The Dragon Rider Vol.1 [PUBLISHED & AVAILABLE ON AUDIBLE]

Two

           

The sound of dripping water entered my dream, as blue eyes flashed around in my vision. The eyes belonged to a dragon, one that I have often seen in my dreams. The sound of dripping water hitting the ground took over my mind, sending it blank. The eyes flashed once more, before a dragon's mouth came into view, its jaws snapping towards me.

Sitting up in my small nap-sack, I looked around me. The sound of the dripping water was stronger now. Looking around the small hut, I noticed a small drop of water falling from the roof onto the wooden floor, soon followed by another drop.

Pushing my tattered blanket away from me, I walked towards the dripping water. Looking up at the roof, I could see the water forming in the middle, before falling down onto the ground. Sighing, I walked towards a small wooden bucket, placed near the door. Picking it up, I walked back towards the dripping water and rested it on the ground to collect the drops.

The sound of the water falling into the bucket rang louder in the air as the water hit the bottom of the empty bucket. Rubbing my eyes, I looked towards the window near my nap-sack. Outside, the moon shone brightly in the night sky as rain fell heavily.

"Abagail, are you okay?" Mother mumbled.

Turning my head slightly, I could see her lifting her small blanket away from her body.

"I'm fine, Mother."

Nodding, she looked towards the bucket I had just placed down. "Was it raining?"

I sat back down on my nap-sack and nodded. "Yes, it was."

Nodding, she walked over towards the bucket. "Looks like the roof will need fixing." She turned and walked towards me. "Can you ask Alex to help fix the roof when the sun rises?"

I bit my lip and looked down at my hands, which were resting on my lap. Although Alex was a good friend of mine, I still felt uncomfortable around him.

"Abagail?"

"Sorry?" I said, snapping out of my daze.

Smiling, Mother shook her head as she sat down next to me. She placed her hand on my shoulder and gently pushed me back to lay me down. Lying down beside me, Mother pulled me to her side with her hand patting my head in a soothing manner.

"When the sun rises in the sky, please ask Alex to fix the roof for us." Her voice rippled through her chest, the sound calming against my head. Closing my eyes, I nodded my head, before letting the soft hum of my mother's voice send me to sleep.

***

"Will you stop throwing the hay at me, Abagail?" Alex yelled, brushing the loose hay from his short brown hair.

I shook my head and laughed. "Well, maybe if you hurried, then I wouldn't be throwing hay at you."

Alex shook his head, a smirk gracing his lips as he returned to his work. Biting my bottom lip, I looked around the farming area. People were going about their daily work. From the corner of my eye, I spotted something off in the distance. Standing at the edge of the forest, I gazed into the eyes of the very thing that haunted my dreams as a child.

Its dark green skin and blood-red eyes gazed back at me as a sickening grin spread across its face. Before I could stop myself, a loud scream escaped my throat. At the sound of my scream, Alex looked up from what he was doing to see the rogues standing at the forest's edge, weapons in hand. The rogues yelled as they ran forward into the farming village.

As I watched the rogues get closer towards me, a hand reached out, grasping my wrist and spinning me around. "Get your mother!" Alex yelled, before running towards the other farmers. At the mention of my mother, my heart sank. She wasn't near the farming area; she was in the village. Fear filled my body at the thought of her being in danger.