A Long Way Home: Chapter 10

Suzan finds out that the world is stranger than she thought. After a mysterious warrior comes to her rescue, she is pulled into a dangerous circumstance that will change both of their lives forever.

Chapter 10

We walked in silence. The only sound was Izabela coughing slightly from time to time. Gradually, the area became familiar. My companion was apparently quite respected around here, because the drunkards didn't accost us this time. We passed the last buildings and found ourselves in front of the abandoned factory. From there it was just a couple of steps to the house. It seemed like Lightningale couldn't wait to see his friend, because even from afar we were greeted by the sight of his huge head sticking out through the window.

"Myrsky! I asked many times you stay inside! You know what happen if some mies see you?!" The girl ran up to him and tried to push him back into the house. It looked comical; she seemed so small compared to him. She was pushing him with all her might but Gale was much stronger. Wait a minute… what had she called him? Myrsky?

The dragon snorted, amused, and motioned toward me.

"What…? It is different with her! And not… not…" she stopped for a moment, thinking hard, like she couldn't find a word for what she meant. "Oh! Älä väitä minulle! Get inside! Haluta!"

Lightningale "chuckled" again and slipped back inside.

"What a kuriton lohikäärme," Izabela murmured theatrically so Gale would be able to hear. He huffed, hurt. "He is like that every date," she said to me, resigned, making me laugh.

"You don't say 'every date' but 'every day'," I corrected her, still giggling, but she probably didn't hear me as a sudden coughing fit shook her at the same time. Something was wrong with her. Maybe she picked something up from her pet?

She motioned for me to follow her inside. Lightningale seemed to be much better than when I had last seen him; although tissues were still scattered here and there. He was jumping around the house, knocking over everything he could. The blood-red room hadn't changed much since my last visit. The only difference was a big oval mirror, hanging on the wall opposite the door. It was probably in the Art Nouveau style, I am not sure, though,as I am not very knowledgeable about art styles. Anyway, it was huge, beautiful, and it looked unique. The frame, richly decorated in flower motifs, was formed from elaborate reliefs of women on both sides. I was staring at it in admiration when Izabela pulled me toward the kitchen.

The room, although modestly furnished, was very sunny and, consequently, cozy. Paris-blue colored walls were decorated with painted sunflowers; they weren't perfect but they surely gave the kitchen its own charm. Old oak furniture and a gas stove took up three quarters of the space. Under a window with a view on the factory stood a small round table on thin legs (bringing to mind rose stems bent in different directions) along with three chairs in the same style.

"Sit there, I will bring something strong for tea." Seeing I was about to protest, she added quickly, "Yeah, I know you here not drink before eighteen years but you need strenghtenance. Or strengthening? I have something sopiva."

I made myself comfortable on one of the chairs while Izabela went into the pantry. She left the door ajar and through the gap I saw that the room was the same color as the kitchen, the only divergence being golden blades of wheat painted instead of sunflowers. After a while she was back, carrying a teapot, two cups and a small odd-shaped bottle, all arranged on a tray. An uncomfortable silence fell between us.

"You know, I was wondering why you called Lightningale 'Myrsky'…" I finally spoke.

"In our language his name is Salamyrsky. I like it more in your language so I rarely call him in our language. Oftenly when he annoy me." As if on cue, Lightningale stepped proudly into the sent me a look, then shifted his gaze towards the girl with her back now turned to us, before his snout contorted in a grimace I could only place as a mischievous smirk. His tail swished through the air, knocking down the mysterious bottle and the sugar-bowl Izabela had previously placed on the tray. Sugar spilled and the bottle shattered as it touched the floor. The dragon leapt at the chance at once, licking the spilled alcohol mixed with sugar.

"Lightningale! What you doing?!" You… you…" she was missing a word again. "Uhh! Just get out of here! Ja en syö tämä sokeria!" She wiped up the floor, depriving him of the sweet treat. The hurt reptile stomped into the pantry, dragging his tail along the cabinets, making a loud rumble. I helped Izabela clean up the glass slivers so she could take care of our tea. We weren't paying attention to Gale until we heard a loud crack coming from the storeroom. Izabela rushed into the room with me at her heels. The dragon was sitting human-like in the middle of the small space and rummaging about in the refrigerator with his tail. And here I had thought that this creature would not be able to surprise me anymore. Oh, how wrong I was!

"I know perfectly what you look for, pinnari! Ha! You will not get your cheese!" Seeing that he didn't understand, she repeated, "Sinihomejuusto. Ei on!" With a cunning smirk she slammed the fridge's door shut, almost catching his tail inside. Everything was getting more and more strange for me. It seemed that they couldn't live without each other… but they couldn't live together either! The dragon turned back and went to sit in the corner of the kitchen; I have no idea how he fit in there. The girl opened the fridge again and took out a board with a cheese lying on it, covered in a slight bluish-green coating. She sliced it and put a piece in her mouth cheekily for the very eyes of Lightningale. The dragon, who was half-asleep by that time, perked up visibly at that and was now glaring with a look of a serial killer. He loved the cheese more than Magda loved shopping!

Izabela, a little calmer now, started to cough again. She finished brewing tea and moved with it towards me. Suddenly, Salamyrsky's tail appeared beneath her feet. The girl faltered for a moment and when I thought she would regain her balance, she fell down, spraying hot tea all around herself and her surroundings. The dragon snorted loudly and started to roll on his back in something resembling a laughing fit. Furious, Izabela yanked off her shirt unceremoniously. My eyes, glued to her form, become huge as two saucers. Fudge! Is it an H-cup?! Impossible… I've heard legends going around but I've never seen it on my own eyes! I took a peek at my miserable B-cup. And here I thought I was quite well endowed… Up to this day. I observed some sign tattooed on her left breast. I was just about to ask her about it when I noticed that Izabela was looking between me and her breasts with amusement. I was caught gawkingat the bosom of my recently met acquaintance. Just great. Abashed, I completely forgot what Ihad intended to ask about.

The girl scowled at Lightningale, who was still rolling on the floor, uttering strange sounds; something between snorts, barks and short growls. As she walked to him, she got hidden from my sight by his wing and I only saw as her T-shirt cut through the air with a swish, hitting the dragon right in his wedge-shaped head. The reptile sat up, surprised. Enraged, Izabela, coughing and almost steaming out of her ears, padded to the chair and leaned against it heavily. Offended, Myrsky marched proudly out of the kitchen, smashing anythingthat was unfortunate enough to happen upon his tail, paw or muzzle. I thought they were friends but apparently I was wrong. One wanted to get on the other's nerves. They were practically in a state of never-ending war! It looked like… like they hated each other. My meditations got interrupted by the girl's coughing.

"Are you all right?" I asked, worried.

"Yes. I catched something from Lightningale. I will be all right. Common human cold."

I became aware of the darkness falling outside. I was about to go home when the girl coughed violently again. Gripping the chair tightly, she leaned forward, long hair obstructing her face from my view, but I saw that her body was shaking from the fit. With each her breath I heard a disturbing wheezing.

"Are you sure you don't need help?"

"Yes. Really. Thank you for worry, but I-…" She coughed so hard that an alarmed Lightningale came to check if everything was all right; this surprised me a little, as he had looked deadly cross with her the just a moment before.

It seemed that nothing was all right.

"Iza! Th-that's blood! You're coughing blood!" I watched with terror as the dark red liquid dripped from her palm onto the floor.

"Do not call me Iza!" she growled faintly before choking on blood again. She ran to the window to look at the fluid in the faint light. "You right! Blood! Lightningale did not cough blood… I will die! I will die surely! Kuolla molemmat! Olemme hukassa! Olemme hukassa, Salamyrsky!" She was running half-naked (she still hadn't changed her shirt) around the kitchen, shouting. I couldn't understand much from her cries. Maybe she had a fever? Or she was just hiding more than I thought…

Lightningale scuttled and sat in front of her so she had to stop. He lapped the liquid up from her hand as if he wanted to make sure it really was blood. His eyes widened in horror but he quickly regained his senses and licked Izabela's face soothingly. She answered him with a weak smile and a pat on the wide head.

Was it just me slowly driving myself insane and seeing what was not there or were they just keeping up pretenses while really loving each other? They felt responsible for each other. She took care of him, and he took care of her. Although he was a dragon, he was able to manifest human feelings. Such as his concern over Izabela. I couldn't decide which face of theirs was real.

He turned to me and motioned with his head towards my bag, before running out of the kitchen, only to return a while later with a dry T-shirt and a jacket for his friend. Not instantly did I understand what he meant. I had to think everything through carefully to realize he wanted me to call for help.

"Oh, right. An ambulance? No, that's out of question. We can't let rescue workers in here. What about a taxi? Yes, that would be right… After all, I can't take a blood-coughing girl on a bus trip," I murmured to myself, holding my phone tightly in my hands, already sweaty from nerves. As I finally called a cab, Izabela realized what I was up to.

"Where you want to take me? To doctor, yes? Or-or to hospital!" she shuddered. "Oh no, no! No way! What about Gale?! He cannot stay alone! He is ill still! I do not agree!" she defended herself as well as she could. As for Gale, after his recent 'show', I highly doubted he was really ill.

"Don't worry about it. I will visit him every day. We will take care about medicines, right?" I nudged the dragon's side.

"But… I must?" She looked at me pleadingly.

"Yes, you have to. Not even five minutes ago you were coughing blood and shouting some unintelligible things! Lightingale is worried too. If you are in fact all right, you will be back home by the hour. Now, get dressed, the cab will be here in a few." She looked miserable, like a beaten dog. Grudgingly, she put on a clean T-shirt and a jacket. Frankly, I highly doubted she would be back home today. But it was for her own good.

She pecked Lightningale on his snout and we went out to wait for the cab in front of the house.

Author's Note

English is not my native language, so if you spot any mistakes, please, let me know.


This chapter's glossary:

Mies – human

Älä väitä minulle – Don't argue with me

Haluta – please

kuriton lohikäärme – unruly dragon

sopiva – suitable

Ja en syö tämä sokeria – And don't eat that sugar

pinnari – smartass

Sinihomejuusto. Ei on! – Blue cheese. You won't get it!

Kuolla molemmat! Olemme hukassa! – We'll both die! We're doomed!