Page 53 of Earth-Bound

“We’re dragons,” said Dum.

The only thing I could say was, “Uh huh.”

The monotone of my voice surprised them. They drew back, cocking their heads to study me. I met their eyes carefully, not showing any fear. Bullies liked it when you were afraid. I had no idea what they wanted out of all this, but I wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction.

Dum clarified. “We’re actual shape-shifting, fire-breathing dragons.”

I stared back at him steadily. Of course he was a dragon. Why not? That was a new one. Even the kids had never tried that.

Arram said, “He does not believe you.”

Dum sniffed, leaning towards me in a way I didn’t like. “No, he doesn’t smell of disbelief. It’s something else. What is it, Dee?”

She circled round me, making me feel like I was in the middle of the vast ocean, treading water, and a shark was closing in on me. Strangely, it settled my nerves. There was an inevitability to this whole thing that made fighting it senseless. They would laugh at me or not. They would beat me up or not. It had all happened before and it would again. When they were finished, I’d leave. Get in my camper van and drive on to the next place. Only next time I wouldn’t make the mistake of thinking I’d made any friends.

Turned out, my Mum had been right, all those years ago. I was better off alone.

Dee leaned towards me and I heard her take a delicate sniff and wrinkle her nose, as though I smelled bad. She was way off with that little joke, too. That one was so old it had ceased to bother me even when I was a teenager.

“Hurt,” said Dee at last. “He smells hurt.”

Terrund jolted and hurried forward. “Are you in pain?”

Stupid, stupid, stupid. It shouldn’t make a difference that he was there, but it did. And looking into the face of the most handsome man I’d ever seen – literally my fantasy man, everything I’d ever dreamed of – broke something inside me.

I spoke, even though experience told me it was always a bad idea to do that.

Sure enough, my voice cracked. “I didn’t think you’d join in their game.”

“I beg your pardon?”

I was done. They could do what they wanted but I wasn’t going to stand there any more. If they were going to hurt me, they could do it quickly or let me go.

I brushed straight past them all and out of the house.

Chapter 23: Terrund

Joe headed quickly for the door and I found myself stepping after him automatically. It was as though my body hated to be further away from him than a few feet.

“Where are you going?”

He looked back over his shoulder. “I have to go.”

“Why? You only just arrived.”

“Because I don’t let people make fun of me any more.”

I was so surprised that I didn’t manage to reply quickly enough. He was out of the door and walking down the path before I managed to process what he’d said.

“He thinks we’re making fun of him?”

My heart broke for my mate. How many times had he endured people tormenting him for him to assume that’s what we had intended?

Arram was beside me, speaking soothingly. “We will explain all to him. Do not worry, Terrund, he will come to understand.”

That was easy for them to say – their mate was right beside them, and not walking away.

I got a sudden jolt of panic and rushed out the door. I ran. Actually ran, and that is not something I did often. I didn’t like to leave the ground in any way and always had one foot upon the earth. Running meant leaping over the earth and losing that anchor.

---