Dragon Fantstic by Rosalind M. Greenberg & Martin H. Greenberg (eds.)

Author:Rosalind M. Greenberg & Martin H. Greenberg (eds.) [Greenberg, Rosalind M. & Greenberg, Martin H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sci Fi & Fantasy
Publisher: DAW Books
Published: 1992-05-20T23:00:00+00:00

By the following day, she didn’t hurt so much and was able to move around fairly easily. James was still asleep when she stepped into the bathroom and shut the door, so the sound of the water filling the bathtub wouldn’t wake him. She stripped off her robe and turned so she could inspect the back of her body in the mirror. Well, at least it no longer looked quite so raw. With resignation, she poured baking soda into the lukewarm water, turning it into a soothing bath. She glanced at the mirror again, and the sight of the wounds striping her body suddenly enraged her. What right had he to do this to her? But just as quickly she pushed the mutinous thought down. James was her husband; she’d married him for better or worse, till death parted them. She took those vows very seriously.

She turned to face the mirror. Count your blessings, she told herself wryly. At least he doesn’t hit you in the face. No black eyes for Sarah. Her eyes were one of her best features. She played up their blueness with … her thoughts stopped abruptly as she stared at her reflected face. The dragon had eyes exactly the shade of her eyes— that’s why they looked familiar! That would give anyone a shock—seeing a part of themself transformed into a monster like that.

Seeing a part of themself transformed. Suddenly she remembered how the dragon had twice done what she wished it to. How it had nosed at the lavender, her favorite of all the plants in the garden. How it had known which fishing rod was James’ particular pet rod. How it appeared whenever she was particularly upset and frightened, when James … no! No/ Coincidence. It had to be. It had to bel Such a monster couldn’t have anything to do with her! She was a gentle woman, a dutiful and loving wife. James once told her it was her gentleness that had attracted him most of all. Something that powerful and dangerous couldn’t be any part of her! It wasn’t her! There was a startling clash of breaking glass. She realized she’d smashed her clenched fist against the mirror, sobbing aloud.

“Sarah! Are you all right?” James pulled the bathroom door open, shock in his face as he surveyed her tear-stained face, the broken mirror, her bleeding hand.

“No! Get away from me!” she sobbed, throwing on her robe and brushing past him.

“Sarah! Come back here! Sarah!” He was coming after her, and she couldn’t bear to face him, not right now.

“Leave me alone!” She ran into the kitchen, then the living room, her heart racing.

“Sarah, come here! Now!” He was getting closer.

“Go away!” she cried.

“Are you defying me, missy?” His voice was loud and angry, and as he entered the living room, she saw he was infuriated with her.

She ran out onto the porch, down the steps, to the lawn. If she could only get away— She stumbled over the edge of a flower bed and fell to the ground.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.