Skinny Dragon

Skinny Dragon

Every night I think of you. I think of your carefully bleached hair and your ocean blue eyes that I can remember so well. I think of your soft, airy voice that calmed me in my time of need. I think of you.
You used to call me skinny dragon, I was ever so thin back then and my temper was equal to the fiery strop only a dragon could throw. Dragons were our secret belief, something that humoured any situation I may find myself in, something that I can no longer share with you.

Dad tries to understand; but he canât. He has tried to simulate your goodnight kiss, he has tried to speak in the same voices you did for my story time, but he canâtâ¦not like you. The night you went into hospital is the night that haunts me forever; you werenât who I remembered you as. Leads hung from your chest and there was a steady beep as the monitor picked up your heartbeat, I always listened for that beep, I hoped that it would wake you up and that everything would just go back the way it was.

The doctors said you were in a coma and that there was no certainty that you would wake up. My tears fell only for the first few days but then they just stoppedâ¦almost as if they had run out. Days went past, weeks and then months until a full year had gone, and you were still there, beeping away. I sat next to your bed doing my homework until dad entered the room; heâd been crying and was accompanied by a nurse as well as our local priest.

I lost it. The dragon within my already fragile being took over and I left the room just like you used to tell me to do; I had to walk away. I waited for what seemed to be hours within the hospital café until I decided to return to your room; I had to say one last thing.

I ran up the familiar stairs and through the ward corridors. As I sprung round the corner of the door frame I saw an empty bedâ¦you had gone. My heart dropped along with my hope and faith; youâd gone and there was nothing I could do.

âCasey.â A voice behind me sounded

I turned only to see dad. He tried to explain but I wouldnât let him; it wasnât only his choice.

We returned home and lived as normal life as possible but I canât forget you and I hope you havenât forgotten meâ¦your skinny dragon.