Page 10 of Escaping my Dragon

Hopeful things would take a positive—maybe sexy—turn, I sat there for several moments for nothing. A hero failed to appear. Guess I’d have to save myself. I glanced above at the blue sky, so close and yet impossibly far. The sheer ice walls around me would be impossible to scale. As if I’d go through the effort. Time to wake up.

I didn’t want to be there, but did my mind and body listen? Nope. And despite wearing my expensive snowpants, the chill from the ground radiated to my butt, forcing me to my feet. Since I had nothing interesting in front of me, I spun around and noticed a tunnel—large enough I could walk upright—leading to who knew where. Given I’d been reading up on all the crazy theories about Antarctica, maybe it led to a hidden jungle. A warm one, because damn, I was cold. The exertion from trudging didn’t improve that state.

The tunnel I’d dumbly entered appeared to go straight. No turns. No exit. Nothing. And yet…

It occurred to me suddenly that I could see. Puzzled, I paused a moment, trying to discern where the light came from. There appeared to be no source. While not bright either, the illumination allowed me to see. Strange, but then again, dreams didn’t have to make sense. If mine wanted to make sure I didn’t fall into a hole or trip on my own feet, then whatever.

I walked, not as long as expected, and found myself inside a huge cavern, empty but for a mound that rose from the floor, almost like a ramp, that ended nowhere. Despite still not spotting a source of illumination, light refracted from the walls limned in ice.

Since my tired legs didn’t want to trudge the length of the cave looking for an exit, I chose to stumble up the ramp until I stood atop it with an aerial-like vantage point.

I faced a wall grayer in color than the rest of the cave, the surface of it textured, the pattern reminding me of overlapping petals, or, if I were to be fanciful, scales. Had I found a dinosaur frozen in ice? Certainly possible. Scientists did claim there existed a time when the South Pole experienced a tropical climate.

Despite my lofty view, I didn’t spot any egress from the cavern, just the tunnel I’d exited. So much for escape. Annoyed, I yelled, “Wake up!”

Bad idea. A rumbling noise had me hunching on the promontory, hands over my head as chunks began to fall, frozen ice stalactites that crashed and exploded. The shower of debris lasted a few minutes, and by the time it finished, my tunnel entrance had been buried.

“Great, just great,” I muttered. I held out my arms and yelled, “Are you fucking kidding me? Wake up.” I gave myself the order, but rather than pop my eyes open and free myself from this nightmare, I caused a chain reaction. This time the rumbling and crackling came from directly in front. The scaly wall, to be exact.

Not a wall, as it turned out. A giant eye opened. An eye impossibly big. Bright blue. Very much alive and staring at me.

But what had me falling?

The voice in my head booming, “Stop yelling. I’m awake.”

Chapter Four

Needless to say, I woke abruptly, flailing at the covers in a panic, failing to unwrap the cocoon and instead managing to throw myself on the floor.

Bedroom floor, not an ice cave. No monster here.

I lay there in the tangle of fabric and sighed. “Fucking Captain.” I blamed him for my dream. Him and his comment about a sleeping creature.

Once I managed to crawl out of the blanket mess, I checked the time. Eight-oh-three am. I’d slept a good ten hours, yet my aching body insisted I’d not rested at all. Stupid mattress. A hot shower—thankfully empty of other people—eased some of the soreness, but not all. My body protested as if I’d actually fallen.

Spotting no one lurking in the hall outside my door—and not daring to knock on Joslyn’s or Vernon’s, in case they’d made a ‘friend’ last night—I headed downstairs to find the cafeteria and hopefully some palatable coffee. I carried one of my lighter winter coats and wore my cute boots. I wouldn’t be venturing outside the station for a few days, as I planned to start my assignment questioning those who lived here.

The captain appeared as I sat down with my tray of food—better fare than expected. Bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, and toast, as well as my much-needed coffee, with powdered creamer and more sugar than an adult my age should consume.

He sat across from me. “Morning.”

“Morning,” I answered in kind taking a sip of life.

“Sleep well?”

“Yes.” I lied because I wasn’t about to admit his words led to me having a nightmare about his monster.

“Your videographer has yet to leave her room, but your other companion is outside with some equipment.”

“Vernon’s been very excited to use his new gear.”

“What’s the plan for today?” The captain jumped right to it.

“I’ve got a list of people I’m supposed to interview.”

“Send me a copy, and I’ll arrange appointment times for you.”

“Not going to let me ambush?” I teased.