Benjamin Dragon - Awakening (The Chronicles of Benjamin Dragon) (16 page)

Epilogue

After finding Nathan and Emily, and getting a lot of hugs and gushes, the four unlikely companions whisked away on the winds of Kennedy’s gift. It seemed like they’d been gone an eternity with all that had transpired.

They landed in the Dragons’ backyard. No one was home, so they all took turns taking showers, although Kennedy preferred to wash himself off with the garden hose. He said he’d gotten used to hose showers while working with a relief agency in Africa years before.

Benjamin found some clothes for Nathan and Emily from his parents’ closet. Everything was too big, but no one cared.

Nathan kept babbling about how cool the flying had been. Apparently, all thoughts of almost dying had already faded from his mind.

Emily kept to herself and ogled at Benjamin with wonder as if seeing him for the first time. Embarrassed, Benjamin tried to ignore the looks. He didn’t want things to change, but in his gut he knew they already had.

After they’d each gotten something to eat from the Dragons’ well stocked fridge (Nathan ate an entire leftover extra large pizza), Kennedy sat them down at the kitchen table and told them about the gifts (there was no need to hide it now) and how important it was that they keep it a secret. Benjamin sat stoically. Nathan bounced in his chair. Emily stared at Benjamin.

“I can’t promise you that Mr. Trevane won’t be back. That’s why it’s important that you not tell anyone about what happened. Don’t worry, I’m calling in some friends that will discreetly keep an eye on you. You won’t even know they’re here.”

“Who are they? Are they like you and Dragon?” asked Nathan.

“They are. A destructor and a healer are on their way as we speak. Don’t bother looking for them. They’re used to this sort of thing.”

“That is so cool! I wish I could do that stuff,” said Nathan.

“Does anyone have any questions?”

“Yeah. How can I get powers too?” pressed Nathan.

The stares leveled from the others in the room made him shut his mouth.

“Benjamin, I’m going to escort Nathan and Emily home. I’ll be back soon.”

They left Benjamin to his thoughts. He stood at the kitchen window and tousled his still wet hair that smelled like the wintergreen shower gel in his dad’s bathroom. For some reason it made him want his parents. Two squirrels chased each other with feints and twists in the backyard. To them it was just another ordinary day. For Benjamin, everything was extraordinary.

+++

Kennedy returned twenty minutes later.

“They’re back safe and sound. Now, how about we have that little chat?” said Kennedy.

They walked to the backyard and sat on the stone bench that faced the overgrown grass. Something inside Benjamin bubbled and burped like a fizzy glass of soda. He was all nervous energy. Good nervous energy.

“What did you mean when you said I’m the one?” asked Benjamin, barely able to keep his happy jitters at bay. He clamped his hand on his knee and the light tapping of his foot stopped.

“Before I answer that, I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for saving my life, Benjamin.”

Benjamin didn’t know what to say so he just nodded and turned a little pink.

“Now that’s out of the way, let’s talk about my somewhat grandiose comment of you being
The One
. I suppose it’s a rather loaded explanation, so I’ll attempt to keep it short. As I mentioned in our very first meeting, none of our kind, at least in the past twenty or so centuries, has ever had more than one gift. We have those who develop their gifts more profoundly than others…”

“Like Jacee?”

“Yes. Like Jacee.” Kennedy frowned at the thought. “As I was saying, there are differing levels of expertise within our little tribe. You, however, seem to possess more than one. Let me ask you, although I believe I know the answer, was this that first time you’d ever healed anyone?”

“Of course.”

“Good. Now, have you ever made anything grow, say a seed or a tree?”

“Only in science class, but everybody did that.”

“Good, good. Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if you experienced that soon as well.”

“But…but what are you going to do about Jacee?” asked Benjamin, trying to get to the information he really wanted.

“I assume you’ve made the final decision
not
to help him?” Kennedy said, arching one bushy eyebrow like a lot of old men do.

Benjamin rolled his eyes and said, “Duuuuh.”

“Very well. Then our mission is to keep you out of his hands. I’m sure you noticed how he looked at you
after
you saved my life?”

“Yeah. He looked even creepier, like the witch who wanted to eat Hansel and Gretel.” 

“Yes, well, that’s because you’re now the ultimate prize. Before, he knew you had the capability of being one of the most gifted. Now he knows you’re one of a kind. He’ll do anything he can to get his hands on you. I don’t want to scare you, but you must know that we’re asking you to grow up mighty quickly.”

“What else is new?” shrugged Benjamin. “So what do I need to do?”

“For now, keep doing what you’ve been doing. Go to school, practice when you can, see if…”

Music chimed somewhere far off. It sounded like someone playing on a xylophone.

“Sorry,” said Kennedy. “That’s my phone.”

He pulled a tiny cell phone out of his inner coat pocket and said, “Yes?”

For a minute all he did was nod. Finally he said, “I’ll be there within the hour,” and replaced the phone where he’d gotten it.

“Well, it looks as though Mr. Trevane has made the first move,” explained Kennedy.

“What happened?”

“I’ll tell you on the way.” Kennedy rose from the bench, his old legs cracking as they straightened.

“I’m going with you?”

“What? Oh, of course. Would you like to try flying us there?”

“Really? But, I don’t know where to go!”

“I’ll show you the way. Ready to go?”

Amidst the buzzing of two bumblebees jockeying for a position on one of Mrs. Dragon’s roses, Benjamin got to his feet.

Kennedy nodded and Benjamin focused on getting them into the air. It was easy now that he knew how it should feel. At first they rose slowly, Kennedy looking around to make sure no one was watching. A delighted smile made its way onto Benjamin’s squeaky clean face.

“Is that as fast as you can go?” asked Kennedy, adding a wink and a grin.

The smile spread to Benjamin’s eyes as he looked straight up into the sky, blinked once slowly, and then sent them rocketing into the billowy heavens.

+++++

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“Benjamin Dragon: Awakening”.
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