48. Everything is Broken
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(Continued from our last post…)
Pierre Jr landed first in front of the smoldering ruins. Black ash coated the ground where his home had stood only minutes earlier. He paused to assess the area before moving forward, but his thoughts quickly returned to the sky. His mother and younger brothers were only moments behind him.
The idea of them landing blind into this horror jolted him into action. He kicked off the ground and twisted his body in a propeller motion as he shot straight upward. Now facing his oncoming family, he hovered and waved his wings in exaggerated up and down sweeps to signal his mother to proceed with caution. She understood at once, slowing her descent and guiding the boys to land well short of the devastation.
Pierre Jr descended back onto the ground and walked into what was left of his home.
“Hello. Is anyone here?” he called, not knowing if he preferred a response or silence. “Dad, are you here?”
A shuffle sounded behind him from the remains of the family living room. He stepped over and pushed aside debris from a collapsed doorway to look inside. Heat from the embers brushed against his scales as he squeezed through the narrow passage. Charred furniture sagged under the weight of the fallen ceiling. Broken glass glittered across the floor. A toppled bookshelf had spilled its books in a heap like a scout dragon setting up kindling for a bonfire. The pile was already being eaten by the flames. A sharp breeze occasionally fanned the fire, toppling what little remained. Pierre Sr was nowhere in sight, which eased his son’s mind a little.
“Where is Daddy?” his brothers called from outside.
“He’s not here. I searched the whole house. He is not here,” he shouted back.
“Pierre, you need to get out. It is not safe,” his mother warned.
The hour was late on a Sunday evening. Rose told her sons they would stay the night in the family’s guest den near the center of town. Pierre could not stand the thought of sleeping without knowing if his father was okay. In recent months, his dad had disappeared for multiple days at a time, leaving the family to wonder about his well being. Pierre Jr never felt compelled to search for him then, mostly because comfort and routine helped him ignore the worry. Tonight was different.
He, his mother, and his brothers would sleep on the cold floor of the old guest den. It was a primitive dwelling, kept only as a reminder of his father’s humble beginnings. Tonight, he needed to search for his father and for answers. He still believed that if anyone could fix this mess, it would be his dad.
To be continued… New dragon story installments each Friday. Subscribe below to follow the dragons. Read the beginning of it all at Blog 1: New Adventure Awaits.
