Getting it right: Dragon TF

Getting it right: Dragon TF

Jake, an ordinary teenager stepping into the high school world for the first time stepped off of the bus and onto the front lawn of his school located somewhere between the countryside and residential neighborhoods. His favorite blue shirt with a fierce roaring dragon etched in white on the front smelled clean, his khaki’s felt soft as fur, and his black backpack hung on one shoulder as he went down a concrete path towards double doors with a stream of other students, all eager for the new year. The September weather blessed them with a comfortable sunny morning to meet old friends and rekindle relationships that had gone cold over the hot summer. Already Jake could see one of his best friends and he hadn’t even made it through the front door. He smiled as his lifelong friend met eyes with him and returned the grin.

“Hey hey, long time no see Jake!” He shouted amidst the bustling crowd of kids.

“Hey man! What’s up?” Jake asked casually when they managed to sift through the students.

They bro-fisted each other, “I’m pretty good. School’s back, but my girl should be here by now, so I have something sweet to look up to.” He answered. He pointed at his dragon, “I like the shirt by the way.”

Sam was a dark-complexioned fourteen year old teen who had known Jake since they were in kindergarten. He stood in his basketball shoes at six foot three, which meant everyone looked up when talking to him. It didn’t bother Jake any though; he was used to looking down at everyone, so it was a pleasant change to look up at a friend instead.

They both examined his T-shirt, “Thanks man; dragons are my favorite.” He glanced back at Sam, “So are you going to be my wingman this year too or is your girl gonna pull you out?” Jake and Sam began walking down the halls of their school.

Sam laughed, “And leave you flying solo? I don’t think so. You need me too much for that magical moment when the sparks fly to just leave me to my lady friend.”

Jake threw his hands up in surrender, “I’m just checking man. You never know when your lady friend gets to be a little more than that.”

“I get you, but I’m not the type of guy to get chained down by a few sweet kisses and smooth skin.” Sam assured him. They figured out where their lockers were and put everything they didn’t need inside.

“What’s our first class Sam?” Jake asked as he sorted through his things.

“History. Mr. Kent, our favorite teacher.”

“Great. I’m looking forward to that.” Jake slammed his locker shut and went into class with his friend in tow. Most of the seats in Mr. Kent’s class had been taken but there were still two desks beside each other towards the back of the class. They quickly filled them and resumed talking about girls.

“Blonde or brunette?”

“Depends.”

“On what again?” Sam smiled, amused, “I forgot over the summer.”

The door slammed loudly, silencing the room.

“Alright everyone, welcome back to school.” A dry-toned Mr. Kent announced as he took center stage of the classroom, “This is your homeroom for the next four years, and because it is I will be your class teacher until graduation do us part.”

“Or death.” Someone mumbled aloud.

Mr. Kent turned his head towards the condescending comment as he raised an eyebrow, “I know some of you will not pass the required curriculums. That is fine; I am prepared for the dropouts. We will prevail though and with some work you will earn your degree. Then, you’ll be free to enter the real world, where people get jobs to make money so they can pay for a pile of bills.”

The bell rang for first class: history. Jake glanced at the clock. It read 8:20.

This is going to be a long first day of school. Jake grumbled as Mr. Kent continued into the history segment of his speech.

“And there’s our bell to start. I have your history books and syllabuses. The front row can handle the paper while I hand out your books.” He divided out the informational paper before hoisting a stack of books in his arm.

“Hey Mr. Kent?” Someone piped up, “What if I don’t want a textbook?”

“Then that’s too bad Kevin. Everyone gets one.” The history teacher answered.

Another student raised his hand. It was Sam.

“What if I refuse to do your homework on the grounds that it’s stupid?” A few students stifled snickers.

Mr. Kent shrugged, “Then you’ll be my first flunkie.”

“Smartass.” The teen grumbled under his breath.

“Right back at you kid.” He replied, and continued handing out history books.

Jake waited while Mr. Kent plopped out the thick textbooks on the desks, weaving through via serpentine pattern up and down the rows. Just thinking about history made Jake sick. There was nothing much to learn about history. All it amounted to was a bunch of old people who did something before he existed. He understood that they were important, but he was never going to remember them next year, let alone in five years. Not too many people cared about dead people anyway.

All his thinking gave him a slight headache. All the people, events, and dates he’d be forced to regurgitate again and again would brainwash him until he was another mindless drone. He looked out the window and saw a beautiful day. The sun shone bright and he remembered the warmth being just right. If only he could experience the freedom of summer on a day like today, but instead he was stuck at school, the first of a hundred and eighty boring days. His friends were the only reason why school was a good thing in a kid’s life, he was sure of that.

Jake shifted uneasily in his seat. The pants he had put on felt tight on him now, and his soft shirt felt uncomfortably small. Jake tried to loosen his collar by pulling on it for more room, but it was no use. Mr. Kent surprised him with a history book landing on his desk with a slap. He almost yelped if it hadn’t been for a frog in his throat. Sam grinned as he saw the shock in Jake’s face.

He wiped off his surprised expression with an angry frown and sat awkwardly in his chair. A wave of sudden nausea struck him. He put a hand on his forehead, but it didn’t feel hot or clammy, just dry. He tried to shrug it off, but instead it intensified into vertigo.

Then suddenly it cleared. The sickness and headache were both gone. Jake lightly shook his head; he could have sworn he was on the edge of vomiting just a second ago. Mr. Kent finished handing out the books, and Jake had somehow managed to acquire a syllabus without his knowing.

“Let’s take a look at the syllabus at first. The grade point system is the same as before, as you can see…”

Jake ignored Mr. Kent as he read off the information on the paper. Everything seemed to change around him, like he was seeing things anew. He felt strangely excited for a change and he was here, at school. With that excitement came a feeling of power, like he could tear the book in front of him in half with his bare hands. He entertained that idea in his head and smiled. It would be pretty amazing if he had the strength to do that.

“Your quizzes are ten percent and tests are twenty five percent, so try not to fail those…”

The excitement and power bubbled over in him. His fingernails dug into the desk he was so excited. he really needed to do something! He had all the energy in the world here, right now, ready to burst out at any second! In all his excitement his fingers penetrated the wood with a crack. The teacher stopped his boring run-through to look at him, and the rest of the class turned their heads in his direction.

“Jake Rhodes,” The teacher scorned, “You want to give a good excuse to the class as to why your hand is in your desk?”

“Uhh… weak wood?” Jake sheepishly smiled to boot, but it was no use. Mr. Kent was not amused.

“I’m sure the school will want a refund. I’ll be sure to tell your parents too, because they’ll be the ones paying for it.”

Sam nudged him on the shoulder, “Are you alright man?”

Jake looked at him, “I’m fine. In fact, I feel great.” He admitted.

Sam’s eyes widened.

“Dude, your eyes.”

“Yeah, what about them?” Jake cautiously asked. The whole class was still staring at him like he was an alien. It was starting to weird him out.

“They’re all blue and white.”

The class was beginning to make him nervous, “Mr. Kent, I think I need to go to the restroom.” He uttered.

“Think or know?”

“Does it matter?” Jake retorted.

“It does if you’re leaving my classroom.”

Jake huffed, “Fine, I know I need to go to the restroom.”

“I’ll go with him.” Sam volunteered.

“Uh, no.” Mr. Kent stopped him, “You can go one at a time. Get going Mr. Rhodes; you already have a line behind you to the toilets.”

“Okay.” Jake said and left his seat to leave. He made it to the door when all his muscles cramped, making him fall over and onto the floor.

“Aahhh!” Jake yelled, but he wasn’t in pain. He watched in surprise as his arms quivered, then grew wider with thick muscles waxing on with every second. He looked down to see his legs had gained the same strength as his arms. His shirt grew so tight it had begun to dig into his skin. He gritted his teeth as he flexed, tearing the shirt in half, ripping the dragon apart with it.

He broke open his pants soon after, but his belt persisted. As he increased in bulk the lone strap began to strangle him. With a frustrated grunt and strain from his overly bulked arms he managed to grab it with his fingers and snap it as easily as a single thread of string. Now his body was not restrained to the limits of his clothes anymore, and his body wasted no time taking it.

A few students screamed and cowered in the opposite corner of the room, but the majority were too fascinated by Jake’s change in strength and size to do more than be mesmerized by him. Mr. Kent ordered a couple sane students out of the classroom to get help, but Jake was in a world of his own, swept off his feet by the way the power had changed his body.

It wasn’t finished with him yet either. Jake swiftly felt itchy all over from his feet to his face. It intensified the more he resisted the urge to scratch. He looked at his arms and gasped; his skin had turned blue, but it wasn’t his skin anymore. He stared in disbelief at his arms, now covered with sapphire scales, each scute etched with a starburst of white from the skin to the edge. Each fingertip had been sharpened into a knife-like sickle made of ivory that could peal open a steel barrel with little effort. He was turning into a beast, and he didn’t know what he was to become.

The realization sent him into a state of panic as Jake felt pressure on his back. He rolled to his stomach and watched from the corner of his eyes as two bulges protruded from his shoulder blades and exploded outward like crooked branches. A second later they bent in awkward ways and leathery webbing amassed between the bends. They were wings, a dragon’s wings.

A strange calmness entered him as the frantic questions suffocating his mind into fear were answered. It didn’t matter how or why, but he was becoming a dragon. It was his favorite mystical animal, something he believed couldn’t exist, but he was going to be one against all odds.  He would be able to fly and hunt like in his dreams and always find a new adventure around every corner. Jake wanted to have the same desire he had in his dreams up to the very end, but this was no dream. This was real; he could feel it happening to him, and that excited him even more than he ever could imagine in his dreams. Jake gave into his desires and left the energy brimming inside him to transform him.

Now that Jake no longer resisted, the transformation took a hold of him quickly. Jake grunted as his chest popped inward and shaped into the dome he was used to seeing on dragons. His fore shoulders pressed together as a result, allowing his front legs to work properly. He shuddered and groaned as his muzzle stung, molding his face and sharpening his teeth into razors. He shook the pain away as two horns sprouted from the back of his skull, sparking the rest of his spikes to grow out along his back in unison.

An uncomfortable pressure built suddenly on his rear. He grunted again as the pressure deflated with an explosive release. He looked back and saw his tail swaying by the wall, the spikes and ivory spade growing in from inside his body. A tail! I always wanted one of those. He mused.

“Jake?” Someone asked. It was Sam; Jake knew that voice from anywhere. He tried to turn his head over to him, but his neck had other plans. With a push from his bones Jake’s reptilian skull extended further and further until the muscles in his neck pulled taut and brought his growth to a stop. He blinked and turned his head to see Sam, who was now below him instead of above.

His hind legs jerked him back for a moment as the sockets molded into place and his legs lined up. With a final crack, he stood on all fours, a complete dragon. The power Jake felt was unbelievable; he felt as if he could do anything! He resisted the urge to roar in triumph and overwhelming joy however; he didn’t want to scare his class to death with thoughts that he might eat them for food.

Sam’s voice called to him again, “Jake? Are you still there?”

Jake tried to speak, but his words slurred too much to be understood. Instead he resorted to simply nodding, much to the relief of the class. His best friend approached him with a brief smile.

“Good; I thought I lost you there.” He lightly chuckled and touched Jake on the snout. Jake could feel his hand brush over every sensitive scale. It made him shiver and he forced himself to turn away from him.

Jake was taken off guard as his strength and power began building inside him again, so much that he found himself quivering under intense pressure. He wasn’t complete; he felt like he was about to explode! His scales rattled as his body rumbled, then burst outward with such force that his new size knocked Sam on his back. His spine slammed against the ceiling tiles, breaking them into pieces and bending the suspension beyond repair. Jake gritted his teeth and growled, just as a second growth spurt rippled throughout his scales, making him twice the size as when he first finished his transformation.  A new question brought fear back into his soul; how big was he going to get?

It set the panic back into Jake as his internal power began to recharge. He looked at the door, but now only his head could fit through. He darted towards the windows, but they weren’t much wider. He had no time to lose; he knew he would not stay small for long. He ran past his friend and over him to the windows, clumsily crashing through and stomping on desks all along the way. The students that had been frozen in time had the minds to get out of his way, allowing him to build up some speed. His powerful energy was to the brink of another growth spurt! He had to jump now!

He leapt out the second story window without a second thought. The glass pane broke into a thousand pieces around him and littered the ground below in a glittery shower. Then his back legs suddenly lodged themselves in the sill, stopping him dead in his tracks.  The forward momentum swung him down and slammed him hard against the side of the school. Jake roared in jolting pain as his face pummeled the red brick and blasted a hole in the shape of his head into another classroom. His magical energy burst into every cell of his body, causing him to swell larger, constricting his hips until his gut hurt. Now he wasn’t simply wedged, but he was far too big for the window. Jake’s panic turned to sheer terror, and another surge of growth was on its way.

No! This can’t be happening to me, not now! I’m so close… Jake thought in despair as his fore claws futilely scraped the ground, desperate for freedom. There was nothing he could do though; he was hanging helplessly from the second story of his school and he had nothing to pull him free.

There was nothing to hold back the energy inside him either. The power saturated his body first, then flooded his mind until it was all that he could think of. Power. Control. Strength. He groaned as the energy pushed his body outward in all directions slowly at first, then forcefully. His muscular legs punctured through the floor and into the classroom below. He heard frantic screams behind him as students fled from his enlarging body.

The pain and pressure around his hips continued to increase until the brick frame fractured. Old concrete and hardened brick crumbled to pieces, bringing him a step closer to freedom, but still he was stuck. Jake tried wiggling his way out as his body continued to rumble to twice his previous size, bringing him above eye level with the floor he tried to escape from, but it was no use. There was a loud screeching behind him, a distinct crunching of aged stone cracking into powder, and then the wall which supported him collapsed, tearing down the second floor around him.

NO! He roared, I never wanted this to happen! Jake pulled himself from the rubble and turned to see smears of blood of students who were crushed or pummeled to death by the debris. His attention centered on the sickly smell of blood that drenched the lining of his nostrils. The scent reminded him of copper and grease. Jake gagged; it was too much for him to handle.

Sirens echoed in the distance; the police were coming for him. He felt torn between the approaching law enforcement and the wreckage. He saw the red and blue lights flashing in the distance. His heart thumped faster with adrenaline; he wanted to run. He whirled his head towards the rubble. He couldn’t look; he felt too ashamed to try to mend the damage he had wrought.

Jake dashed away from his school. He had killed people. His best friend was there too. He didn’t see him, but Jake knew Sam; he would have never left his side even if he was transforming into a giant beast. He roared in agony, shedding tears of sorrow for them all. He unfolded his wings and launched himself into the air, just as the squad cars squealed to a halt at the edge of the parking lot. He heard their guns, but their bullets couldn’t hurt him anymore. He was too strong.

Jake flew as high as he could and flapped into the clouds where no one could see him. He couldn’t harm anyone there, and he was free to weep. His imagination and fairy tales of dragons had always been of lighthearted friendships and adventure. He was supposed to be noble and constructive for the benefit of others, but all that he saw in his wake was death and destruction. That was all a dragon was good for; Jake knew now. It made him cry all the more for being so stupid, believing in a fantasy that could never be true.

He found the darkest cloud to glide in. Jake didn’t know what to do now. He was stuck like this, Jake was sure of it. He couldn’t go home; his parents would never recognize him, and speaking he found out was difficult. The tears he cried violently blew away in the wind; there was no hope for him.

The magic surged through his veins, amassing energy and storing it into every scale embedded on his body. He braced, expecting the surge to burst inside his body again, but just as Jake felt like he would expand again, nothing happened. It’s over He sighed, It’s over too late.

The skies began to rumble with thunder as he flew along the silver lining in the clouds. A storm was coming. One of his wings brushed the mist and gathered droplets along the foldable strut while the other basked in the sun, dry as a desert. Whether or not he preferred to fly in the rain it didn’t matter; he had no choice unless he landed, and he wanted nothing more than isolation. Thunder rumbled again as the sunlight was covered by the shadow of rainclouds. One or two drops splattered on his muzzle from the clouds even higher than him. He looked back and saw a wall of rain stalking him. It rushed after and overtook him easily.

Lightning flashed beside him as the downpour washed him clean of the dust and blood on his scales, but there was no fear of death anymore. I don’t think even lightning could kill me now, and I don’t care if it did. Jake recklessly thought as he flew on. The winds became fierce and began tossing him back and forth like a ship on stormy seas. He adjusted every time though, like he had been born a dragon. It was a strange thought to have, but he didn’t dwell on it.

Something bright and loud caught his attention. He turned his head to see what it was, but it was too late. The thing collided with him and exploded just under his left wing. He bellowed in pain as he was engulfed in a fireball. A moment later the thunderous roar of a jet echoed over him as his wing lost lift and the dragon spiraled to the earth. He tried to glide to the ground, but it was no use. His wing had lost its canvas, and every inch he breathed in rocked him with blinding agony.

I deserve this; it’s my fault.Jake admitted, I just wish I could change things. Jake felt his magic dissolve away from him, as if the very thing that had given him a new body had now chosen to forsake him. It didn’t matter to him anymore though; justice had come on swift wings, and it was well served. The world spun around like a merry-go-round all the way to the ground until his snout felt mud, then shattered into pieces.

***

Jake awoke with a start. A moment later his alarm clock on his nightstand flashed 6:40 and screeched. He gritted his teeth; he hated his alarm. Jake slapped the off button and pushed himself out of his covers. He was in his bedroom, a decent sized space with everything he owned inside. He wore his dinosaur pajamas with his arms and legs fitting snugly inside. He had no super strength or magical power. There were no scales on him. Jake looked in the mirror on the wall. His brown eyes stared back at him. He was human.

Was that all a dream?

Jake hopped out of bed. He moved about his room slowly, experiencing phantom limbs that he knew he never had. He flexed his hands and moved his arms. His body felt off.

It felt so real. I mean, I still feel wings on my back and a tail! It’s like I was there, actually there. Jake sighed, And I killed people too.

He walked over to his computer desk and saw his favorite blue dragon shirt and khakis. They were supposed to have been torn to pieces, but as he felt them he could tell they were in one piece, and they were ready for him to wear for the first day of school. The supple clothes were as soft as they were in the dream. It gave him the goosebumps.

A pit formed in his stomach, I killed Sam in my dream Jake remembered. He shook his head in disbelief, I’ve never killed anyone before, even in my dreams. I guess that would be a nightmare for me then. Jake shrugged, Just a weird dream, I guess.

Though his dreams could never come true he decided against wearing his favorite shirt and pants. Instead he substituted them for a pair of blue jeans and a green Nike shirt that were just as good. He got ready for school and before he knew it he had already eaten breakfast and was sitting on the bus.

The ride to school was ordinary. He thought about the dream again. He tried to remember the beginning, but his memory of it all had begun to wash away with time. All he could remember was the transformation and destruction he had caused. The half hour bus trip abruptly ended before he realized it. Cautiously Jake stepped off the bus with the other students into the high school world for the first time. His feet landed on the front lawn of his school, an educational building located just as close to the countryside as the residential neighborhoods. Jake slung black backpack on his right shoulder as he went down a concrete path towards double doors with the stream of other students, all eager for the new year.

The early September morning was comfortably warm and sunny. Old friends who had hardly seen each other during the summer were meeting up. Students were laughing and smiling around him, and already Jake could see one of his best friends in front of him. Anxiety gripped him as Sam turned and grinned at him.

“Hey hey, long time no see Jake!” Sam shouted amidst the bustling crowd of kids.

Jake throat went dry, Oh my god, it’s just like in the dream! Sam cut through the crowds to meet him. His friend seemed to read his emotions and grew concerned.

“Hey man, you alright?” He asked.

Jake nodded, “Uh yeah. Just déjà vu hitting me in the face, that’s all.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s like… I just feel like we’ve already done this exact moment before.” Jake tried to explain.

Sam shrugged, “Well that’s what déjà vu means; the feeling that you’ve done this before. I mean, how many new years of school have we met outside the school before? It’s like we’ve been going to school forever man. We’re allowed to have déjà vu moments.”

“Yeah I guess so.” Jake reluctantly agreed. Sam was right; they had met each other outside a half a dozen times before. Maybe he was imagining things, and his dream was just a crazy coincidence. He shrugged it off and dropped the subject.

“Besides,” Sam added, “If we’re going to do the same things over and over again I need something sweet in my life. My girl should be around here by now, but I haven’t seen her.” They went inside and strode down the halls of their school.

“I haven’t seen her either. Maybe she went to class.” Jake offered.

Sam shrugged again, “Maybe. I mean, it’ll give us plenty of time to find you someone too.”

Jake couldn’t help but smile, “I knew I could count on you as my wingman.”
“Always man.” Sam returned the smile, “I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. Rain, sleet, snow, shine, or my girl will never pull me away from helping you make a match made in heaven. Heck man, why don’t you call me your guardian angel too while we’re at it?”

Jake laughed, “You got it.” The two lifelong friends found their lockers and stored away everything they didn’t need.

“Our first class is history, right Sam?” Jake asked as he sorted through his things. In the dream it was history. He recalled, Why not again?

“Uh yeah, history with Mr. Kent, our favorite teacher.”

“Okay thanks.” Jake said as he closed his locker and went to class with his friend in tow. Most of the seats in Mr. Kent’s class had been taken but there were still two desks beside each other towards the back of the class. Jake’s heart skipped a beat; they were the same desks as in the dream. He swallowed hard as he took the same seat that he had taken before.

“Blonde or brunette?”

“Umm… Depends.” Jake’s throat was bone dry. His legs felt weak; his dream was playing out in reality.

“On what again?” Sam smiled, amused, “I forgot over the summer.”

The door slammed loudly, silencing the room. Jake was the only one who didn’t jump in surprise.

“Alright everyone, welcome back to school.” A dry-toned Mr. Kent announced as he took center stage of the classroom, “This is your homeroom for the next four years, and because it is I will be your class teacher until graduation do us part.”

“Or death.” Someone mumbled aloud.

I don’t want to kill people. Jake faintly thought.

Mr. Kent turned his head towards the condescending comment and raised an eyebrow, “I know some of you will not pass the required curriculums. That is fine; I am prepared for the dropouts. We will prevail though and with some work you will earn your degree. Then, you’ll be free to enter the real world, where people get jobs to make money so they can pay for a pile of bills.”

The bell rang for first class. A sweating Jake glanced at the clock. It read 8:20. It should happen soon. Anxiety filled his stomach in anticipation as Mr. Kent continued into the history segment of his speech.

“And there’s our bell to start. I have your history books and syllabuses. The front row can handle the paper while I hand out your books.” He divided out the informational paper before hoisting a stack of books in his arm.

“Hey Mr. Kent?” Someone piped up, “What if I don’t want a textbook?”

“Then that’s too bad Kevin. Everyone gets one.” The history teacher answered. Jake glanced at Sam.

Sam raised his hand, “What if I refuse to do your homework on the grounds that it’s stupid?” A few students stifled snickers.

Mr. Kent shrugged, “Then you’ll be my first flunkie.”

“Smartass.” The teen grumbled under his breath.

“Right back at you kid.” He replied, and continued handing out history books.

Jake eyed Mr. Kent like a hawk stalking prey. Everyone minded their own business and talked to each other while he went around, slapping thick textbooks on each desk as careless as he did last time. Jake felt a headache pierce his head, stinging at first. He remembered it being the first sign. He refused to stay any longer; the changes would be happening soon.

He raised his hand.

“Yes, Mr. Rhodes?” The teacher flatly asked.

“I need to go to the restroom.” He lied.

“Really? You couldn’t do that ten minutes ago on your own time?” Mr. Kent sighed, “Get going, and don’t take too long.”

“Yes Mr. Kent.” Jake rushed out the door and went to the restroom down the hall. His headache had been combined with the all too familiar feeling of uncomfortable tightness. He looked down and saw that his shirt looked smaller on him. Panic caused him to stumble, but he remained on his feet all the way to his destination.

He felt the queasiness weaken him just as his hands gripped the sink. He opened his mouth, expecting stomach acid to erupt from his throat, but just as before nothing came. He breathed a sigh of relief as the nausea faded away and he was allowed to feel a little better. Still, he knew what was going to happen next. He only had minutes to act.

Where do I go for this? I’m going to be huge; I can’t stay in here. This building is too small. I need a place to hide. Jake realized. He paced the bathroom floor muddling through his options as quickly as possible.

He snapped his fingers, I got it; the woods! If I can get there I can hide and be safe for a while. I can buy myself more time to figure out what want to do then. But his anxiety drained all hope away as he realized something else.

The woods are a half-mile away; I’ll never make it in time.

Jake caught his reflection in the mirror and gasped. His brown eyes had changed colors to a mix between deep blue and the purest white he had ever seen, and his round pupils were like the moon during a solar eclipse. Then they molded into black diamonds before him, making him see things anew.

I need to get outta here now. Jake panicked and ran out the bathroom door.

He instantly collided with Sam, who was about to enter.

Sam grabbed his arms, “Whoa man, there’s no hurry to get to class.” He said as they met eyes.

“I’m not going to class.”

Sam loosened his grip, “Dude, your eyes are…”

“Blue and white. I know. I need to skip school.” Jake stated.

“Why?”

Jake turned to leave, “Just go back to class Sam.”

“Jake.” Sam grabbed his arm, “What’s going on?”

“Let me go Sam!”

“What’s up with you?” Sam asked, “What’s so bad that you need to skip school?”

“Sam. Let. Me. Go.” Jake growled. The power had begun to build inside him. It would not be long now.

“No.” His friend became defiant, “We’re going to stand like this until you tell me what’s going on.”

Jake could feel the magic strongly; he had to act. Jake took Sam and slammed him against the wall forcefully, lifting him off the ground by a foot. His sudden burst of strength surprised both he and Sam so much that Sam released his grip at the same time Jake dropped him to the floor. Scared that he might hurt his friend Jake ran out of the school as fast as he could. His arms and legs were shaking; he was about to transform into a dragon!

His feet pounded the concrete as he ran, faster than what he thought he could run. His heart beat faster, his muscles burned hotter, and his breathing found the perfect rhythm. His sight became a blur as he ran, across intersections and through people’s lawns in a desperate struggle to get somewhere safe. His energy shot through the roof; his strength increased as he ran. His muscles began to grow, forcing all his clothes to tighten to their limits. He grunted in pain as he ran, forcing him to slow down. He slowed more and more until his growing muscles and shrinking clothes forced him to stop and get rid of them. Jake stumbled onto the road when he heard someone call out his name.

“Jake!”

He turned behind him and saw his friend somehow catching up to him.

“Jake!” He shouted again from afar.

A loud horn caught his attention. Jake turned back, just in time to see a chrome grill cave his face in.

***

He was sweating when he gasped for air. He looked around and saw his alarm clock again. It read 6:35, five minutes before he was supposed to stir. Jake’s heart beat inside him like a drum. He got up out of bed and stared at the white dragon on his shirt hanging from his computer chair. Then tears welled up in his eyes, and he cried.

He cried until his annoying alarm forced him to bring himself together. It’s okay; no one got hurt He told himself, It didn’t happen; I can still change things. Jake wiped the tears from his eyes and cleared his throat. He pushed the off button and recalled the memories.

He was going to become a dragon today. There was no denial left; he had already transformed twice. 8:20 was the moment it would start, and he didn’t see any reason not to look forward to it now. It was a dream of his to become a dragon and make the best of life. Each slip-up led him back to his bed, like having a reset button on hand for any and every mistake until he got it right and claimed his destiny. The knowledge brought forth a sense of euphoria with it. He took his dragon shirt and peered into the dragon’s roaring expression, thinking about his next move.

I need a plan. I’m not going to school today, I guess. He mused in his dinosaur pajamas, So what do I do? I don’t want to stay home; my parents would know if I was still home. So I’ll ride the bus to school, I guess. Jake formed an idea in his head, I can take Sam with me. We can do it together.

Jake chuckled to himself, Sam was right about one thing; I need him to be my wingman, even if I’m the only one who’s going to have wings.

Jake didn’t see much use in taking a shower if he was going to become a dragon today, but he went through his morning routine anyway. He guessed that it would be the last time he would do anything inside his home, so he took his time getting ready. He had an hour or so to go before the first changes would begin.

The half hour he had to get ready came to the end, however, and soon he was on the bus. He played his plan through his mind again and again, making sure every aspect had been thought of, no matter if he knew his plan was simple. In a way it had that magic that his hours of dreaming and imagining of how it would be to be a dragon possessed. He would be playing out what he thought could only remain in stories and ideas, and he couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with joy and excitement.

Jake, an ordinary teenager stepping into the high school world for the first time stepped off of the bus and onto the front lawn of his school located somewhere between the countryside and residential neighborhoods. He wore his favorite blue shirt with a white roaring dragon etched on his chest and the world’s softest khakis. His black backpack hung on his shoulder as he proudly stepped down the concrete path towards double doors he would never enter again. The stream of students that had him caught in their current were all eager for the new year of school, but none were as fervent and confident as him. The September weather blessed them with a comfortable sunny morning for him to show Sam something amazing. Already Jake could see his friend and he had barely left the bus behind. He smiled as his lifelong friend met eyes with him and returned the grin.

“Hey hey, long time no see Jake!” Sam shouted over the kids going to school.

“Hey man!” Jake beamed, bright and excited as ever. The cut through the crowds and met at the halfway point.

Sam couldn’t help but chuckle, “Man, you seem too happy to go to school. It should be illegal to be your level of happiness on these school grounds.”

Jake chuckled with him, “Say Sam, what if I told you I wasn’t going to school today?”

His friend appeared shocked, “You? Skip school on the first day? Okay, now I’m interested.”

“That’s why I want you to come with me.” Jake answered. Sam’s expression turned from lighthearted to serious.

“You’re really going to skip school? Why?” He asked.

“Just trust me on this; it’s a once in a lifetime thing to see. I promise you that skipping school will be totally worth it.”

Sam was unconvinced, “Yeah, but what is it?”

Jake put a hand on his friend’s shoulder and took a deep breath, “If I were to tell you, you would never believe me until you saw it for yourself. I’m serious about this; I’m not going to school today, and I want you to see this happen.”

“What is going to happen?” Sam whined.

“You’ll see. Now come on; we got about ten minutes until it’s 8:20, and I want to be in the woods by then.” With that Jake was off, walking away from his friend, cruelly baiting him into following. Sam looked at Jake, then back at the school. With a frustrated groan he reluctantly chased after him.

“Okay, but this better make my day.” He warned him.

Jake chuckled to himself, It’ll make more than just your day, Sam. You’ll see. He thought and ran, his excitement getting the best of him sooner than he thought it would.