Imagine (Completed)

Three

Imagine there's no countries

It isn't hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion, too

*******

Tasha had talked well into the night, telling her story and answering questions. I did not ask any because I knew my parents were listening. The next day, after the Morning Song, I searched for Tasha. My friends said she was on the other side of the park, away from the Kymari that watched us. She was alone, and just like me, my friend's parents refused to let them go to her. They have questions, too.

The entire day went by, and we didn't hear anything through the mindlink except gossip about the story told the night before. I wasn't allowed to go to the other side of the park without an adult, and none were going. It took about an hour to fly there, and my parents would know if I disobeyed.

I sat in a tree by the big pond, debating my next move, when I saw them.

Six Kymari stood on the bank, just staring at the pond. There was no sound, just a lingering sadness in the air. This was shocking to me since Kymari show no emotion unless they are attacked.

"I can't believe she is gone." Came a quiet voice.

"How did the gate get broken?"

"She lived here for years in this park. How could she drown? Or did something kill her and throw the body in the pond?"

They believed she was dead. They would not look for her anymore. I looked around to see if any other Dragonets were around and saw none. They see Kymari and run away. I decided not to share this information on the link as my parents would know I was this close to them. I'll tell Tasha, though, so she doesn't have to continue to hide.

I noticed the one with pads on his shoulders. He was the one who took care of Tasha. He wasn't speaking at all and just stared at the pond. I watched him closely. He was indeed in pain from this turn of events. They did feel the emotion, and he was devasted at Tasha's loss, just as we were when she was injured and he took her away.

They didn't leave for quite some time. Once they did, I returned to our burrow and thought about all this. The rumors, Tasha's story, and what I saw and heard from the Kymari.

My parents are wrong. These aliens care about us. I do not believe they would ever intentionally hurt us or kill off our race just because we could think and reason.

I asked my friends if any had seen Tasha or if they were going with their parents to see her. I got a no from everyone. Tasha was left alone on the other side of the park. No one wanted to interact with her!

These friends who grieved her and stated how brave she was to defend the nest and bite the Sicora were shunning her because she got caught and cared for by the alien race that now protects us.

Last week, I breathed fire for the first time and learned how to control it. Maybe I should go to the Kymari and train to kill the monsters. I need to talk to Tasha before I can make this decision. But honestly, I am leaning more and more toward leaving the flock.

A new day dawns, and we sing the Morning Song. It raises my spirits, but I'm still unsettled as no one knows when or if Tasha is coming back or has interacted with her. The general mindlink is quiet of news of Tasha, and people have stopped asking after her. She is still all alone on the other side of the park.

By late afternoon, I'd had enough and decided to find Tasha, with or without my parents' approval. I don't care anymore. She is being treated horribly, which goes against everything we are taught.

Just as I reach the pond, I see her.

Tasha.

She is staring intently at something and not moving; I'm not even sure she is breathing. I stop and watch. I can spread the word quickly through the mindlink if there is danger. I don't know if the flock will help, but I will do what I can.

She's looking down, and I follow her line of sight. It's a Kymari, the same one from the pond, her handler. He is sitting on a bench, staring at the pond. He doesn't have the shoulder pads, but I recognize him anyway.

Suddenly, she takes flight and lands on his shoulder. I get closer to see what is happening. He took her off his shoulder and cradled her in his arms.

"I thought I lost you." His voice sounded broken, like he had lost something very precious to him.

Tasha hummed at him and nuzzled his chin. Obviously, she cared for him, too, and had missed him. After another deep breath, he got up and carried her away from the pond and to the path that left the park. I followed them until they reached the entrance where the two other Kymari were.

They looked stunned to see Tasha, and one ran to him. I was right above them and could see and hear them.

"She's alive. But how? I picked that tracker because it had never failed, and it showed her at the bottom of that pond."

"Look at her flank. Whoever broke through the garden door also cut her tracker bead out. When I get my hands on him, he will pay." Her handler said. I have NEVER heard this much anger coming from a Kymari. It is against all we had witnessed and the Blood Memories. They show anger or sorrow only when a child or mate is in danger; even then, it is primarily private.

"Who would do such a thing? And why go through all that trouble when she could easily return to you?" The other asked, also angry.

"I am not sure. I am not aware of any who may have a grudge against me. I don't think she was let go either, or I would have found her yesterday or with the wild ones this morning. I have a sneaking suspicion that whoever took her underestimated her curiosity and wasn't aware of her ability to undo latches and open doors. I am pretty sure she escaped." While I know it was Drake who cut the tracker out and dropped it into the pond, even Tasha said in her story that she didn't know why the gate was open.

"How did you find her?"

"I wasn't even aware that she was around. She landed on my shoulder."

"Let me call you a shuttle." His friend said. "I am not sure she will sit still for that long walk without a harness. You don't have your shoulder pads either, and she is used to sitting on those." It's fantastic that she sits on his shoulder. It's like she is equal to him.

"Thanks."

"Do you want to use a cord loop around her neck to secure her while waiting?"

What?! Are they going to tie her up?!

"No, I am not sure what she went through, and I don't want to spook her until I know how she will react." I took a deep breath and looked at Tasha.

A good, hard look.

She looked content. That is an emotion I have not felt with the flock since she was hurt. My only sense of joy is during the Morning Song.

As I watched her enter one of the flying cars, I realized I didn't need to talk to Tasha. I had made up my mind on my own.