This story is by Gordana Plemic Agostini and was part of our 2023 Fall Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.
Aleksa took a deep breath. The scent of shampoo enveloped him as he left the bathroom. He loved it when the lilac fragrance lingered on him. The soft pajamas against his body warmed him and made him feel sleepy.
“Come, Aleksa, let’s play a quick game before bed.” Dad led him into the living room.
“What game?” Aleksa yawned.
“The quest for the treasure of the legendary silver dragon.”
“A silver dragon?” Aleksa perked up.
“Yes. Now that you are five, it’s time for me to start telling you about dragons.”
“But dragons don’t exist.”
“I know, but it’s nice to hear stories about them.” Dad winked.
“Okay. What do I have to do?”
“I hid the ‘treasure’ in a special place, and you need to follow these clues to find it.” Dad handed him a note. “I wrote riddles for you that you have to solve. I tried to make this first quest as simple as possible. We can always add difficulties later.”
“Great.” The tension and excitement grew inside Aleksa. He had just learned to read fluently, so he read slowly word by word: “I am in the dark. Find the key and unlock me.”
“So I have to find the key first?”
“Turn over.”
The other side said: “The key to the treasure was swallowed by a frog.”
“What kind of frog?” Aleksa said, disappointed.
“Think about it. What kind of frog could it be?” Dad winked at something behind Aleksa. He turned around, and Mom’s favorite green ceramic frog stared at him from the dresser. Something was sticking out of its mouth and sparkled.
“The key!” Aleksa shouted. He ran to the frog and took out the key. “This is the key to the chest!” He rushed into the hallway and opened the lock. Inside the chest at the bottom was a silver dragon figurine. He reached for it and took it out.
“Thanks, Dad.”
Dad hugged him. “I hope you like it.”
“I love it.” Aleksa lifted the figurine to the light. It had spread wings and an open mouth, with its tail wrapped around its hind leg. Its eyes seemed to sparkle.
“Now, let’s go to sleep. I will tell you the legend about the dragon. What do you say?”
“A legend?”
They entered Aleksa’s room.
“Yes. Of course, it’s just a little bedtime story.” Dad turned off the chandelier and turned on the lamp on Aleksa’s dresser beside the bed.
“Okay.” After the search, the excitement in Aleksa calmed, and sleep crept up on him.
Dad lifted the blanket, and Aleksa jumped into his big boy bed with a smile and half a yawn.
Dad covered him and sat down alongside him. He spoke in a mysterious voice: “A thousand years ago, Banjaluka did not exist as we know it today. At that time, a great dragon walked these lands.”
“Really?” A rush of wonder ran through Aleksa’s body.
“Yes, really.” Dad smiled. “It was just like this dragon.” He pointed to the figurine.
Mom’s voice came from the hallway: “Watch what you say, Andrej, so he doesn’t get scared.”
“He won’t get scared. Don’t worry. Is that right, Aleksa?” Dad tickled him.
“That’s right.” Aleksa laughed but squeezed the dragon figurine. The lamp’s soft light reflected off its silver wings over Aleksa’s hand.
Dad continued the story. “But it wasn’t an ordinary dragon, like in the movies. No, this dragon was special. He could heal the wounded and the sick.”
“But how?” Aleksa was curious like never before.
“Nobody knows. The dragon was mysterious, after all. You could barely see him, much less ask for help if you were wounded.”
“What’s the purpose of his powers, then?” Aleksa frowned.
“You’re right.” Dad thought to himself. “Dragons were usually depicted as evil. Flying over villages and burning houses and fields.”
“That’s terrible.”
“But don’t worry. Our dragon is nothing like that.”
“I hope so.”
“Ah, but a guy named Maksim discovered something unusual. Some kind of light shone in the river, and when he took it out, he realized it was a silver dragon scale. He spent the whole day searching the bottom of the cold river and collected almost a bucket full. There were scales of various sizes. But now the question was: ‘What to do with it?’ Maksim took the bucket to the head of the village. After careful consideration, the chief decided they could have a competition.”
“What competition?” Aleksa struggled to stay awake.
“The proposal was to scatter the scales on the bottom of river Vrbas, and whoever finds the most wins a prize.”
“But that’s not fair. Maksim already found everything.” Aleksa protested, startled from his half-sleep.
“They didn’t worry much about it,” Dad waved. “So, that’s what they did. Fifteen young men gathered, and the competition began. After a whole day, they announced the winner. It was Maksim again.”
“Ah, good.” Aleksa laughed, satisfied. “But what was that scale for?” He yawned.
Dad laughed. “For nothing. It doesn’t cure anyone.”
“Then why all the trouble?”
“Well, there wasn’t much they could do. There was no TV, no games, no kindergarten.”
Aleksa yawned again. “It must have been nice for them to have nothing to do.”
“But later, Maksim will discover the use for the scale. I’ll tell you another time.”
“Okay.” Aleksa felt Dad kiss his forehead and gently take the dragon from his hands. The dull sound of the figurine on the dresser meant he had placed it there, and then Dad turned off the light. The darkness swaddled Aleksa, and he fell asleep.
Aleksa woke up covered in sweat. His lamp was casting soft shadows across the ceiling. Dad was sitting next to him.
“What happened?” Dad wiped the sweat from Aleksa’s forehead.
Aleksa lay still, paralyzed by the dream he had just had. He said in a low voice: “I dreamed about a dragon flying over a burning village. People were running everywhere. Houses were on fire. I was terrified and didn’t know what to do. Then, a little girl came out from behind the house and fell. I screamed for her to get away.”
“That’s what we heard when you shouted in your sleep,” Dad seemed preoccupied.
“The dragon was so real.”
“I must have exaggerated with the scale legend. I’m so sorry.” Dad stroked his head.
After they changed Aleksa and the sheets, Dad tucked him into bed again.
“Tell me what they used the scale for.” Aleksa held the dragon figurine and fixed it with his eyes. Cold sweat broke out once more. He didn’t want to fall asleep yet.
“Are you sure? It’s late.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Okay, then.” Dad settled next to him and continued where he had left off. “So, the silver scale is not worth much for healing. But what Maksim discovered, he didn’t admit to anyone for a long time.”
“What?” Aleksa pricked up his ears.
“When the scales are in the correct position, something happens, and everything disappears.”
“How come? I don’t understand.”
“Maksim thought of trying to sew some scales on his shirt. He discovered they could make him invisible.”
“Really?” Aleksa rose; he could not have been more awake.
“Yes.” Dad’s face lit up, and he added in a low, conspiratorial tone, “And that’s how he saw a dragon.”
“He saw a dragon?!” Aleksa jumped out of bed.
“Easy, easy.” Dad laughed.
Aleksa calmed down and went back to bed.
“Later they became friends.”
“Friends? How nice it would be to be friends with a dragon.”
“Yes. Now sleep. I’ll tell you more about the dragon next time.”
Aleksa closed his eyes. But how will he sleep now?
***
Before dawn, Andrej scurried around Kastel fortress to avoid curious eyes. He entered the tunnel and reached the cave.
Dragomir stretched and spread his wings. “So, how did little Aleksa receive the legend about me?”
“He couldn’t be more thrilled.”
“Ha, I didn’t even doubt it. I can’t wait to meet him in two years.” The dragon jumped in place and wagged its tail.
“Until then, I will tell him all about you and your adventures. Of course, as a legend.”
“I recommend only the best stuff.” Dragomir winked.
Andrej put on boxing gloves. “Are you ready?” He fixed his eyes on Dragomir.
“Of course.” Dragomir raised his tail. “Come on, I’m waiting.”
Andrej rushed forward. With one swipe of a tail, it was all finished.
Andrej groaned and took off his gloves. “You always do that.” He gripped his back, which throbbed with pain.
“And you never learn.” Dragomir sneered.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Aleksa had a nightmare about a dragon flying over a village on fire.”
“But, I don’t breathe fire. I saved a village from a fire once upon a time, but I wouldn’t say Aleksa could have dreamed it. No?”
“How could he dream of you? Impossible. It was just a dream.”
“Interesting. Now I really can’t wait to meet Aleksa.” Dragomir curled up on his pillow and fell asleep.
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