The Cave

The Cave; Chapter Three

The cave was dark. Water dripped down the lichen covered walls. There were noises, shuffling and scraping. Something big and scaled was moving. There was a wheezing, rasping sound. The thing was breathing. Suddenly light illuminated the cave. Jake stood face to face with the biggest dragon he’d ever seen. It was blood red. It was twice as tall as him with fangs the length of his forearm. It’s eyes were jet black and clear, like a black hole. The beast opened it’s mouth. Jake could see all the way down it’s throat. It’s fangs were a nasty, unhealthy yellow and it’s breath was warm on his face. It smelt of rotting meat. Jake was frozen to the spot. The dragon lunged at him. It’s fangs met his throat.

Jake snapped awake. He was covered in sweat and was tangled in his duvet. His heart was pounding and his breath was coming in painful gasps. 

What was that? A dream? 

It seemed too real to be a dream. But he’d never seen that… dragon before in his life. 

He pulled himself out of bed and walked to the window. His legs hurt, but no where near the same level as he’d felt when he went to bed. 

Out of the window he saw the garden. It was long and surrounded the house completely. Jake guessed they were somewhere in the country, he couldn’t see any other houses near by. A spark of light caught his eye. He looked out over the garden again. What was it? He saw something circling the house, something that looked like a bird, but bigger.

A dragon? One of them?

It flew down and landed in the far end of the garden. 

It was a dragon.

A beautiful dark green dragon. It’s scales shone in the dark. The dragon was the colour of the outside of a lime fruit, at least that was the best comparison Jake could make. It’s eyes were a glowing amber. Jake couldn’t tear his gaze away from the beast. It seemed to know it was being watched and looked at Jake. Straight in the eyes. Jake knew he’d been seen. It shook itself and seemed to shrink. Suddenly, in place of the beautiful dragon, was Raven.

Jake stepped away from the window, he walked back to his bed. He couldn’t help but notice that, after she’d changed back to human, Raven was naked. 

Raven walked into his room. 

“Jake.” She said. “Get up.” 

Jake sat up, his eyes fought to stay shut. He didn’t want to wake up yet. 

“Get up Jake.”

Jake pulled the duvet away from him. Somehow, over the last four weeks he’d gotten used to the early mornings and late nights. Rayven smiled at him and walked out of the door, shutting it behind her. Jake dragged his tired body out of bed. He picked a t shirt out of his wardrobe. It was blue, a dark blue. He picked up the joggers he’d thrown to the bottom of the bed yesterday. 

Once dressed he went to the kitchen where Harmony was waiting with some breakfast. 

“Eat up Jakey.” She said brightly, the nickname had stuck.

Breakfast today was a fry up. He wolfed it down and stood up, only noticing the faint waft of bacon on his breath. 

“Thanks Monny.” He said quickly before diving out to the garden. 

Sami stood outside, she seemed a little cross. Her arms were folded across her chest, her eyes where a dragon amber.

“What’s wrong?” He asked tentatively. 

“You’re skipping practice today. Ven needs to begin training you.”

“Oh…” He said, unsure how to feel.

He liked the effort and enthusiasm Sami put into their workouts. But this training would mean less pain in the mornings. He shuffled on the spot, waiting for something to happen. Sami pointed at Raven’s window. 

“Go there. Ven will look after you.” 

Jake knocked on Raven’s door. He still wasn’t sure what they would be doing today… Or if she was kicking him out now.

Raven heard Jake knock. ”Come in.” She said.

The door swung open slowly; Jake was hesitant to enter. She turned around and smiled warmly at him. Her room was neat, everything put away so that she didn’t lose or break anything.

“Sami told me to come here…?” He said hesitantly. 

“I did tell her to ask you to come here. And if you’re thinking that this is an excuse to get up later and take more time in eating your food, you’re wrong. This is the hardest part. Control.” 

Raven reached out her arm and touched Jake’s cheek. Her nails where now claws. Jake recoiled from the reptilian skin. His head jerked back and he srtepped out of the room. 

“Come back.” Raven laughed

_____________________________________________________

He sat back in his office, his expensive seven thousand dollar suit was the cheapest thing in the room. His perfect smile shone in the dark of the dimly lit room. His office was bare and Spartan, but it still retained an air of authority. 

“How long until he’s 17?” He asked. 

“Seven weeks, Sir.” The tall, skinny man answered. 

He stood up and looked out the window, over the dark city. The rain drizzled down on London. He ran his perfectly manicured hands over his suit, removing any crinkles. He turned to the tall man, looking him in the eyes. 

“Johnston. I am going to go see my son, and then we’ll find his brother.”

Johnston nodded. “I understand, Sir. Should I ask for an escort?” 

“No, no. I’ll go on my own.” The man said. “I need to use my wings.”

“Right, Sir.” 

“Johnston?” The man said, as Johnston turned to leave the room.

“Yes?”

“Would you mind killing your own nephew if I asked?” His eyes gleamed as he spoke. 

“Not for you.” Johnston murmured. 

“Then we really are brothers. Thank you.” He turned his back to his brother and looked out the window once again. His eyes searched the skies. He played with a snake ring, the eyes were rubies and left indentations in his fingers where he gripped it. “Where are you, Jacob?” 

He spun around and marched out of the door, the hallway was empty. He walked quickly over to the fire escape. He pushed it open and walked up the concrete steps. He stood on the roof of the towering building. He looked down at the drop below him. A man could kill himself from here. 

Or a dragon could learn how to fly. 

He remembered the first time he found this roof, he was young, only 16. He’d found a rock and touched it, it had sparked something inside him. Now, he knew what that rock was, but then it had just been a volcanic stone. 

He took his jacket off and left it under a roof slate. He took off his shoes, trousers and shirt too. His bare chest was flat and toned, his arms were solid and his back was black with a dark rash. His stomach and legs were covered with the almost black, scale-like rash. He took a deep breath of the smoggy air. 

Suddenly there stood a lizard in the place of the man. Black, plate scales covered it from head to toe. It’s eyes were red and it’s paws were adorned with beautiful black, deadly claws. A long tail, almost the length of the lizard, flicked back and forth. The lizard’s tongue whipped in and out of it’s mouth. Two batlike wings tore out of it’s back. A war cry, a screech of victory, leapt from the beast’s chest. This was the man, now turned dragon. A flicker of humanity would never be seen on this beast though, not even once. This monster was the true form of the man that was Jake’s father. 

The cave was dark and dank. There was a snuffling and shuffling in the dark. He touched down and folded his wings. 

“Kiba.” He called out. 

“Daddy.” something hissed, both their eyes all but useless in this darkness. “Daddy, is that you?” 

“Yes, my son. It’s me.” 

“Daddy, I missed you.” 

“I know Kiba, I missed you too, my son.”

Kiba crawled forwards, his form as a dragon was terrible. Red scales covered him, his wings were tattered and torn, his claws caked in dried blood. He was twice the size of his father, his strength was unmeasurable. As he spoke, the smell of rotting meat escaped his mouth. His father was barely able to come close enough to talk to him. 

“Daddy…” Kiba moaned. “Daddy, they came again. Those men.” 

“I know Kiba. I know.”

“They hurt me, Daddy. They ripped my wings. They made me cry.”

“Kiba, I can’t stop them.” 

“I know, Daddy. I’m just scared.” 

A huge sob came from the creature. He tried to move forwards but a metal shackle and chain stopped him. He cried out. 

“Daddy! Please!” 

His father stepped forwards and stroked Kiba’s nose. His eyes shone in the dark. 

“Kiba, you have to be a good boy for me.” 

“I try, Daddy.” 

“I know that Kiba, but you have to try harder.”

“I’m sorry Daddy.”

“You’ve said that before, Kiba. You’re not very good at trying. You killed one of those men, didn’t you?”

“They hurt me!”

“You had no right to kill him. You’re only allowed to kill one person. Only one person that I will bring you.”

“My brother.”

“Yes, only him.”

“I’ll kill him for you Daddy. I’ll not hurt anyone else Daddy. I promise.”

“Good boy.” 

He turned and left the shackled dragon to cry and howl. He was a killer and that was all, Kiba would kill Jacob and he would have Jacob’s tear. And anyone else’s that had tried to hide him and protect him too.