|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
The rain pours relentless down from the big grey sky. Water slides down your forehead from your hair and into your eyes. Your clothes stick to you like a second skin. 'Will the rain ever end?' you wonder as you slosh through the mud.
Pausing to wipe the rain from your eyes, you notice a hole in the hillside up ahead of you. It looks large enough for you to fit inside and maybe get out of this rain for awhile. Approaching the opening, you discover that indeed you can fit into it - barely. Climbing inside, you feel relief at being out of the storm. Your eyes adjust to the blackness and you discover that this hole opens up further in.
As you walk into the cave, you stumble over a loose pile of rocks that nearly sends you sprawling. Wishing you had brought a light, you decide to sit down for awhile and rest. It's awfully warm in here, which is a bit nice after the cold rain. Yet that seems odd for a cave. Caves are usually cool. Shrugging, you decide not to question your good luck.
You sit up with a start as the last echoes of the sound fade away. You must've fallen asleep with it being so warm and cozy. You listen with your heart racing as the silence surrounds you like a cloak. You hear nothing, not even the rain outside.
Then, from further inside the cave comes a scrapping sound. It echoes through the cavern, filtering out of the cave mouth and into the rain. Then all is quiet again. As you look towards the source of the sound, you notice a very dim light attempting to burn a hole through the darkness. You stand up, deciding to investigate the curious light. As you approach it, the glow grows steadily brighter.
Suddenly, the cave opens up before you into a large cavern. The ceiling is higher than you can see. You stand in awe, blinking in the light. All around you lie glittering objects - gold, jewels and pearls. You see finely woven rugs and golden chests with jewels spilling out of them; shining broadswords and finely crafted armor. This is a treasure room like you've never seen before. It nearly makes your head spin.
You reach down and pick up a flawless diamond that is larger than the palm of your hand. If you took this home you'd never have to worry about money again. This gem puts the Hope Diamond to shame.
Suddenly, a shadow falls over you and the gold doesn't seem to glitter so brightly any more. You slowly turn and look up to the shadow's source. The diamond slips from your hands and falls to the floor, forgotten. In your enrapturement over the finery surrounding you, you missed seeing the big thing. The very big thing.
A large reptilian head attached to a snake-like neck towers above you. Its red and gold scales glitter in the light. As a matter of fact, it seems to be the source of the light. Four legs on a round body end in deadly sharp claws. Large, bat-like wings are folded against its sides. Large yellow eyes stare down at you, burning like fire. And its mouth is filled with sharp, dagger-like teeth. It looks not at all happy to see you.
You turn and run back down towards the mouth of the cave, stumbling out into a patch of sunlight. A roar echoes through the cave, chasing you out. You continue running and don't look back. Halfway home you stop, panting for breath. The sky is bright. The clouds have all blown away. Nothing seems to be following you. As you walk the rest of the way home you think about what your going to tell your friends. Then you decide against it. No one would ever believe that you saw a dragon anyway.
