The Dragon's Escape
Safe Passage
The path through the left tunnel finally brings you to the dragon's cage, a space far too small for such a majestic creature. You lean in, use a hairpin to jimmy the rusty, old lock and with a satisfying 'click,’ the cage door creaks open. The dragon looks at you with bright, grateful eyes. Its massive body flexes, scales shimmering under the dim light, as its wings slowly unfurl into the cramped space, just waiting for the freedom to fully extend.
With an excited expression, the dragon takes one heavy step towards the tunnel entrance. A gust of wind swirls around as it finally finds the room to launch into the air. You follow close behind, the roaring echo of its wings buzzing pleasantly in your ears. The dragon lifts off and you can see its euphoria mirrored in the sparkle of his scales. It's joyously satisfying, knowing you've done something truly good and right. The dragon is finally free.
As you follow underneath the powerful path cleared by its wings, the dragon's loud, but not at all boring, roars mark the path forward. You knew the journey was happening under layers of dead boring dirt and stone, but you never thought a dragon's roar could become the song of life waking up. With the dragon leading the way, you begin to feel safe, away from the boring routines and instructions on glossed, colored paper. Maybe even safe from the dangerous creatures hiding deeper into the darkness.
You have no idea how far you have walked when suddenly, the force of a gust of wind knocks you to knees. You look up to find the dragon glaring at something in the dark. Would this be a challenge in ensuring the dragon's safe passage? You can't help but feel your heart thrum with coiling energy. This was supposed to be a rescue mission, but now it looks like a grand and exciting adventure. Something boring had become spectacular all at once.