Slayer

Slayer

         Mary Beth lay on her bed dozing; she imagined herself a dragon slayer, a medieval knight who lived in a tower, wore chain mail armor with shield and sword.  She even purchased a broad sword that she always had next to her.

         Having read every book on dragons she could find, the old maintenance man at school gave her an ancient publication, it looked very authentic to the point of being hand written.  The leather binding was embossed with the drawing of a dark knight and the head of a dragon.  The narrator described how the victims screamed for mercy, as the beast would flay its prey and seared the raw flesh with its acrid breath.  The tale drew a cold chill up her spine.

         This night she dreams… 'There is the rush of cold air through her open window.  An unearthly animal scream brings her to awareness.  Mary flings off her warm covers, clutches her sword and rushes to the window.  She must be awake; she can feel the cold floorboards against her bare feet.  Suddenly something rushes through the window and grips her about her waist, pining the sword against her hip, it lifted her and pulled her out the window.  The beast was only eight feet tall with talons at the joints of each wing.

         As it gripped her left arm and left leg, it tore her garments away, she still gripped the sword in her right hand and swung it, the tip slicing through the beast’s lips.  It dropped her; she was struck unconscious by a stone.'

         Opening her eyes to daylight, her mother was hanging over her.  Covered with a blanket, she lay on her back, a bruise on her head, torn nightgown hanging in the tree and still gripping the bloody sword.

W.C. = 300