When Dragon Father appeared on the deck of Bonnie’s Revenge, he had no idea how tired Dragon Little was.
He probably did not remember the previous day’s adventure against robot armies invading the world. And he probably did not remember that he disappeared in the middle of his adventure. He had told Dragon Little to hide, for she was only three and a half years old and could not yet handle an invading army. He had stopped the invasion, but disappeared before he could tell Dragon Little to get out of her hiding place.
Dragon Little waited for hours and then decided to disobey her father. She wandered through the alien ship that she had hidden in, unable to find her way out to Bonnie’s Revenge, which waited outside.
I could see her from my hiding place, through the spaceship windows. As usual, I did not help her. I knew how hard it was for her, but she must prepare herself emotionally for all the dangers that await for her outside Dragon Father’s dream, for all those who are looking for her… I knew she had to toughen up emotionally to have a chance of survival.
She wandered the ship for hours before she found the way out.
By the time she jumped from the alien ship to the plank and from the plank to the familiar deck. Dragon Father suddenly appeared, once more asleep somewhere in his ‘real world’.
“You’re awake! That’s great!”
Joy walked over in the direction of her cabin, then sat down, leaning against its wall.
“Did you brush your teeth, Joy?”
Joy looked up at him and did not say anything.
“Joy. Did you brush your teeth?”
Dragon Little looked away, her pupils dilated and breathed slowly. She did not answer.
Dragon Father became angry. “Joy. Answer me when I talk to you!”
Dragon Little did not answer.
Dragon Father was on his knees next to her. “What’s the matter with you? Look at me!” He moved her head by moving her chin and looked into her eyes. He put his hand on her forehead. “No fever. Are you sick. What’s the matter with you?”
Dragon Little shrugged.
“Look at me! Look at me!” Dragon Father sounded panicky. “Did you get hit in the head? Joy, talk to me! Yes or no?”
Dragon Little shook her head.
“Get up. Let me see you walk.”
Dragon Little shook her head.
“Get up now! Now!”
Slowly, Dragon Little rose back to her feet.
“Good. Now let’s see you walk!”
Dragon Little sighed and took a few steps. Then she yawned, a big, giant yawn.
Dragon Father visibly relaxed. “Okay. Okay. Let me help you back to bed. All right?”
Dragon Little nodded.
Her father helped her to bed. She was asleep before he could tuck her in.
Dragon Father sighed in relief.
—Told by The Red Dragon