"Petra doesn't want to go to bed early." Billy remarked, rolling thin pasta noodles around his small metal fork.
"She wants to stay up to watch Battle Beyond the Stars."
Steve was an accountant, and a busy one at that. Ever since Sally died he'd had to work far more than he would have liked. 80 hours most weeks. It's no wonder Billy had developed an imaginary friend. He couldn't even afford to hire a babysitter for the eight-year-old. An unavoidably lonely existence.
"Come on Billy. Petra needs his sleep. He's a growing boy. We can rent Battle Beyond the Stars this weekend. Now go wash up and get ready for bed."
Billy sat sullenly staring at the wooden table for almost a full minute before giving his mostly uneaten plate an angry shove.
Source: Pixabay.com
"Petra's a dragon! She could fly out of here if she wanted to! She doesn't have to sleep when you tell her!"
Despite the outburst, Billy pushed his chair back and headed for the bathroom.
Steve wanted to read him a bedtime story. He really did. He had to be at work in less than 5 hours though.
"A dragon." Steve thought to himself. "Makes perfect sense really. It must be difficult being so small and powerless. What's more powerful than a dragon?"
He got up to tuck his son in, then realizing the time quickly hopped in his own bed.
"He'll be alright."
Billy waited for a story but none came. Dejected again, he stared up at the ceiling wishing for something to change.
"Billy." a whisper.
"Hey Billy, look at me!" louder now.
It was Petra.
She was only 6 inches high, standing fiercely at the edge of his twin sized cot. Quite a bit smaller than he had envisioned her being.
"You're real?"
"Of course I am. You made me real."
Billy giggled with delight as Petra did somersault after somersault. A tiny dragon doing acrobatics! How much fun is that!?
She danced around and entertained the boy for what seemed like hours, and probably was. Then she curled up under his right arm and waited for him to fall asleep.
Once she felt his breath slow into a gentle rhythm, she opened her eye once more.
Billy had called her here and she intended to stay.
That morning Steve and Billy had a quick donut together before running out the door.
"I'd really love to take you to school this morning, but I'm afraid you're going to have to ride your bike again."
Billy kicked the umbrella stand.
Petra chuckled from her perch on the boy's shoulder. The father couldn't see her. Billy couldn't either, not really....If he could, he would be quite frightened of what she actually looked like. Petra was a demon. Pitch black with red burning eyes. Long sinewy arms, and syrupy skin. Grotesque even to her own kind. Not wanted there, she would make a place for herself here.
She would dig in deep.
That day Billy told everyone about his pet dragon. Not that he had any actual friends, but there was Samantha the school crossing guard, Rose the bus driver, Miss Anderson, his homeroom teacher..... And of course, friendly Pete....the school police officer. All the kids loved Pete.
No one believed him. How could they? There clearly was no dragon. They just smiled and nodded at the boys foolish notions.
Well he's just a kid after all.
The poor boy doesn't even get any affection from his own father.
Sad really.
A dragon? Please.
They didn't understand. Petra secretly screamed with glee as the boy became angrier and angrier.
"Don't worry, Billy" she whispered in his ear.
"One day soon they will understand. They will understand everything."
This became the routine.
Billy's dad couldn't live up to his good intentions. He was too much of a workaholic.
Petra spent nights doing tricks for Billy, telling him stories, putting on shows, and being the only friend he had. The only friend he needed.
She was grooming him. "One day soon, you'll be in the spotlight Billy." she whispered before they fell into slumber.
Steve was a careless man. His silver revolver lay in a padded case in his closet. "You can't be too careful when it comes to burglars." he always said. Although there was a combination lock, he had never actually used it.
Getting the gun was child's play for Petra.
You see, Billy wasn't in control of his own body much anymore these days. He didn't even realize it. Petra was becoming more and more embedded in our reality. Children are susceptible to demons. Love and attention from their parents is what keeps those demons away.
Billy tucked the loaded gun in his small Avengers backpack before getting on his 10 speed that morning. He had no idea he was doing it. In his mind he was laying in bed watching Petra do jumping jacks with her shiny black wings.
The first shot killed Samantha, the second wounded Pete.... he didn't want to shoot back. Not at an eight year old kid. But he was a police officer. There were other kids to protect.
Billy went down hard, blood pouring from his empty right eye socket. Petra was delighted.
As Billy faded into darkness, he thought he saw a demon where his dragon should have been.
"Is that you Petra?" he coughed.
"Is that you?"
"No my dear Billy" she replied with a hiss. "It's you."
THE END.
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