‘Hello?’

‘Hello Natalie, it’s Mum’

‘Oh… hello Mum’

‘You disappointed to hear from me!’ Natalie gasped

‘No, I’m not! How are you?’

‘I’m a bit worried, as usual. I heard you had a concussion’

‘Yeah, apparently I’m not supposed to be on my phone, which is a bit of a bummer’

‘That’s why I got you those sudokus and crosswords. Did you have a go at them?’

‘Yeah. I messed up really badly on the sudoku, I filled it out in pen’

‘Oh goodness! I should have got you a pencil!’

‘And a rubber’

‘Yes, that too! I’ll bring in some tomorrow!’

‘Thanks’ Natalie yawned, putting her phone away from her mouth.

‘How was the hospital food?’ Natalie chuckled.

‘Fine cuisine, Mum’ Natalie chuckled ‘No I’m kidding it’s disgusting’

‘I know, I’ve been in hospital before. Their puddings aren’t bad, though’

‘Yeah, I noticed that’ there was a brief period of silence ‘By the way I noticed that there’s a TV above my bed but I have to pay money to use it’

‘I know, that’s so stupid’

‘Then again, I guess I’m not supposed to watch TV if I have a concussion’

‘I was going to say that’ the two were once again silent.

‘Anything else?’

‘No, that’s about it. I’ll come and see you tomorrow, OK?’

‘OK’

‘Talk later. I love you, Natalie’

‘You too’

‘Bye’ Natalie hung up, lying down on her bed. She stayed lying down on her bed until she fell asleep, which was about eight o’clock at night. As she was asleep she was on top of what appeared to be a mountain, it was surrounded by clouds, in fact it practically was in the clouds. Natalie decided to lay down on the ground, closing her eyes, as if she were attempting to fall asleep in the situation she was in. Something then smashed on the ground and roared, waking her up completely. It was a blue four legged dragon with scales that gave off a green shine. It was so big that it covered most of the mountain top.

‘Wakey wakey, Natalie!’ he growled, his voice was rather deep and very beast like. Natalie sighed and got up onto her feet.

‘What is it now? Can’t I just have a good night’s sleep?’ the dragon looked at her with a frown.

‘When you sleep, you are shutting yourself off to the whole world. It’s merely a temporary escape’

‘No, I’m sleeping because I’m tired. I just had a concussion. I need it’ the dragon snarled, breathing out of its nose.

‘You are always tired, Natalie. Did you not listen to the two before?’

‘Yeah, they said something about releasing stress’

‘Indeed. You don’t release it sitting your fat arse watching your television’ Natalie groaned.

‘What the hell is wrong with you? I don’t have a fat arse, at least I don’t think so’

‘It was merely an expression, Natalie. A way of getting my point across to your walnut sized brain’ Natalie turned around, walking towards the edge of the mountain top.

‘You know, I could just jump off here. It’s just a dream, I’m not going to die’ the dragon was silent, it was simply staring at her. ‘Wait, you’re not going to stop me?’

‘Go on, do it’

‘Uhhhh… OK’ she suddenly walked away from the edge, looking back at the dragon. The dragon took a few steps back.

‘It’s a strange world you live in’ he began ‘You have all these methods of communication, languages, phones, a system that can contact someone on the other side of the earth in mere seconds, and yet people are disconnected. More than ever. Even the language you speak is being torn apart every day’

‘I think I remember that tribesman telling me a similar thing’

‘Indeed. We have all this technology and yet we are miserable. In my view it makes people’s lives worse’ Natalie didn’t answer. ‘Going back to what I was saying earlier, the meaning of common words gets distorted. I’ll give you an example: what is love?’ Natalie was silent, she was obviously thinking of an answer. ‘Tell me, Natalie’

‘It’s when you really like someone, or something, I guess. I was taught in school there were four types: Eros, which is romantic love, agape, which is unconditional love, and two others which are about friendship and things’ the dragon just gazed at her ‘That’s wrong, isn’t it?’

‘You tell me’

‘Well… I don’t know’ the dragon took off, flying around the mountain top.

‘All me to elaborate: when you see someone dear to you in danger, what do you do?’

‘Protect them’

‘Yes. Because you care for that person’s well-being’ the dragon flew a whole circle around the mountain without saying anything ‘I want you to think of your mother, she has been around for you ever since you were in her womb. Why is that?’

‘Love’

‘Exactly. Are you seeing my point?’

‘Yes. Love is a protective influence’

‘Indeed it is’ the dragon flapped its wings, hovering about her. ‘That Leon character has intense feelings for you, and yet he abuses you the whole time. Is this love?’

‘No’ the dragon landed back in front of her.

‘Well done, Natalie. A lot of people think love is merely a physical lust for someone. It is not’

‘I know’ the dragon lowered it’s head to the floor.

‘Fancy a ride?’

‘Oh? OK!’

‘Don’t worry, I’ll save you if you fall’ Natalie climbed onto the dragon’s back. The dragon flew off, away from the mountain, below them were vast fields of land, a few roads, and a few roads. There was a distinct sound of the wind blowing.

‘Oh my God! This is amazing!’

‘It is’ the dragon kept on flying, with Natalie gazing at all the sights below her. A few birds flew by, too. ‘I can think of another word of which has been distorted. It’s the word “freedom”.’

‘Oh yes, of course!’ 

‘What is freedom to you?’ 

‘Well, to do whatever I want?’

‘Is that all?’

‘Oh, I’m wrong again?’

‘No. What about being who you want? Being allowed to believe what you want? Aren’t those important, too?’

‘Well, yes!’ But I can’t fly! And I can’t be a man!’

‘Have you ever wanted to?’

‘To what?’

‘Be a man?’

‘Not really’

‘It’s funny, isn’t it? A lot of men want to be women’

‘I know! I guess I’m lucky!’ the dragon laughed, though it stayed quite for a little while.

‘One final word, what do you think “peace” really is?’

‘The absence of war?’

‘No. You know better than that!’

‘The absence of conflict?’

‘That’s better. It’s the absence of conflict in where there is no threat of violence, being degraded or having one’s freedom taken away’

‘So in other words, we can’t be free unless we are peaceful?’

‘Absolutely. You are very bright indeed. Far brighter than you realise’

‘I hope so’ the dragon flew her over to a green mesa with a body of water around it. It had ducks, swans and other birds.

‘I’m going to be dropping you off here, is that OK with you?’

‘Uhhhhh yeah, I supposed’ the dragon landed on the mesa, allowing Natalie to dismount.

‘Remember this above all, Natalie. The world is yours. The world is yours to be in harmony with. To allow yourself to live how you wish, to achieve what you wish. Do not allow others to stop you’

‘OK, thanks’

‘Goodbye. We’ll meet again soon’ Natalie started sobbing.

‘I hope so’ she went closer to his head, putting her arms around it.

‘You have learnt a lot. I am proud of you’

‘Thank you’ the dragon flew away. Natalie was crying as she watched it fly away. All the wildlife came over to her from the pond, all looking happy to be around her. Eventually a purple creature that looked like a sea dragon rose from the water, gazing at her.

‘Awaken’ said a female voice. It was coming from the sea dragon. Natalie had passed out.