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The Driftwood Dragon
Jun. 24th, 2006 02:09 pmI sat in the middle of the canoe, leaning against the yoke. The dwarfing figures of my father and my older brother behind and in front of me. The rest of our family paddled not far off in another canoe. It was a sunny day, and the water was clear and smooth. Ever so slowly I was lulled to sleep by the sun and the gentle rocking of the canoe. As the paddles rhythmically moved us forward, I tucked my head slightly into my oversized life-jacket and closed my eyes. I was half asleep when I heard murmurs in the previously silent canoe. My father called my name and I lifted my head.
"Look! It's a dragon in the lake," he called from the behind me. "Do you see it just ahead?" I craned my neck over the shoulder of my brother. My eyes rested on a large white thing, towering over the canoe and the water. Somewhere deep inside I recoiled with fright, even though I could see that it was only a well weathered piece of driftwood. The large white dragon was probably once a whole tree, but all that remained was a branch that rose out of the water with what looked like a snake head and whatever unseen part that supported the creature under the waves.
I could hear my sister speak from the other canoe, and I watched them paddle closer to the shape. My father followed with our canoe. I did not want to admit my fear of the dragon. I was always afraid of losing face in front of my older siblings. I kept my eyes riveted to the dragon although it filled me with fear. I felt that at any moment the driftwood could spring to life and topple our canoes.
As we paddled away, I wanted to watch it further, but the beating down sun soon closed my eyes in sleep. We arrived on the island, and the weariness left me once I climbed out of the canoe. We stayed on the island for three days, and all the while the dragon circled us. Eventually my fear for the mysterious creature wore off, and it became a familiar aspect to each day.
The last night there was rain and wind, Dad made a passing comment that perhaps the dragon would be gone by the morning. I listened to the wind, and thought that it was not possible for such a magnificently eerie being to fall victim to a simple storm. But when I awoke the next day there was no sign of the dragon. My siblings and I ran to all sides of the island, but it was nowhere in sight.
We left the island that same day, and while we traveled the still water I searched for the dragon. The sun and the gentle rocking of the canoe eventually put me to sleep, but to this day whenever I return to lake I am always searching for my driftwood dragon.
"Look! It's a dragon in the lake," he called from the behind me. "Do you see it just ahead?" I craned my neck over the shoulder of my brother. My eyes rested on a large white thing, towering over the canoe and the water. Somewhere deep inside I recoiled with fright, even though I could see that it was only a well weathered piece of driftwood. The large white dragon was probably once a whole tree, but all that remained was a branch that rose out of the water with what looked like a snake head and whatever unseen part that supported the creature under the waves.
I could hear my sister speak from the other canoe, and I watched them paddle closer to the shape. My father followed with our canoe. I did not want to admit my fear of the dragon. I was always afraid of losing face in front of my older siblings. I kept my eyes riveted to the dragon although it filled me with fear. I felt that at any moment the driftwood could spring to life and topple our canoes.
As we paddled away, I wanted to watch it further, but the beating down sun soon closed my eyes in sleep. We arrived on the island, and the weariness left me once I climbed out of the canoe. We stayed on the island for three days, and all the while the dragon circled us. Eventually my fear for the mysterious creature wore off, and it became a familiar aspect to each day.
The last night there was rain and wind, Dad made a passing comment that perhaps the dragon would be gone by the morning. I listened to the wind, and thought that it was not possible for such a magnificently eerie being to fall victim to a simple storm. But when I awoke the next day there was no sign of the dragon. My siblings and I ran to all sides of the island, but it was nowhere in sight.
We left the island that same day, and while we traveled the still water I searched for the dragon. The sun and the gentle rocking of the canoe eventually put me to sleep, but to this day whenever I return to lake I am always searching for my driftwood dragon.
