The Dragon's Escape
Abrupt Action
With your heart jumping like a jackrabbit in your chest, you make your choice. Yes, you are going to free this amazing dragon! You step closer to the thick chain around the dragon's neck. Your hands shake but you know you are doing the right thing. The poor dragon belongs to the sky, not this boring zoo. You can almost see it now - his large wings spread wide, soaring into the starlit night sky and away from this dreary place. But things didn't go as smoothly as you pictured.
As you try to unchain the dragon, the chain jingles loudly. Uh-oh! It is like a big, noisy alarm bell. The sleeping zoo managers wake up and come running. They look grumpy under the stripes of their hats. They seem very unhappy with you. You'd hoped they wouldn't notice. But they did, and they're not too pleased. They say nothing as they firmly hold your arm and begin to walk you towards the zoo's green exit gate.
They didn't understand that you were trying to help the dragon, not hurt him. You feel a bit embarrassed as you walk under the exit sign. Why hadn't you thought to talk to the dragon first? To tell him it's okay and you were there to help him? His eyes looked so confused when the managers led you out. You should have made friends first, built trust, you realize. You promise yourself that next time, you'll be smarter.
You may be disappointed now, but you're not done yet. Not at all! You plan to help this dragon. You are going to set him free, no matter what! Only, next time, you will have a better plan. A plan that's not only smart, but also kind. Yes, that's what you need to do. And with that idea, your spirit lifts. The next day, you'll be back, ready to build friends and trust with the magnificent, bored dragon. You just need to be smart and gentle. Then maybe, just maybe, you will be able to set him free.