Ch. 5: Austin's End

Back to Arheled

             It   was   cold,   being   stone.

             Very   like   sleep,   except   one   did   not   dream. His   mind   hung   suspended   in   a   void. Gradually   he   became   aware   of   a   voice   shouting. His   Father’s   voice,   trying   to   wake   him   up. He   resolutely   kept   himself   asleep   Let   old   Daddy-boy   try   a   little   harder.

             It   worked,   he   supposed. He   was   left   alone,   to   sleep   in   stone:   the   only   peace,   he   guessed,   that   would   ever   be   his   in   this   accursed   condition. How   long   it   was   he   did   not   know. He   only   rested.

             Until   the   voice   became   too   loud.

             He opened   stone   eyes,   feeling   stone   flow   painfully   out   of   him,   and   stretched. His   insides   felt   prickly   until   he   shifted   shape   a   few   times. All   around   him   the   dragons   crouched,   staring   with   amused   eyes   at   a   frightened,   shivering   blue   girl-dragon. He   remembered   her,   vaguely:   it   was   Camille,   Brianna’s   friend. She’d   been   pretty   rude   to   him   lately.

             “Austin!”   she   screamed   one   more   time. “Help   me!”

             “I   think   you   may   want   to   stay   put,   dragon-boy.”   sneered   a   huge   red-golden   dragon. “I   haven’t   tasted   a   maiden   in…how   many   ages   has   it   been? Not   since   Dale,   I   think.”

             “Shut   your   mouth,   you   big   a—h--! Go   pick   on   someone   your   own   size!”   Austin   hollored.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             The   huge   face   was   suddenly   very   near   to   his,   and   Austin   cowered:   how   did   these   guys   get   so   BIG? And   how   long   did   he   have   to   live   to   grow   any   larger? “You   do   not   sling   names   at   Smaug,   hatchling,   Even   Barrel-rider   knew   more   about   handling   a   dragon   that   you   do. Answer   me   this:

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;">''<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “It   grips   while   waving   but   has   no   hands,   though   many-fingered   in   some   lands.” ''

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “What   the   f--   does   that   have   to   do   with   anything?”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             The   dragon   looked   completely   disgusted. “A   dragon,   with   the   mind   of   an   earthworm. What   has   our   Father   got   in   his   head   these   days,   cheese? Has   he   forgotten   how   to   breed   a   real   monster? Have   you   no   conception   of   riddles?”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Uhhh…a   riddle’s   something   that   don’t   make   no   sense,   right?”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Wrong!”   thundered   Smaug. Fire   blasted   around   Austin. He   felt   the   weather-power   in   him   battling   valiantly   with   the   incredible   heat,   until   a   sudden   spurt   of   power   punched   through   and   a   miniature   thunderstorm   appeared   around   the   huge   dragon,   zapping   him   with   small   but   concentrated   blue   lightning-bolts.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Smaug   eyed   the   storm   with   considerable   interest. “I   take   it   back. He   certainly   has   gotten   more   creative   since   my   days. Very   well,   I   let   you   live,   but   only   on   one   condition. Both   of   you   hatchlings   must   answer   two   riddles:   for   each   riddle   answered   wrong,   one   of   you   dies. Are   you   ready?”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “You   can’t   kill   us,   dude.”   said   Camille. “We’re   already   dead.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “If   you   die   on   Earth,   you   snap   to   here;   but   if you   die   hereon,   you   snap   to   where? That   sounds   like   a   wonderful   riddle,   but   I   cannot   ask   it   here,   for   no   one   knows   the   answer.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             He   coiled   his   three   hundred   feet   of   snakelike   body   around   a   monstrous   crag. The   dragons   nearby   settled   down,   looking   quite   interested. “I   will   ask   my   first   riddle.''     “It   grips   while   waving   but   has   no   hands,   though   many-fingered   in   some   lands.” ''

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Hey,   um,   big   guy,   do   we   like   get   a   redo?”   said   Austin.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Smaug   blinked. “Translate   that,   if   you   would.”   he   drawled. “I   fear   your   dialect   is   too   thick.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Um,   I   meant,   do   we   get   any   extra   tries?”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “You   have   three   chances   for   each   riddle,   since   your   intelligence   is   so   low. The   game   only   allows   for   that   many,   though   it   is   more   usual   to   allow   only   one   guess.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Austin   and   Camille   frantically   began   whispering. “Grips   while   waving—what   the   heck? Many-fingered? Maybe   an   ape?”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Yeah! Yeah! It’s   an   ape!”   shouted   Austin. Camille   nodded.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Smaug   looked   bored. “Wrong. Consider   your   second   answer.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Trying   to   ignore   the   sniggering   of   the   thousands   of   gathering   Dragons,   Austin   and   Camille   held   another   frantic   conference.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “A   chicken   falling   off   a   fence?”   Camille   said   hesitantly.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             There   was   a   derisive   light   in   Smaug’s   eyes. “Clever. You   show   some   promise. But   still   wrong.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             He   stooped   closer,   and   breathed   a   waft   of   hot   smoke   in   their   faces. “Consider   your   final   answer.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “A   mushroom?”   was   the   best   thing   either   of   them   could   come   up   with,   after   about   five   minutes   of   whispering. “I   mean,   cause   I’ve   seen   ones   with   lots   of   fingers.”   Camille   added.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Close. But   not   close   enough. The   answer   is   a   tree,   which   grips   with   its’   roots   while   waving   its’   many-fingered   boughs. Choose   which   of   you   should   die.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “I   do   not   know,   brother,”   rumbled   a   giant   dragon   the   color   of   moss. “In   Beleriand   in   my   days,   an   answer   right   in   one   category,   though   wrong   in   ultimation,   did   not   incur   the   full   penalty.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “I   defer   to   your   wisdom,   Lord   Gartaronga.”   said   Smaug,   though   he   looked   a   little   disappointed. “What   do   the   rest   of   you   say?”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “They   answered   wrong!”   shouted   the   dragons.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “And   wrong   they   did!”   drawled   Smaug. “Now. Choose,   then,   which   one   of   you   will   die.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “He   should!”   screamed   Camille,   pointing   at   Austin.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “No   way! Take   her!”   he   howled   right   back.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Smaug   gave   a   resigned   upward   stare. “Very   well,   I   will   decide. I   like   maidens. Especially   nice,   plump,   buxom   maidens. I   eat   Camille   first.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Wait!”   Camille   shouted. “I’m—I’m   pregnant. There’s   two   of   us. You   can   only   eat   one. Your   rules.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “A   dragon? Pregnant?”   said   Smaug   curiously. “Only   mammals   are   pregnant. Dragons   lay   eggs. What   did   our   Father   do,   beget   you on   a   human   woman? It   would   explain   much. But   as   he   is   still   within   you,   is   he   not   part   of   your   body? Consuming   both   of   you   still   counts   as   one.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “No! Please!”   screamed   Camille. “That’s   not   what   I   meant. I   didn’t   wanna   get   pregnant,   but   I   didn’t   have   my   Pill   and   then   my   boyfriend   insisted   we   keep   him   but   I   don’t   really   want   to   marry   him   and   I   wanted   an   abortion—“

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Is   there   a   point   behind   this   babble?”   said   Smaug,   looking   tired.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Eat   my   fetus.”   said   Camille. “Instead   of   me. You   said   choose   who   dies. I   chose. It’s my   right   of   choice.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             A   hideous   dragon-smile   split   Smaug’s   immense   muzzle. “I   shall. Most   unsatisfying   a   morsel,   but   exceedingly   satisfying   a   betrayal. A   little   dragon-magic,   and   you’ll   miscarry. And   I   will   have   a   snack.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Camille   screamed,   writhing   on   the   ground. Something   red   and   soft   and   helpless   flowed   out   of   her   contorting   belly,   under   her   tail:   a   baby   dragon,   two   feet   long,   wrinkled   and   fleshy,   eyes   tight   shut. Then   Smaug   put   out   a   long   snakelike   tongue   that   wrapped   around   him   and   pulled   the   son   of   Gerald   and   Camille   into   his   mouth.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Now   I   will   ask   my   second   riddle.”   the   dragon   said,   licking   his   muzzle.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">                     ''“Made   of   bone   and   hued   of   bone, ''

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;">''<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">                        Both   of   bone   yet   not   a   bone. ''<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Uhh…”   said   Austin. “We   get   three   tries,   right?”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             The   dragon   nodded. Austin   and   Camille   began   whispering   again,   coming   up   with   ideas   wilder   and   wilder. Finally   Camille   said,   “Ivory.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Wrong. Ruel   remains   bone   even   when   carved. Consider   your   second   answer.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             This   time   Austin   was   the   one   who   finally   said,   “A   prosthetic   limb? Uh,   I   mean,   artificial   limb   made   of   machinery?”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Smaug   looked   exasperated   and   disgusted   at   the   same   time. “Machines   are   not   of   bone,   but   metal! Consider   your   final   answer!”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “A   sword   hilted   with   ivory!”   Austin   bleated.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “No,   you   idiot,   it’s   a   fake   skeleton!”   Camille   screamed   at   him.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Both   are   wrong. The   answer   is   stone,   the   bone   of   the   earth   which   was   builded   from   the   bones   of   the   First   Giant   when   the   Gods   constructed   the   world. Thus   it   is   both   bone   and   not   bone.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “But,   but,   but,   but,   look,   man,   you   can’t   just   go—“

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Choose   which   of   you   shall   die,   and   which   idiot   I   shall   be   forced   to   put   up   with   for   the   rest   of   eternity.”   Smaug   said   in   an   extremely   fed-up   voice.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Take   her!”   screamed   Austin.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Take   him!”   screamed   Camille.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Don’t   eat   me!”   both   wailed   in   unison.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Again,   I   have   to   choose.”   sighed   the   dragon. “Well,   I haven’t   eaten   any   succulent   maidens   since   Dale,   so…I   will   eat   Camille.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Camille   hurled   a   blast   of   Seeing   into   Smaug’s   face.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Where   are   you—where   is   she—what   did   she   do   to   me?” Smaug   shouted,   swinging   his   head   blindly. Austin   shot   blasts   of   concentrated   weather   in   all   directions,   filling   the   air   with   thick   fog,   while   Camille   withdrew   the   Seeing   ability   of   all   the   dragons   around. They   flew   furiously   up   into   the   air,   trying   to   get   as   far   away   as   possible. Then   the   fog   suddenly   dried   up. The   air   grew   so   parched   and   arid   the   two   dragons   felt   their   tissues   withering   as   they   flew. A   dragon   a   dusty   brown   was   following   furiously,   sucking   all   the   moisture   out   of   the   air.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Who   the   hell??”   said   Camille,   as   best   she   could   for   her   tongue   was   swelling.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “It’s   AJ.”   gasped   Austin. “The   f--! I   didn’t   know   he’d    gone   dragon!”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Darn   right,   dude,”   sneered   the   dusty   dragon. “And   I’m   gonna   shrivel   you   up   right   where   you   are. I’m   a   Drying-Dragon.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             He   breathed   a   billowing   fog   of   pure   dryness. Rocks   splintered   into   dust. Dragons   scrambled   and   flew   as   fast   they   could   to   get   out   of   range. Furiously   the   weather-powers   of   Austin   battled   the   dryness:   an   even   match,   seesawing   back   and   forth   as   huge   whirlwinds   formed   and   withered,   stormclouds   appeared   from   nowhere   and   shriveled,   fogs   and   drenching   rains   blew   and   vanished. Then   the   mountain   range   at   the   edge   of   the   sky   lifted   it’s   head,   for   it   was   a   dragon   bigger   than   all   others,   and   it   was   a   dead   and   burning   black,   and   it   spat. A   bomb   of   concentrated   fire   landed   on   all   three   dragons,   smashing   them   to   earth. They   heard   dimly   AJ’s   coughs   from   miles   away. As   Austin   and   Camille   sprawled   on   the   ground,   Smaug   landed   with   a   beating   of   wings   like   a   hurricane,   and   seized   Camille.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “My   thanks,   my   lord   Ancalagon.”   he   said,   and   closed   his   jaws   on   the   small   blue   dragon. She   shifted   to   human   from   the   pain,   and   his   jaws   met,   and   Camille   alone   of   Dragon-born   went   early   to   her   place.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;">''<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             You   are   needed. The   Children   of   the   Road   are   coming   too   close. Delay   them   if   you   cannot   kill   them! ''

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             The   voice   of   his   Father   crashed   in   Austin’s   head. The   Graveyard   was   fading   around him,   as   if   he   was   sinking   into   and   through   the   very   fabric   of   space. Then   fire   burst   around   him,   many-hued   fires. He   was   in   a   steep   shaft   of   half-melted   stone   walls,   glowing   with   heat. Using   his   wings   he   kept   himself   aloft. Several   blasted   dragon-corpses   littered   the   floor   along   the   climbing   way. Brianna,   Vanessa,   Jeremy   and   a   few   others   were   retreating   before   six   young   people   advancing   steadily   downward. Their   faces   were   bone-weary   but   their   eyes   glowed,   blue   and   green,   white   and   red,   and   water-blasts   and   ice-cascades   and   beams   of   weird   energy   shot   in   fountains   from   them,   and   stone   appeared   out   of   nowhere   to   encase   the   dragons   as   fast   as   they   shattered   it.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Austin! Cool! We   need   some   weather   change   in   here.”   joked   Brianna.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “You   wanna   change   the   weather? F--,   yeah!”   said   Austin.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             A   choking   fog   filled   the   tunnel:   Austin   had   never   heard   of   the   horrible   fog   of   1952,   which   filled   London   with   sulpher   dioxide   smog   of   a   foul   yellowy-brown   and   which   had   killed   over ten   thousand   people;   but   the   fog   that   now   boiled   and   frothed   in   the   narrow   confines   was   likely   even   more   lethal. Storms   of   boiling   rain   thundered   on   the   walls and   blasted   up   in   steam. Lightnings   cracked   about   in   every   direction.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Out   of   the   smother   the   Children   of   the   Road   marched,   not   even   breathing   heavily. A   shimmer   of   blue   engulfed   them:   the   cold   clear   air   of   winter. A   wave   of   such   Cold   it   turned   the   rain   to   ice   and   even   darkened   the   blazing   walls   engulfed   the   storm. They   weren’t   even   wet:   the   water-girl   was…no,   she   was   water   itself,   her   body   was   water,   and   she   was   wrapping   up   the   rains   and   sucking   them   into   her…What   the   f--?

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             That   was   when   Austin   recognized   the   guy   at   the   front. Red   hair—a   hollow,   sharp   face—he   knew him.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             It   was   the   bike   guy. Ronnie   Wendy.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             With   an   inarticulate   howl   of   hatred,   Austin   turned   the   entire   tunnel   into   a   tornado. The   rotating   wind   whipped   at   the   Children   of   the   Road,   stronger   and   stronger   every   second.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             He   met   the   glance   of   Ronnie   Wendy.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “Austin,” <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">   the   voice   of   the   Hill   of   the   Road   filled   his   mind   and   sight   and   world,   “''look   upon   my   eyes,   and   gaze   into   their   depths!” ''

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;">''<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">

''

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;">''<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">

''

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;">''<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Hell. Black,   bloody,   living   hell. He   was   hell. A   thing   so   repulsive,   so   earthminded,   so   unspeakably   vile,   so   unutterably   stupid,   he   had   never   seen. That   rational   intelligence   should   be   wedded   to   such   imbecility   was   a   crime   against   Creation. It   was   an   insult   to   humanity   for   an   immortal   mind   to   chain   itself   so   to   the   sewer   of   reality,   to   the   gross   and   the   obscene,   till   there   was   nothing   in   it   that   was   not   filthy,   that   was   not   degraded,   was   not   utterly   unclean. It   was   him. He   was   it. He   saw   himself   stark   before   himself,   and   hated   himself   with   a   loathing   so   great   he   would   have   vomited   himself   up out   of   himself. He   could   no   longer   bear   to   live. He   was   made   for   God,   and   there   was   no   God   in   him. He   could   not   bear   it. He   was   divine,   and   he   had   become   a   swine. ''

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;">''<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             He   wanted   to   die. ''

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;">''<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             To   die   and   go   extinct. Poof. No   afterlife. No   further   agony   of   existence. Like   old   Bob   the   Jehovah’s   Witness   was   always   saying,   before   Austin   and   AJ   beat   the   old   fool   up   and   threw   him   in   the   icy   river   below   the   gas   station. The   comfort   of   oblivion. The   mercy   of   annihilation. He   hungered   for   it. Why   did   Bob   think   it   a   punishment? To   exist   was   the   worst   punishment   there   was. ''

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;">''<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">

''

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             The   black   redness   grew. Everything   was   red   now. Red,   and   stony. Back   again. Back   in   the   Graveyard   of   Dragons. There   was   no   escape. No   release   from   his   damnation. Cursed   to   keep   existing.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             “F--   you! F--   you,   God!”   he   screamed.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             The   dragons   had   gone   somewhere   else. Or   he   was   in   an   uninhabited   part   of   the   Graveyard. It   seemed   to   be   empty. Empty   as   his   loathsome   soul. Wedded   to   himself. To   that   horrid   little   poopspittle   Austin. He   shuddered   at   its’   existence. He   remembered   a   punishment   he’d   heard   about,   somewhere,   of   a   live   man   chained   to   a   rotting   corpse,   face   against   face,   naked   against   naked,   until   he   too   took   ill   and   died. He   felt   like   that   man.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             If   you   die   here,   to   where   do   you   snap? Or   maybe   there   was   no   snap. Maybe   if   he   died   here,   he’d   go   poof. Like   the   Witnesses   promised.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Maybe   not. He   might   be   able   to   hide   here,   to   try   to   clean   himself   off. The   thought   intruded,   like   an   uncomfortable   blade,   a   thorn   digging   into   a   festered   wound. He   felt   it,   bright,   alien,   and   squirmed   away   from   it. He   couldn’t   do   that.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             End,   end,   end. Die   and   go   kapoof.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             He   spread   his   wings   and   climbed   to   a   great   height. Wastes   of   red   stone   to   the   end   of   sight. He   smiled,   pasting   a   smile   on   his horror-wracked   face,   pretending   he   liked   this,   pretending   he   enjoyed   the   view,   the   sensation   of   flight. Fool   him. Fool   my   Father. Keep   my   despair   off   my   face.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Now   he   banked   in   a   long   swooping   dive. This   had   to   be   timed   just   right. Sweep   by   that   crag. Miscalculate   on   purpose. Yes,   that   was   it. Then   shift   his   head   to   human.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             The   crag   was   before   him.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Damn   you,   Daddy.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             He   shifted   his   head. The   ragged   stone   smashed   it   instantly. He   tumbled   from   the   sky,   completing   the   shift,   till   his   human   body,   he   felt   dimly,   would   splatter   on   the   stones.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             He   was   falling,   tumbling. He   could   turn. All   it   took. Turn   your   head   up. Turn   to   what   was   good.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">             Damn   the   good. Damn   the   bad. I   am   through   and   I   am   dead. Not   even   my   Father   can   resurrect   the   dead. Damn   the   world. Damn   you   all.

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