Title:: The Strange Dream

Characters:: Yuna [Female protagonist], Ember [Dragon], Alex [Yuna’s Bestfriend] and Mia [Yuna’s little sister]

Genre:: Fantasy

Word Count:: 864 Words

××× ××× ×××

A U T H O R

In the quiet hours of night, Yuna’s dreams wove a tapestry of whimsy and wonder. There, she stood in a moonlit glade, surrounded by ancient trees with silver leaves. The air smelled of magic and secrets, and the strange man appeared before her—a figure cloaked in shadows and starlight.

“I offer you a gift,” he intoned, his voice like the rustle of leaves. “What would you like?”

Yuna’s heart raced. She could ask for anything—a kingdom, a treasure, or perhaps a chance to fly on the wings of a mythical creature. But her imagination danced with the impossible. “A dragon,” she declared, her eyes shining with longing.

The strange man raised an eyebrow. “Be more realistic,” he chided gently.

Yuna huffed, her dream-self indignant. “Fine! Get me a boyfriend instead.”

And then, as dreams often do, the scene shifted. Yuna woke up in her cozy bedroom, sunlight filtering through the curtains. She blinked, disoriented, and there it was—a baby dragon nestled on her pillow. Its scales shimmered like polished emerald, and its eyes held a curious intelligence.

“Well, this is quite insulting,” Yuna muttered, reaching out to stroke the dragon’s tiny snout. “But you’re cute!”

Beside the dragon lay a care manual, its pages filled with instructions on feeding, grooming, and bonding with her newfound companion. Yuna sighed, torn between amusement and disbelief. She had asked for a boyfriend, and fate had delivered a dragon. Perhaps the universe had a peculiar sense of humor.

As Yuna read through the manual, she realized that caring for a dragon was no less complicated than navigating human relationships. There were feeding schedules, fire-breathing etiquette, and the delicate art of interpreting dragon body language. And yet, as she cradled the baby dragon, she felt a warmth she hadn’t expected.

–Time Skip–

The baby dragon—whom Yuna affectionately named Ember—quickly became a fixture in her life. She adjusted her daily routine to accommodate her newfound companion. Mornings were now filled with dragon-sized breakfasts (mostly charred fish and the occasional roasted squirrel), and evenings involved impromptu flying lessons in the nearby meadow.

Ember was a curious creature. His scales shimmered with iridescence, reflecting the hues of dawn and twilight. His eyes held ancient wisdom, as if he remembered a time when magic flowed freely through the world. Yuna wondered how such a magnificent being had ended up in her bedroom, nestled among her pillows.

As days turned into weeks, Yuna discovered that caring for a dragon required more than just following the care manual. She learned to decipher Ember’s moods—a flicker of his tail meant curiosity, while a low growl indicated hunger. And then there were the fire-breathing mishaps. Yuna’s curtains bore the scorch marks of Ember’s early attempts, but she forgave him with a smile.

Her best friend, Alex, raised an eyebrow when he saw Ember perched on Yuna’s shoulder during their coffee date. “You’ve upgraded from boyfriends to dragons?” he teased.

Yuna blushed. “It’s complicated.”

Alex leaned in. “Is he a good listener?”

“He’s excellent,” Yuna replied. “And he doesn’t interrupt.”

Ember, as it turned out, had a penchant for mischief. He rearranged Yuna’s bookshelves, stole her hair ties, and once tried to roast marshmallows over a candle flame. Yuna scolded him gently, but secretly, she loved his antics. Life had become infinitely more interesting with a dragon by her side.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Yuna sat on her rooftop with Ember. The city lights twinkled in the distance, and Ember’s wings rustled against the breeze. Yuna wondered about the strange man from her dream—the one who had granted her wish. Had he known that a dragon would be the key to her heart?

“Relationships are so overrated,” Yuna murmured, echoing her earlier sentiment. But this time, she wasn’t referring to human romance. She meant the quiet companionship that had blossomed between her and Ember—the way he nuzzled her cheek when she was sad, or the warmth of his presence during lonely nights.

Her little sister, Mia, joined them on the rooftop. She gasped at the sight of Ember. “Is he real?”

“Very real,” Yuna confirmed. “Meet Ember.”

Mia giggled. “Can I ride him?”

Yuna hesitated. “Maybe when he’s bigger.”

And so, the days flowed—a dance of laughter, scales, and whispered secrets. Yuna realized that her dream had given her more than she’d asked for. Ember wasn’t just a pet; he was a confidant, a protector, and a reminder that magic existed in the ordinary.

As winter approached, Ember’s scales shimmered with frost. Yuna wrapped him in a tiny dragon-sized scarf, and they sat by the fireplace, sharing stories. Ember listened, his eyes reflecting the flames, and Yuna wondered if dreams could weave reality.

“Be more realistic,” the strange man had said. But Yuna knew better now. Reality was what you made of it—a tapestry of wishes, laughter, and the warmth of a dragon’s breath.

And so, in the quiet hours of night, Yuna whispered her gratitude to the stars. For sometimes, the most extraordinary gifts arrived in the form of baby dragons, and love took flight on wings of friendship.

⟨•••⟩

If you're thinking that this story is incomplete, then no, it's not 🙂

– Author Eun
– Love Ya!