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I must be hallucinating.
Chuckling nervously, I read the contents of the letter again and checked the seal once more. There’s no mistaking it…
The letter really is signed by “Aurora Dragons.”
Scoffing, I tear my gaze from the letter and look back at the bone. Perhaps I’d stumbled on some secret society that knows about my research and the excavation in New Zealand. Maybe I’m in trouble of some kind—but they would have found me by now.
Shaking my head to release the intrusive thoughts, panic creeps up slowly like bile in my throat.
It’s either I’m in trouble with a cult.
Or, dragons really do exist.
I can’t decide if I prefer the former or the latter. Laughing it off nervously, I relegate the whole thing to lack of sleep. The bone, the invitation… All of it.
Quickly shrugging my coat off my shoulders, I gather my things with trembling fingers, trying to forget about what I’ve been bombarded with. The craziness of the possibility that dragons might exist outside the pages of fantasy books and mythical stories.
I’m startled when a bird chirps in the empty expanse of the parking lot, prompting me to rush into my car. I throw my bag on the passenger seat and clutch both hands on the steering wheel. Knuckles paling, I lug in a few deep breaths to compose myself before turning the key in the ignition.
If dragons exist, it changes the trajectory of everything I know it. Yet, it’s still something I can’t accept. I drive out of the parking garage, sighing relief when the cool, crisp morning breeze wafts through the window. On the horizon, the rising sun brings with it a sense of hope.
A feeling of relief that I welcome to wash over me as I navigate the streets toward my apartment. Even the blaring sound of a notification doesn’t drag my attention away from the calm I’m holding onto. I know it’s a message from James in reply to my earlier text.
But I refuse to think about anything that has to do with the fossil that might deter my mind and have it race toward the unknown.
I turn into the street lined by the forest, getting closer to the sanctity of my apartment building. The sun’s warm, orange rays flash through the greenery of the forest on the left, like the pulsing lights of a club on a Friday night.
It reminds me that I should probably get out more.
Tittering to myself, I turn on the radio to the pleasant sound of a familiar song. I’m about to start karaoke-ing to Coldplay’s “Sky Full Of Stars” when I look up to see the biggest bird flap its wings in the distance.
Gasping, I release the gas pedal enough to slow the car down to look out of the window. And as soon as I do, my eyes grow in horror when I see the bird flying directly at me.
It’s bigger than anything I’ve seen, the low light casting an ominous glow around the creature. It forms a dark silhouette with wings bigger than its body. Almost like a bat, soaring straight toward me.
Panicking, I shriek as I step firmly on the gas and swerve my car out of its flying axis. But the sheer panic causes me to be unaware of my driving axis, sending me headed for a tree.
Crash!
Diving smack into a tree, I’m thankful that my whiplash is mild enough to keep me conscious. When a blaring screech outside fuels my dread, I wrestle to get my safety belt off as my vision blurs with the smoke from the engine bay.
I’m being hunted. That’s what this feels like. That’s why my gut instinct of fight or flight mode is activated. Coughing and spluttering, I finally unhook the constraints of the safety belt, quickly reaching for the door handle when the whole door is torn from the side.
Gasping with alarm, I’m about to make a run for it. But then the big bird shows itself, its face popping through the gaping hole of the car where a door once kept me safe.
And that’s when I realize it’s not a bird.
It’s a dragon, whose reptilian eyes form slits of chagrin, heat exuding from its pointed muzzle.
Perhaps the crash amplified my hallucination. Or maybe dragons really do exist.
I prefer the former.
Chapter 5 - Aragon
“That can’t be there,” I murmur, taking a wary step back as I wipe a hand across my face. As if I can’t believe my own eyes. But when I open them again, the bone remains on the table.
Pointing at the screen, I hand out instructions to Aidan. “Get me the exact location.”
