Childhood forever

It was the day of my ascent to adulthood.1

I must say I really wasn't ready for it at all. I dressed in the long robe of my ancestors and looked myself over in the mirror, playing with my long, black hair a little. I put it up in a bun, but the pins wouldn't keep it tidy. All the locks were trying to escape from their prison. But I had no time to fix it. I wanted to head out early in order to have a little time to myself.2

My mother rushed out towards me and started to fix my hair. "You can't go out like that Keiko."3

I frowned over at her. "Today is the day I become an adult. I don't need you to treat me like a baby anymore mother."4

My mother looked saddened. I blamed her for the reason why I didn't feel ready to become an adult quite yet. She always treated me as one would a child, like I wasn't able to take care of myself.5

"I just want you to look good for your special day that's all. Why are you rushing? It isn't even close to the time for the ceremony yet. Why don't you spend some more time with me?"6

Yeah, spend more time with the woman who treated me like a doll, playing with me whenever her whims told her so.7

"I just want to have a little time to myself. I have a lot of things to think about."8

I ran off before she had time to argue.9

It wasn't long before I had reached my favorite place to be. It was far away from my mother, but close enough so I wouldn't be far away from home. I looked up at the clouds scanning for patterns in the sky. Since today was the last day I would ever be able to think like a child I wanted to enjoy it. There I spotted something. At first it looked like two pair of hands, reaching up to the sky looking like they were about to scoop up the sun in an embrace. But at a closer look, the hands looked like dragon wings. Clearly in front of me I saw the image of a great white dragon staring out at me. I smiled, a dragon was my favorite fantasy character. I had imagined many things about them in my lifetime. Looking at that image in the sky gave me many pleasant memories.10

My eyes traveled down to the ground, on which I noticed a trail of footprints leading to a little girl digging a hole. I ambled over, starting to bury my hands in the soil helping the young girl with her work. I half expected her to say something, but she just kept quiet. I looked down to see her face but her long dark hair was covering it. I was tempted to move my hand to get a peek at whom I was working with but I decided that breaking personal bounds. We moved dirt to uncover a large round rock.11

"My, my look what we have found. Do you think that is a dragon's egg?"12

"Don't be silly, that is just a rock." 13

Instead of a child's voice, I heard the voice of an adult. It seemed like somebody was spying on us. I looked up to see who it was but saw nobody. I think my imagination must be working overtime.14

"You think if we sit on it, a dragon will hatch out of it?"15

"Nothing is going to hatch out of a rock!"16

Who was playing tricks on me? I was feeling very angry right now. I looked over to where the little girl was and saw instead of her a strange woman who's face I couldn't see clearly. It seemed her body was all encased in darkness. Compared to this woman, I felt very small indeed. She seemed to be at least seven feet tall! My heart beat in my chest. What did this woman want? Where did she come from? I felt my heart beating in my chest as I leaned forward, trying to get a better look at her. But the closer I came, the farther away she seemed to be.17

"Who are you? What happened to the little girl I was playing with?"18

The woman did not answer.19

"Speak to me!"20

Everything grew darker, and darker until I was bathed in black.21

I saw myself sitting on the rock. I heard a strange noise, and the rock under me started to rumble. I felt like the rock was starting to grow underneath me. If I was scared when that woman showed up, I was twice as scared now. I had no idea what was happening to me. I didn't remember sitting on the rock. That whole thing I was doing with the child was nothing more than a game. But now it seemed to be real. I saw a monstrous head poking up underneath me. It was a head of well something big, but I wasn't too sure what it was. I turned my head to get a better look. I gasped as I stared at it. It seemed to be just what I always imagined a dragon head to be like!22

"W-What is happening here?"23

"You have hatched me." 24

Was all the answer I got. This had to be some kind of dream! I started to go to pinch myself, but the dragon nudged my hand away before I could.25

"Didn't you want to have a little sliver of your childhood? You are being given a chance to live out your dreams. Not many people get that chance."26

"If I go with you, could I get away from that horrible right of passage that I am supposed to be going to?"27

"If you go with me, you could be a child forever!"28

"Then hurry up and take me!"29

The dragon took flight high in the sky.30

Had it been minutes or years before we reached our goal? It was hard to tell. I found myself on a mountain, surrounded by all sorts of dragons of all colors. They all bowed to me.31

"We have waited for you to come to us Keiko. Take these gifts."32

In my arms was thrust what seemed to be a dress made of spider silk, and a crown that seemed to be made out of moonbeams. Could this all be for me? I remember having this dream when I was small. Finding a dragon's egg then being whisked off to a land of dragons where I was made to be the queen. I didn't believe how lucky I was to actually have the dream to come true. I put on the dress which fit me like a glove, and I carefully placed the crown on the top of my head.33

"Does this mean I am your queen?"34

"Yes, everything you could ever want will be provided to you."35

Somewhere else tears were being shed, a man was standing beside Keiko's mother patting her hand.36

Everything was somber here, a fire was dying out. The clock was ticking on the mantle seeming louder than usual. Time seemed to slow down for the sad news the man was about to tell the poor woman.37

"I know something is wrong, just out and say it. Don't leave me in suspense!"38

"Sorry ma'am it is just really hard to tell you this. You see, your daughter will never make it to be an adult."39

The woman's red rimmed eyes rose to meet his.40

"What do you mean? Please tell me that this is some sort of joke!"41

"We found your daughter not too far from your house. It seemed that something ripped into her flesh. Some sort of beast tore into her. We are sorry but your daughter is dead."42

As the woman mourned, the clouds started to gather in the sky. Outside it began to rain.43

It was the end of Keiko.44

Well at least on this world it was...45

The End