The Rough Draft

"Tabitha, why are you running away from me? What's wrong?" Ky yelled after her friend, her swaying blonde hair was all Ky could see.

Ky was chasing Tabitha down a dark hallway. None of the fixtures were recognizable. She felt lost, but somehow knew where she was going.

Tabitha kept running, about ten feet ahead of her. Ky thought she could take one large leap and grab her shirt.

"Tabs? Tabs, what's wrong?" she cried out.

Tabs stopped. She didn't slow down, she didn't fall or lean forward. Ky couldn't hear any heavy breathing like she'd been running.

Ky stopped running, slowing down. She was an arm's length behind Tabitha.

Still, Tabitha did not turn around.

Over Tab's shoulder, Ky could see the dim outline of a door in the murky light. It looked like a heavy duty metal door, the kind used to lock people out . . . or in. A steel door knob stuck out, and she could barely make out the keyhole in it.

She stretched a hand to touch Tab's shoulder. Her head started to turn towards Ky.

She came to with a roar, and a small burst of flame.

Ky stood up fast, shifting almost unconsciously to human form. She shook a little, the dream fresh in her mind.

She closed her eyes and counted to ten. She let the frustration and fear wash over her in waves. It was always bad when dragons dreamed. She refused to give into her feelings of premonition and fright.

"We'll find Tabs tonight and she'll be okay. I just..." she spoke aloud to herself.

Just what? her conscience quipped. Just imagined it? Hallucinated seeing her dead body? Did you dream that too?

"Yes. Something. I . . . I can't give up hope. She's been my only friend in so long."

Yes, well, sometimes we have to face the hard facts of life. Your friend is dead. You'll have to deal with that now.

"I know," Ky whispered in the dark.

So, head over to her apartment. Use David to help track down where she was last seen. You can't save her, but you can punish her murderers. The voice sounded gleeful, like a child going to a candy store with a new twenty dollar bill. We can punish her murderers.

"Yes," Ky said, her voice strong and unwavering now. "We will."

She changed her clothing. She had taken serious damage in the sunlight that morning, and had been unable to keep a grip on some of her clothing during her transformation. It was lost, sent back to the black material that made up matter, energy, light, dark- everything.

She learned long ago to be careful with her magic, and use it wisely. She had to keep a strong grip on it at all times. She could lose a piece of herself in the transformation if she was not careful.

She laughed grimly at the holes in the shirt and pants as she stripped. There were large circular patches missing, displaying pink flesh. Perfect circles. Just gone. Disappeared. The edges were not frayed or ragged. A smooth cut.

Shaking off the unease she felt at her lapse in control, she replaced the destroyed shirt and pants with a clean black blouse and jeans. She laced up her black boots, and donned her jacket. It's leathery cool texture soothing to her lightly sore skin.

The soreness would be fully gone by morning, but she relished in the fire this pain brought to the fore. It hurt more, keeping it burning so bright inside, but it was exquisite in its agony.

A dangerous look crossed her eyes, setting to blaze small fires in their depths.

"The hunt is on," she murmured into the night as she departed, the dark dream forgotten. For now.

copyright 2007 Shanna Wynne. All rights reserved.