The Fight for the Dragon

By

Craig Sweeney

Sulcan was just a normal sixteen year old until he goes to hunt in the forest…..

“Bye Malor” called Sulcan when he walked out the door.  It was a windy night as the bushes rustled and the amber gold leaves on the trees fell softly to the ground.  It was Autumn and the cold fresh air made Sulcan feel good.  Sulcan was walking in the forest looking for an animal when he saw an injured deer stumble into a small clearing.  Sulcan decided to put it out of its misery.  He strung his bow and let an arrow fly.  It shot through the air with a whistle and struck its target in the ribs.  His death was quick and painless.  Sulcan walked into the clearing and could not believe what he saw.

He had found a stone like object.  He saw one before, it was an emerald Dragon egg.  It had white vein like membranes.  It was a stone of great beauty.

When he got back he was cradling the stone like a baby.  “Malor come quick!” shouted Sulcan impatiently.  “What is ..” he was cut short when he saw what he was holding.  “You have to give that to the kingdom guard” croaked Malor nervously.  He was obviously afraid of Dragons.  “No, the kingdom will kill the Dragon” exclaimed Sulcan, feeling suddenly attached to the egg.  Sulcan kept the egg in his room.  One day it cracked and a bizarre type creature came out but it had wings.  It was barely the size of Sulcans hand.  It jumped off the shelf and wandered around his room.  Sulcan edged closer to touch it.  When he did, it sent an icy shock through him.  His limbs thrashed violently, his head throbbed painfully.  When the fit was over there was a mark on his shoulder.  It was a bright green mark in the shape of a tail with spikes.  The Dragon grew immensely.  It was up to Sulcans chest after a month.

They were able to communicate by thought.  They talked frequently about what Sulcan had did all day.  The Dragon still did not have a name.  After days of thinking for a name, Sulcan finally came up with one.  “Nadoc!” he exclaimed.  The Dragon agreed he was now to be called ‘Nadoc’.  Later that week, the King heard rumours of a good Dragon that was still alive.  He ordered a hunt for the Dragon.  Anyone who found the Dragon & captured him would get one million crowns.  Sulcan & Nadoc were on the run.  They were desparate for peace.  They were going to camp outside the capital where the kings palace is.  They were spotted so they tried to fly away but they had archers posted behind them.  They could only do one thing, fly into the palace.

When they got to the palace, they drove right through the roof with immense speed.  A soldier was struck by a chunk of debri.  He came crashing to the floor screaming with agony.  Most of the soldiers were scorched by Nadoc.  As Sulcan struck a soldier with the blunt of his sword, Nadoc was pierced by many arrows causing Nadoc to produce a deafening roar.  All of the soldiers were dead, only the King was left.  Sulcan barked a command and a ball of energy was sent at the King.  He knocked it away with ease.  The Sulcan called on the last of his strength, released magic that engulfed the King.

Sulcan had won the fight for the Dragon.

The End.

My Great Grandfather

By

Daniel Reynolds

Although my long expanded memory doesn’t carry me back to my very first meeting with my great-grandfather my huge white photo album does.

This stern tall figure of a man, with the blue eyes, big brown glasses and the defining grey moustache.  Holding me, he gazes into my baby eyes and smiling that I am the next generation to carry his dear name.

I remember my mother used to roll me to his house every bright, sunny morning of the long week.  I would shake his old wrinkled hand and he would mutter to me “would you like your porridge now?”.  “Yes” I would reply.  He would then place in front of me a steaming hot bowl of delicious porridge.  When I would finish he would tell me a long amusing story about how he made friends with a soldier in the army.  Then he would fill his huge black pipe.  I would always look at his silver watch with the huge magnifying glass at the top.  I would ask “can I have your watch granddad?”.  He would reply “when you are a big strong man like me”.

Then I started school in Scoil Lorcáin.  I could no longer visit on a bright sunny weekday, but I still visited on weekends.  One day he became very ill and that was the end of our breakfast stories and our time together.  That was the last time I saw him before he died.  One weekend I went to my aunties house in Newcastle West in Limerick.  When I returned two days later, my mother sat me down and gave me the funny silver watch with the magnifying glass on top that he had promised me many years ago.  I cried for many hours.  Then a couple of days after the funeral I went to visit his grave to say a final goodbye.

That is how I remember my great-grandfather – Jimmy Reynolds.

The End