with that being said. I never asked to be different. I never asked for anything that I’m about to tell you.

However, I want you to know that I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’ve lost friends through death and leaving. I’ve made new friends and I was brought closer to the ones that I already had. This experience has been life changing for me. Who would have ever thought that dragons were real? Who would have ever thought that we’ve lived with them for centuries? But it’s true.

The sweat was slowly building on my brow. It was June and it was hot. Hotter than normal. I was working my normal shift of 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. We always had that chance of getting to leave early if labor was too high to accommodate everyone on the clock. I had my fingers crossed that it would slow down so I could leave.

I’m not saying that I am unhappy all around in my life, but I’m not a massive fan of my job. It’s not even the job itself, but I feel like I’m not doing my part. I feel as if I had more to contribute to the world than just waitressing. I always had this feeling in my gut that I was meant for more. It’s probably why I always felt like a failure.

Business slowed down and the chance to leave was given to me. I didn’t hesitate. I was out. Gone. Going home. I wanted to get as far away from food and customers as humanly possible. It’s exhausting.

I always set in my car when I first get off work and I lean my head back and close my eyes. My brain typically reminds me that I survived, once again, another day. I made it. Now I could go home and just hang out with my cats and relax.

The drive home takes about fifteen minutes. I have a roommate who happens to be my best friend. He’s a dude. We always get asked if were married. It’s a very old joke that people like to make because we’re male and female best friends. I will never understand the assumption of that. He typically doesn’t get off work until an hour after I do, and sometimes he has plans or other obligations and it’s even later when he comes home.

When I pulled into the driveway, I immediately got a small sense of dread. My blinds were totally jacked up. I mean, it looked like something had swung from them and then attempted to ties knots, but couldn’t and so they just gave up and left it. Don’t be mistaken, I love my cats, but they are tiny destroyers of blinds. Blinds are not cheap and it gets expensive when you have to buy them consistently. It’s annoying.

I got out of my car and trudged up the stairs to my front door. As I was fumbling with my keys, I heard something crash to the floor on the other side of the door. A sense of urgency coursed through my body as I haphazardly tried to unlock the door faster. What was happening inside? What was broken?

I finally got the door open after what seemed like hours. I walked through and nearly turned around and walked back out. It looked like a large animal had tore through the living room. The couch was turned on its side and the cushions had been mutilated with there insides laying everywhere throughout the dining room and kitchen. The coffee table had large scratch marks across the top. This was done by something big. My brain then switched modes. My cats were inside somewhere probably terrified. What if something had happened to them?

Let me explain, before I go forward that I have eccentric cats. I know a lot of pet owners probably say the same things. My pet is special. My pet is adorable. My pet is so smart. I’m not talking about that right now. My cats are assholes with there own personalities. Cornelius, who I also refer to as Meow Meow, is the smaller of the two and also the oldest. He is a light grey tabby with a white belly and dark grey stripes on his body. I like to refer to him as my thug cat. He is large compared to normal house cats, but he will fight anything. He is not scared of any situation or individual.

My big boy’s name is Patton, but I call him Patty and he is seventeen pounds. He’s a little overweight, but for the most part, he’s just big. He’s scared of everything. He is my baby and he talks non-stop. He is a tabby with a dark brown coat muddied with orange and lighter browns. His belly is white and his stripes are black. He has the face of something similar to a Maine Coon.

I wanted to introduce them to you before I continued on with my story because it revolves around them. I needed you to understand the love I have for them and the deep connection I also share with them. They are more than just animals to me. I consider them on the same level as I do humans. They mean the world to me.

Back to the Story though.

My body froze up where it was when I realized that the fridge was also open. However, this mess hadn’t been abandoned. There was a living creature of some sort that was currently eating my left over alfredo from the previous night. I couldn’t see the body, but I could see one little claw that wasn’t hidden by the fridge door.

I can’t explain what happened next within me. I don’t think you would ever understand. Most people would’ve just left. Ran for the hills. Nope roped the situation. However, there was a pulling from within me towards this creature. I was drawn to it and somehow I knew that I would be okay. That I was safe.

I quietly placed my bag and keys in the recliner that, thankfully, had not been destroyed. I didn’t want to startle whatever was in the fridge so I crept slowly. I had almost made it out of the living room, when my foot came down in the doorway of the kitchen with a loud creak. I froze and so did whatever was behind that door. The little claw jerked back behind the door and then I heard it; this low guttural growl. I still wasn’t afraid and to this day, it makes no sense.

Something in me told me to keep approaching. Something told me to not be afraid so I moved forward gently. When I could nearly reach my hand out and open the door, a loud BOOM! happened behind me. I immediately turned around and there was a second one, but it looked like a creature from fairytales. It looked like something out of a movie.

It looked like a baby dragon.

I stared at the dragon and it stared back at me with these eyes. I knew these eyes. They were young eyes, kitten eyes. They were Patty’s eyes. About this time, he bounded towards me. I immediately braced for impact. I wasn’t worried about him causing me harm, on purpose, but accidents do happen.

He knocked me off my feet and immediately rubbed his smooth head against my shoulder and then sat in front of me. His skin was dark brown with orange and light brown accents. His spine had spikes that were black and his tail was black at the tip. This really was my Patty.

He then let out, what I can only assume to be a baby dragon noise. In cat lingo, he meowed at me. He was talking to me or at least trying to. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t think. My brain was off the rail.

My paralyzed state of being was interrupted by the second dragon sliding under my arm and curling up the best he could in my lap just like Cornelius always did. He skin was a light grey and his belly was white. His spine was adorned with dark grey spikes and his tail was dark grey. Is this really happening? Am I the proud new owner of two dragons in a world that can barely except Pit Bulls? This is just great.

How am I suppose to take care of dragons? Dragons aren’t even real, or they weren’t suppose to be. Is this just the way it’s going to be?

I slowly slide the smaller dragon off of me and walk back towards the living room with both hands on my head. This was movement that I did when I was under a lot of stress. I paced back and forth between the bookcase and the recliner.

My phone rang and I nearly jumped out of my skin. It was my best friend. I panicked. What was I going to tell him? What if he was just like nope, I’m out? I picked up the phone and pressed the green button on my screen.

Hello, he answered.

I quickly started in, “I have something to tell you and I need you to promise that you won’t freak out.”

He responded with, “Okay. Um. What is this that you need to tell me?”

I quickly told him. “I’m a hundred percent sure that my cats have turned into dragons and I don’t know what to do.”

Silence is what I was met with.