True Happiness does last Forever

Things appeared to go well for Patrick and his dragon Furia. But Furia turned to be more than what Patrick could bear at home.

True Happiness does last Forever

My life was finally set. Also the dragon's gender; To the internet!... After some investigation on reptiles and attention to the dragon's anatomy; I managed to determine it was a female... and Furia became her name. I played with Furia every day; I hardly went out of home. I taught her some rules and house standards. Not even I could believe how well this was going. I fed her with pieces of chicken, but sometimes, like once a week, I took a live chicken from father's lands and brought it home for her. My father didn't like very much to see it happening, but Elvis and me; we could have used some pop-corn. The idea was with this to avoid rusting the dragon's instincts.

Furia grew amazingly fast; at the third week after her birth she could double her birthing size. She had the size of a medium sized dog. Furia learned to fly; she was frantic about using her wings. I taught her to fly only at night, that way whoever looked up to the dark sky wouldn't see her. At fourth week, Furia was a monster; her shoulders almost matched with my waist, and her wings were longer than our living room when opened. She was too big for our house and also required much more food. It was time to send Furia to dad's lands.

Dad was the one who prompted the idea. I know this has to be done… but, still, what if dad's land keeper talks? That weekend before college started, a Sunday morning exactly, dad and I put Furia in the double cabined truck's back seat, covered her with a blanket and headed to the outskirts. Elvis didn't come, for he had an important assignment to accomplish for his job. On the way we talked the matter out.

-Dad, are you sure Mr. Flynn is to trust about this?

-You know Mr. Flynn…

-Yeah, I do… I just wanted to make sure.

-Don't worry, Patrick. He's been my land keeper since these lands were given to me by your mother's father. Besides, he has hidden worse stuff than a silly dragon...

-I really doubt it…

-Yes son, to turn these lands to what they are now, I had to do deep s**t, and Mr. Flynn was by my side the whole way. Why do you think he's like my associate? He's the one and only that knows these lands the same way I do.

-Well, if you say so, then it is.

Dad told me he didn't mind Furia hunting freely. Still, it was greatly important teaching her to hunt only in our lands, and flying only at night. That's why Mr. Flynn was waiting for us already in our country house; he would accompany us walking all the lands' borders.

When we were almost arriving, dad spoke.

-I already had a word with Mr. Flynn about this, so, when we arrive, feel free to release Furia. I want to see Mr. Flynn's face.

There was Mr. Flynn at the porch, waiting for us. Dad parked the truck and we got out. As we approached, Mr. Flynn greeted us.

-Hey there, John!

-How are you doing, Cedric? How's the family?

-Great, great! The kids are just messing around at home; can't wait for this school year to start!

-Same waters I seem to be swimming.

They both laughed slightly and hugged each other. In a moment they finished and I approached Mr. Flynn.

-Hi, Mr. Flynn.

I said offering my hand. He stretched it and said…

-Patrick! How did the chickens ended?

-Surely delicious, I bet…

-What do you mean by that?

Dad then intervened.

-What are you waiting for, Patrick?

-Right.

I went to the truck and opened the door.

Furia stepped outside vigorously and shacked off the blanket, then stretched her neck and every of her limbs. Yawned and showed off her fangs. While Mr. Flynn stepped backwards and yelled...

-In the name of... what in damnation is that thing!

-Nothing more than what I told you; your new land keeping partner. You should have seen your face!

-Do you want me dead by heartache, crazy b*****d! I thought you were talking about a person! Where did you get that thing from, anyway?

-It's a long story.

I'll let dad do the talk, Mr. Flynn is now in shock. I called Furia and she followed me. The two of us started the walk earlier while dad explained everything to Mr. Flynn.

From a moment to another I found myself talking and picturing to Furia about the lands, the game she would find here and some instructions… On the other hand, Furia was all playful the whole way, dashing for a second from one point to the other, climbing some of the big trees to then dive down… experimenting this new environment she was being brought to. I knew the lands well enough to make the rout by myself, so I played with Furia the whole way.

At a steady pace, it took us the whole morning to round the land, luckily I was prepared. I brought with me a back pack filled with food and water; enough for me and Furia to have a mid-morning snack.

Once we made it to where we started, I called dad with my new phone and told him we were ready. Dad was walking with Mr. Flynn, still talking. He told me to wait for them at the house, or at least not very far; it was getting late for lunch. We were going to have lunch there. So I just sat and relaxed against a tree, while Furia laid down by my side. Half an hour later, dad and Mr. Flynn arrived.

We had lunch. Not much for talk besides the matter of a dragon roaming freely in my father's lands. Yet, we mixed topics from one moment to another. In the meantime, Furia killed and ate a goat that was already tied down nearby, just waiting for its hour.

-That thing is true to be fierce…

Said Mr. Flynn, while looking at Furia rip off a piece of meat. Quickly pointing at me with the knife he was eating with, dad said…

-This one's fault. You should have seen how he raised her. I told you, lots of hours of playing, training to then rest and do it again, and the chickens he came to pick were for Furia, so her instincts wouldn't be lost with domestication.

-She's a charming killing machine, as it looks.

-Don't worry, soon you'll feel safer with Furia around.

-I guess that is true, John…

Mr. Flynn glanced at me and spoke…

-Where did you get that name, Furia?

-It means "fury" in Spanish.

-Mmmm… the name of a feeling, pretty deep. And it suits her well.

I chuckled, then said…

-Thanks, it just popped up…

We finished our food, rested up and started getting ready to go. I didn't feel the passing time, I remembered all Furia and I walked and played the whole morning, but it felt like suddenly having to say goodbye, at least until next weekend that I could come and visit. After I goodbye hugged Furia, I got in the truck and all the way I stared at her until I lost her in the distance. Home felt so empty without Furia.

On Sunday night, while preparing the stuff I would need on Monday, I thought on the scar. What am I going to do with this? What if someone else knows about this, about dragons and what they are related to? I haven't seen anyone with a scar like this one… I better keep this for myself, the least I call attention, the better. I decided to wear my right sports glove while I was in college… the excuse: I had an acid accident and now my hand is oversensitive, end of story. That decided, I finished preparing stuff and went to bed.