| Powder Monkey January 2009 |
Short Story #4
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| Down Hill by E.R. Murphy |
“What the hell is that pounding?”
Deep inside his cave Eiswein was not use to hearing anything on the outside. In
fact he never had. When the sides of the cave shook again the little blue ice dragon
rose from his bed of wet rags. There was no way he could sleep with that noise.
“What is that noise?” Eiswein headed for the entrance. If he was going to have to
listen to it, he was going to know what it was.
Outside it didn’t take him long to find the cause of the noise. From his entrance
Eiswein could see a bunch of humans building what looked like a large house. The
house might be on the neighboring mountain top but it was too close. Dragons do not
like neighbors. Time to see who had the stupidity of building there. Time to convince
them to move.
As he flew closer Eiswein was surprised none of the humans were reacting to the
sight of a dragon approaching. Before he landed the dragon knew why no one was
running. All of the guards wore the King’s crest. These were humans from the castle.
Humans who were used to his being around. Eiswein still did not want any neighbors.
But it was time to slow down and find out what was going on. He had a good
relationship with the King and his daughter Princess Maya and did not want to ruin it
by some rash action. On landing Eiswein was greeted by the King himself.
“Knew you’d be up here to check on what was happening.” The King seemed
ready to show off what was being done.
“Why are you up here? Humans have never lived this high in the mountains?”
“You can blame yourself. After visiting your cave many times I’ve formed a
liking for the fresh air and view up here.” The King used his arm to gesture the view.
“You do realize dragons do not like neighbors.”
“And you are not getting a neighbor.” The King closed his coat in reaction to the
cold. “This place is beautiful. But its too cold for me right now. As soon as the master
carpenter doesn’t need me I’m going home. Most of the time I have a kingdom to run.
I’ll probably only be up here during the summers. Only a couple of guards will be
here all year. You can have this cold stuff. And look at this way. Maya will probably
often come up here.”
That caused the dragon to decide not to ice everyone. Maya was his favorite
human. He welcomed the chance to have her near. Accepting the horrible fact he had
a neighbor the dragon started walking around to see what was being done. Despite
being around humans for over seventy years Eiswein had never watched them built a
house. He was fascinated by what the men were doing and materials used. Why can’t
humans be smart and just get a cave? Seemed like a logical question to the
dragon.
One of the boards laying about was larger than the rest. By accident Eiswein
stepped on it. One end went down when the first foot landed. Then that end rose and
the other end went down when his other foot was placed on that end of the board.
Shifting his weight Eiswein found he was able to teeter the board, an action he liked.
An action he liked too much. Eiswein was rocking the board so much it started
moving down the hill. At first Eiswein did not notice the slide. When he did realize
he was going down hill Eiswein did not have time to think. As speed increased the
dragon found he could control where the board went by shifting his weight.
Down hill he went. The dragon was relating the speed and thrill to flying. But this
was different. Staying on the ground while moving this fast was exciting. He was glad
the hill was a mountain.
When he finally came to a stop at the mountain’s bottom Eiswein felt the trip was
too short. That he needed to do it again. As he looked up the mountain to where the
chalet was being built, where he started Eiswein decided to do it again. Grabbing the
board with his bottom paws the dragon began the flight back to the King’s new
house.
“Glad you brought that door back. We need to install it now.” The carpenter
grabbed the board and tried to pull it away from Eiswein.
“Ah, I don’t think so. I’ve got other plans for it right now.”
“Listen I’m the master carpenter. The King said I’m in charge - ”
“And I’m a dragon.”
“Okay, we can make another door.”
“Got a better idea.” Eiswein handed the door to the carpenter. “How about
making me a board that size but smooth on the bottom. Several times I could feel the
bottom catching onto something. A smooth bottom would be a smoother ride.”
The carpenter looked at the door, then at Eiswein. Finally at several of the men.
“Go home and have breakfast. When you get back I’ll have your board ready for
the snow. Huh, a snow board. I’m going to make some human size boards. Looked
like you were having fun. How about showing us how you stayed on.”
Deep inside his cave Eiswein was not use to hearing anything on the outside. In
fact he never had. When the sides of the cave shook again the little blue ice dragon
rose from his bed of wet rags. There was no way he could sleep with that noise.
“What is that noise?” Eiswein headed for the entrance. If he was going to have to
listen to it, he was going to know what it was.
Outside it didn’t take him long to find the cause of the noise. From his entrance
Eiswein could see a bunch of humans building what looked like a large house. The
house might be on the neighboring mountain top but it was too close. Dragons do not
like neighbors. Time to see who had the stupidity of building there. Time to convince
them to move.
As he flew closer Eiswein was surprised none of the humans were reacting to the
sight of a dragon approaching. Before he landed the dragon knew why no one was
running. All of the guards wore the King’s crest. These were humans from the castle.
Humans who were used to his being around. Eiswein still did not want any neighbors.
But it was time to slow down and find out what was going on. He had a good
relationship with the King and his daughter Princess Maya and did not want to ruin it
by some rash action. On landing Eiswein was greeted by the King himself.
“Knew you’d be up here to check on what was happening.” The King seemed
ready to show off what was being done.
“Why are you up here? Humans have never lived this high in the mountains?”
“You can blame yourself. After visiting your cave many times I’ve formed a
liking for the fresh air and view up here.” The King used his arm to gesture the view.
“You do realize dragons do not like neighbors.”
“And you are not getting a neighbor.” The King closed his coat in reaction to the
cold. “This place is beautiful. But its too cold for me right now. As soon as the master
carpenter doesn’t need me I’m going home. Most of the time I have a kingdom to run.
I’ll probably only be up here during the summers. Only a couple of guards will be
here all year. You can have this cold stuff. And look at this way. Maya will probably
often come up here.”
That caused the dragon to decide not to ice everyone. Maya was his favorite
human. He welcomed the chance to have her near. Accepting the horrible fact he had
a neighbor the dragon started walking around to see what was being done. Despite
being around humans for over seventy years Eiswein had never watched them built a
house. He was fascinated by what the men were doing and materials used. Why can’t
humans be smart and just get a cave? Seemed like a logical question to the
dragon.
One of the boards laying about was larger than the rest. By accident Eiswein
stepped on it. One end went down when the first foot landed. Then that end rose and
the other end went down when his other foot was placed on that end of the board.
Shifting his weight Eiswein found he was able to teeter the board, an action he liked.
An action he liked too much. Eiswein was rocking the board so much it started
moving down the hill. At first Eiswein did not notice the slide. When he did realize
he was going down hill Eiswein did not have time to think. As speed increased the
dragon found he could control where the board went by shifting his weight.
Down hill he went. The dragon was relating the speed and thrill to flying. But this
was different. Staying on the ground while moving this fast was exciting. He was glad
the hill was a mountain.
When he finally came to a stop at the mountain’s bottom Eiswein felt the trip was
too short. That he needed to do it again. As he looked up the mountain to where the
chalet was being built, where he started Eiswein decided to do it again. Grabbing the
board with his bottom paws the dragon began the flight back to the King’s new
house.
“Glad you brought that door back. We need to install it now.” The carpenter
grabbed the board and tried to pull it away from Eiswein.
“Ah, I don’t think so. I’ve got other plans for it right now.”
“Listen I’m the master carpenter. The King said I’m in charge - ”
“And I’m a dragon.”
“Okay, we can make another door.”
“Got a better idea.” Eiswein handed the door to the carpenter. “How about
making me a board that size but smooth on the bottom. Several times I could feel the
bottom catching onto something. A smooth bottom would be a smoother ride.”
The carpenter looked at the door, then at Eiswein. Finally at several of the men.
“Go home and have breakfast. When you get back I’ll have your board ready for
the snow. Huh, a snow board. I’m going to make some human size boards. Looked
like you were having fun. How about showing us how you stayed on.”