Chapter 11 Places to go

Never in my life did I pull a move like that.

I stood there, not even out of breath, staring at the bully on the floor in front of me. I didn't even hear Raven telling me how cool that was and when did I learn stuff like that? I was too busy thinking about what I had just done. I just knocked out the school bully! How in the heck am I supposed to explain this?!

I turned and pushed my way through the throng of students who had gathered at the scene, and who parted to let me through, giving me nervous looks, mixed with the occasional cheer. I ran out the cafeteria door, down the hallways and out the front door of the school building. I took off for the woodlot behind the school, running so fast the bricks in the wall beside me were a blur. I ran across the back parking lot and into the woods, barely making it into the trees before transforming into the dragon again.

I flapped hard, rising into the sky like a rocket taking off. I rose above the clouds, higher than I had ever gone before. I glided around the creamy tops of the cumulonimbus clouds, relaxing as the wind, too cold for any normal human, fanned across my scales soothingly. Whatever I was, I loved flying. The feeling higher than anyone else, like Superman... Hmmm...Superman? Maybe...maybe I'm meant to be a hero. After all, I do have super powers. Let's see... Strength and agility as a human, flight, impenetrable scales, flame breath and a sonic roar as a dragon, and the ability to change what I'm wearing, which could come in handy with the secret identity and all that. Plus anything else I haven't discovered, if there is anything else.

I frowned. But where would I go? All the superheroes in the comic books have a town or city or even a planet to watch over. Batman has Gotham, Green Lantern has Coast City, Superman has New York... a lot of superheroes 'have' New York... but, OH!

Suddenly, I knew just where to go. In fact, I had already been there once in my new form.

I was going to Chicago.

I set off for home, feeling as if I finally had a purpose.

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I arrived near my house, though I decided not to land right in front of it, for fear that someone would see me. I chose to land in the lake again.

A few boats were on the lake, mostly pleasure craft like pontoon boats and jet skis. I waited until they were all on the opposite side of the lake before diving toward the water. I hit the surface with a huge splash, causing a small tidal wave to wash toward the shore.

Once I entered the water, I swam under it until I reached the edge, undulating like an eel. I crawled out underneath a nearby dock and changed back to my human self, only this time with clothes. I scrambled across the street and up to our front door. Opening it, I slipped inside and went into the dining room.

My mother was sitting at the end of the table, a large pile of bills stacked next to her. she looked up as I came into the room, and frowned. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?" She asked.

I sat down and explained the fight in the cafeteria, my flight into the clouds, and my idea for what I wanted to do with my newfound 'powers'.

When I had finished, she sat for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. then she looked up. "Are you sure this is what you want to do? Once you become a public figure, you will never have a normal life. You will be followed by the media, threatened on a daily basis, and possibly even killed. You also will have to be very wary of the government. They have a history of trying to take down anything they think is different or see as a threat. And they're not the only ones out there. You'll make enemies. Again: are you sure?"

"Yes" I said without hesitation.

"Why?" She asked, looking intently at my face.

I looked steadily back at her. "Because I believe I can save those who are beyond their reach. I can prevent disasters, or if not that, at least help those who get caught up in them."

She stared at me silently for a moment, then said, "okay, if this is what you really want, I won't stop you. However, you must promise me one thing."

I nodded mutely, astonished that she let me go without a fuss.

"I want you to come visit us as much as you can."

"Of course I will!" I smiled at her, relieved that I didn't have to fight her in order to make her see.

"Well, you better get packing!" she said in a brisk tone. I grinned at her. "I don't need to pack", I said, "I can appear in whatever clothes I want. I tried it last night."

She looked surprised, then said, "Well, at least stay for another night. I know you want to go, but you should get some rest before you set out, and anyway, your father would probably like to say goodbye before head off."

I nodded at her. "Of course I will"

That night, I went to bed with the feeling that I was doing the right thing.