Chapter 29 – I Don’t Have A Name
Scream pushed himself. As hard as he could. He flew, streaking across the sky. He spoke to Mystica as he flew. “Mystica. It’s time. I have heard another child. I have to help her. Please take care of Musica for me.”
And he flew. He had to get there in time. He had to. His wings grabbed oceans of air, and hurled them behind him. A black stream in the black sky. He’d heard a little girl. Maybe only 2 years old. Crying. “Mommy? Daddy?” He’d heard her, “Where am I?”
He’d spoken with her. “Hi, little one. Are you lost?”
“I’m lost.”
“Where are you?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know.”
“Who are you?”
“Me.”
“Do you have a name?”
“No.”
“What does everyone call you?”
“Bad girl.”
“Why do they call you that?”
“I don’t know.”
Scream pushed himself. He had to get there. He had to. “I’ll find you. OK? I’ll find you.” He wished he could fly even faster. Faster than Merlin. So he could get there. So he could find the little girl. So he could help her. Take care of her.
“I’ll bring her to the lake.” He told Mystica. “I’ll bring her to the lake, so she will be safe.”
But first, he had to get to her. Find her.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Can you walk?”
“Yes.”
Scream knew where she was. He could tell tat as he spoke with her. The Black Mountains. He knew she was in all kinds of danger. She could fall off a cliff. Trip and fall down the side of a mountain. Cause a rock slide. Get caught in a mountain scream, and drown. So many things that could go wrong. So many things that could hurt her.
He had to get there. He had to.
He kept speaking with the girl as he streaked along. “Are you OK?”
“I’m scared.”
“I know, little one. I know. I’m on my way. I’ll be there soon.”
“I’m scared.”
“Would you like to know who I am?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Scream.”
“Scream?”
“Yes. Scream. I’m a dragon.”
The girl sounded nervous, scared, and excited all at t same time. “A dragon? I’ve never seen a dragon before. What’s a dragon?”
She was so young. “How old are you?”
“2.”
“2? That’s a good number.”
“I just turned 2.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. I missed your birthday.”
“That’s OK, Mr. Scream. No body celebrated my birthday this year.”
“Do you have a mommy and a daddy.”
“No. I don’t.”
Scream tore through the sky. He’d never flown so fast. As the sun came up, he screamed. A scream that carried for miles in all directions. A warning scream. A warning that a dragon was coming. To protect something. And would do whatever he had to.
The sun had been up for an hour.
“I’m tired, Mr. Scream.”
“Why don’t you lie down. And take a little nap.”
“I’m scared.”
An eagle spoke. “I found her.”
“Where is she?”
The eagle explained. Then said, “I’ll circle here. Above her. So you can find her.”
“Will you protect her?”
“As much as I can.”
“Thank you. Little one. An eagle friend of mine is flying nearby. He will watch over you as you sleep. He’ll protect you. You can take a nap. And I’ll get there soon.”
“I’m scared, Mr. Scream. And I’m hungry. So hungry.”
A bear spoke with Scream. “I have found some berries. I’ll take them to the child. So she can eat something.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s so very wrong, what those people have done to her.”
“They abandoned her, didn’t they?”
“Yes. They did.”
Scream tore the sky in half, as he raced along. Racing across the Grey Hills. Into the Black Mountains. Getting higher, and higher. Until he saw the eagle, circling. He slowed. And looked carefully for the child on the ground.
There. On the ground. Asleep. Next to a bear. It was the little girl.
Scream landed. The bear nodded at him. “She’s resting.”
“Thank you for taking care of her.”
“I couldn’t let her go hungry. What they did to her is just so wrong.”
“I know.”
“What will you do with her, Sir Scream?”
“I will take her to the White Witch. The White Witch will know what to do.”
The bear got up, “That she will. That she will.” Then he headed off into the bushes, and the grasses, and the weeds.
Scream watched over the child. She was the cutest little child he’d ever seen. With curly, flowing silver and gray hair. When she finally woke up, Scream got to she her silvery gray eyes. And the nubs of wings on her back. Her wings had just started to come in.
“Are you Mr. Scream?”
“Yes. I am.”
“Where did Mr. Bear go?”
“He watched over you until I got here. Then he went home to his family.”
Scream looked at the little girl. “I know where two other girls are. And their mommy. I’m sure they would love to see you.”
“But I’m a bad girl. Remember? Who would want to see me.”
“I did. Remember. I came to find you.”
“Oh.” The little girl looked confused.
“You don’t have a name?”
“No.”
“Well.” Scream fought to control his anger. He wanted to go find the village Totally destroy it. They’d abandoned this little girl. Only 2 years old! They’d even refused to give her a name. Calling her “bad girl.” And her parents had even declared they weren’t her parents. They’d disowned her.
He shook his head. He knew that wouldn’t accomplish anything. It would only cause the fairies to continue to fight the dragons. And to fight change. And that’s not what he wanted. He wanted the fairies to change. To learn to accept their special children. Like the one he was talking with.
Scream placed a hand on the ground. “If you climb into my hand, I can take you to see Mystica, and her children.”
“Do the children have names?”
“Yes, little one. They are Musica and Sunshine.”
“Can I have a name too?”
“Yes, little one. I’m sure Mystica will give you a name.”
The little girl climbed up into Scream’s hand. It wasn’t easy for her. She was little. She was tired. She was hungry. She struggled. She lost her footing several times. But she always held on, and found a way to regain her footing, and start climbing again. Scream held perfectly still. And that helped the little girl a lot.
When the little girl had made it into Scream’s hand, he gently picked her up. “I promise not to drop you. And to keep you safe. OK?”
“Yes, Mr. Scream.”
Then he flexed his wings, and took to the sky. Scream flew at a much slower pace. He wanted to be careful with the child. To make sure she was safe. He spoke to Mystica along the way. “I’ve found the child. I’m bringing her to the lake. She’s alive. And she seems to be OK. I’ll get her there as quickly as I can.”
He flew through the mountains. Toward the north, and the forest. He came upon a river that flowed toward the forest. So he followed it. Knowing it would flow into the lake. It took several hours, and Scream watched the little child very carefully. The little girl fell asleep.
Scream listened to hear heart beat. He listened to her breathe. He stayed very careful. For he knew of her gift. So he didn’t believe everything he saw while she was asleep. He simply followed the river.
The little girl woke up. And she cried.
“Why do you cry, little one?”
“I’m sad.”
“Oh.” Scream wished they were already at the lake. So Mystica could help with the girl. He considered going faster. But he didn’t want to scare the little girl. And he didn’t want to risk hurting her.
“We’re almost there, little one. It will take a little while longer.”
The little girl sniffed, and wiped her eyes. “I cry all the time. But I’m OK.”
“Are you looking forward to meeting the other girls?” he asked.
“Yes. But I’m scared.”
“Why are you scared, little one?”
“‘Cause people don’t like me.”
Scream heard the words she’d said earlier. “They call me bad girl.” He wanted to scream. But he couldn’t. It would have scared the little girl. And he couldn’t do that. So, he did not scream. He remained quiet, knowing it was less than one hour to the lake.
He hoped Mystica would know what to do.
