Lester D. Crawford

@lesterdcrawford.com

86 Followers 106 Following

Writer of stories involving dragons, mostly, that use themes of love, loyalty, friendship, kindness, acceptance, family of origin, and family of choice. www.LesterDCrawford.com Related Bluesky accounts: @thedragonuniverse.com @dracotation.com

Text that says: Hope said, "I can catch you." She charged the baby dragon. "You can't catch me." He dashed away in a zigzag, occasionally pausing to let her come close, and then dodging while making his goik, goik laugh. Hope, laughing with him, was unable to keep up. Then he stopped, swung around, and said, "I can catch you." She had no doubt he could. She stopped laughing and ran. They hadn't made rules for this game and she didn't know what he might think catch meant. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Mister Sterling made preserved and canned fruits, vegetables, and meats using methods such as cooking, drying, pickling, salting, and smoking. He also sold fresh meats, fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and honey, and he made wonderful food bars from those ingredients. His customers seemed to all be riffraff and riffraff run meal shops. Hope didn't think the City Lords purchased food from him. She told herself a story about how privileged people had their own food sources and servants to prepare and serve the food in grand dining halls while riffraff performers entertained them. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: The next day was another Mister Emery day. He taught her a new choreographed dance called Perseverance of Truth. In secret, Mister Emery created music, songs, dances, and plays that told stories about perseverance. Publicly, he only created works based on stories praising the City Lords because they required it of him. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Hope came into a street where three bullyboys had an older riffraff man surrounded and were threatening him. She reminded herself do not surrender to anger, then walked up to the quarrel. The first boy to notice her gave her an intimidating scowl, at least that's what she assumed from the contorted look on his face. Then, the look crumbled as he turned and ran. The other two boys were confused, but when they saw Hope, their faces also crumbled as they turned and ran. The riffraff man said, "Thank you for your help, young man." Hope smiled, but then returned to her emotionless expression, and in a monotone, low-pitch, high-volume voice said, "You're welcome, sir. I've encountered them before. They know what I can do to them." Then she continued down the street at a brisk, non-rushed, lurching pace, with a long stride and swinging arms. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: For today's acting lesson, Mister Emery directed Hope to practice three roles: a privileged man who treated people with disrespect, a privileged woman who also treated people with disrespect, and a riffraff man who had to submit to privileged people's disrespect. Hope didn't like acting disrespectful, especially to Mister Emery, but he was to be the target of the disrespect. With his encouragement and coaching, and after a few practice runs, the characters of the privileged man and woman came to feel like silly parodies of privileged people she had observed. In contrast, having him act the part of the privileged person as he disrespected a riffraff man, portrayed by Hope, triggered Hope's anxiety. She had seen many riffraff men, women, and children terrorized and humiliated, and seeing it made her feel what she assumed they must have felt. Acting it made it even more real and personal. Mister Emery ended the lesson early apparently seeing how it distressed Hope. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: "Practicing with the training dummy is not enough — it is passive. You need to learn to anticipate and strategize. You need to learn the offensive and defensive nuances in a constantly changing real-world fight. The next phase is the most important part of your training. We need to spar." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Early in her time on the street, Hope had hid in a different place almost every night. It had been particularly difficult to find a place to hide and stay dry during Monsoon. Then, she found an abandoned swill container buried in a rubbish pile. That became a more permanent hiding place until she discovered the warehouse lair. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: When the baby dragon first hatched, he had a skinny body and wrinkly hide that looked as if there was too much of it. Gradually, he had filled up his extra hide. Finally, he was no longer wrinkled, as if he was now fully inflated. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Part way down the alley, three unfamiliar bullyboys stepped out in front of her. Hope turned to run, but the two bullyboys she had tried to avoid came up behind her. All five bullyboys charged. She got in several good hits before the bullyboys pulled her to the ground. She curled into a ball as they beat her and clawed at her carrysack trying to pull it off her back. Then, from the tenement doors facing the alley came several riffraff men and woman. She thought they intended to join in on the beating, but instead they attacked the bullyboys, pulling them off her. She crawled away from the brawl. A riffraff woman approached and said, "Let me help you, Child." Hope got to her feet and ran. Several turns and sprints put her far from the conflict. In an alley, she hid behind rubbish and took stock of herself. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Militiamen were enforcers for the City Lords. They roved the city terrorizing riffraff to keep them subjugated and obedient. They also looked for homeless people, impoverished people, or orphan children to grab and send to work camps and factories to perform forced labor to enrich the City Lords who lived in their Walled District of Privilege on a hill surrounded by the squalor of the tenement and shanty slums where everyone else lived. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: The baby dragon said, "Go inside lair now." After drying Baby, and herself, Hope hung the towels and her clothing to dry, maybe. Towels and clothing took a long time to dry during Monsoon. A science book had taught her about humidity and evaporation. The same water vapor that made the fog made the air too full to hold any more, so evaporation was slow if it occurred at all. Once settled in the lair and listening to the din of rain, Hope said, "Did you enjoy Monsoon?" "Dangerous. Scary. Not fun." "You were having fun until you fell in the water and were swept away." "Not fun." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: After learning the ten numeral symbols, including practicing writing them, and the concept of the one's column, the ten's column, the hundred's column, and so forth, the baby dragon was ready to count. He mastered numbers and counting easily. Then, Hope taught him about coin. Whole coin numbers worked like regular numbers with ones, twos, fives, and tens. However, less than a whole coin was counted as sixteenth-coin, eighth-coin, quarter-coin, and half-coin. Baby thought this system irrational, but when she showed him how it worked by dividing up a circle, he reluctantly accepted it as being an it is what it is fact. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Air quality displayed as a dial with the arrow pointing at the very unhealthy indicator.
Text that says: Hope placed the old boots on the counter. "You've taken good care of these." When Mister Olynn turned a boot over to look at the sole, the gemstone and coin fell out. He looked at them, then at Hope. "You know you don't have to do that." "I insist." "Very well. I know I can't argue with you." Knowing Hope never let anyone come close to her, he said, "You know the procedure. The measuring device is by the bench. Read out the numbers for me." Hope removed her boots and socks and stepped on the device, adjusted the sliders, and read out the numbers as Mister Olynn wrote them in a ledger. "The measurements aren't much different than the previous measurements. How do you current boots feel?" "They're comfortable, more so than the old ones." He pulled a pair of boots from a shelf and placed them on the counter. "These should be perfect for you. Try them on." She put them on and walked circles. "They are perfect." "Here are several pairs of socks and a new cleaning kit." Hope placed the socks, cleaning kit, and what she now considered her old boots into her carrysack. "Thank you." As she left, Mister Olynn said, "May your boots take you on many exciting adventures." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: "Hey, come back. I have bread for you." Peeking from her hiding place, Hope watched the man. The smile on his round face went all the way to his bright blue eyes. She knew he must work with flour since he made baked goods such as bread, and she assumed he was covered in flour. But his hair was blond with no sign of flour. He wasn't covered in flour; he had a fair complexion. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Chart labeled Story Structure showing Beginning at 0% Hook at 1% • Opening scene • First thing that happens • Possibly the first line Setup at 1%–12% Inciting Incident at 12% Build-up at 12%–25% Plot Point 1 at 25% • Story experiences a reboot, a new direction • Ignite the core story from seeds planted in the opening quartile • Launches a mission • Most important moment in a story Reaction at 25%–37% Pinch Point 1 at 37% • Next important moment in a story • Can be more of these, as long as at least two appear in middle of quartiles 2 and 3 • Reminder about the source of antagonism in the story • A reminder of the magnitude of the hero's problem Realization at 37%–50% Midpoint Plot Point 2 at 50% • Second most important moment in a story • Change context of the hero's experience from response mode into active mode • Character arc perspective evolves from "wanderer" into "warrior" • Leveraging new knowledge or change imparted at the Midpoint moment • Pace and dramatic tension of story increase palpably • The proximity of confrontation, danger, and salvation draws near • Midpoint is where the main character begins to get their hero on Action at 50%–62% Pinch Point 2 at 62% • Things go wrong as a reminder of what could go wrong • Hero has more risk and more work before core story problem/opportunity will be resolved Renewed Push at 62%–75% Plot Point 3 at 75% • All Is lost Darkest Moment • Utter upheaval • Hero Appears Beaten or Lost but Something Happens to Turn the Situation Around • Hero Draws Upon the New Strengths or Lessons He's Learned • Hero's Goal Becomes Reachable Recovery at 75%–88% Climax at 88% Confrontation at 88%–98% Climactic Moment at 98% • Protagonist's goal met • Physically impossibility for the conflict to continue Resolution at 98%–100% • Ease reader out of the excitement of the Climax and into the final emotion Ending at 100%
Text that says: Food insecurity always haunted Hope. She had experienced severe hunger on many occasions when she couldn't forage enough to eat from swill containers. These days, she had resources to purchase or trade for food, but she still feared running out. So, she compulsively kept her food cache in the lair well stocked, and she cached extra food in hiding places around the city. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Mister Olynn, the boot maker, had given Hope bigger boots several times. Soon, she would need to ask for bigger boots again. When she exchanged the old boots for new ones, in each boot she left a gemstone. She placed the boots next to Mister Olynn's door in the alley, then knocked and hid until he came out. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: The dragon scarfed down his meal before I even got the first forkful of mine into my mouth. "You eat as if you fear your food is going to run away." "Sometimes, my food does run away." — The Dragon Universe Fellowship (trunk novel)
A squirrel hanging, head down, on a deck support post, looking toward the camera
Text that says: When Hope entered the lair, the baby dragon met her holding his toy mountain cat and ragged blue blanket. He said, "What happen?" "It's okay. Monsoon is coming." In their inner-world, she pushed an image of rain falling from the sky. "Water?" "Water will fall from the sky." His ears pricked. "Water fun." "Water can also be dangerous." "Why?" "When water flows fast and rough, it can wash people away." "See water from sky?" "It's called rain. I'll show you when it's time. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Like the sweep of a hand passing from the east, the constant stirring and murmuring of the ceaseless west wind ceased. An unnatural silence gripped Hope making her feel as if she had lost her hearing. A foreboding angst filled her. Overhead, the persistent orange-haze roiled as sinuous tendrils of grey squirmed in from the east like the roots of a massive tree, ever reaching, ever expanding. Monsoon was coming. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Made of red, white, and black fabric, filled with fluffy cotton, and shaped like a forest fox, Foxy was all Hope had from before she became an orphan, and she talked to the toy as she would have to her parents. When her hiding place had been an abandoned swill container buried in the alley rubbish, militiamen searching for contraband had found it, ransacked her possessions considering them rubbish, and damaged Foxy. Hope had cried a long time while holding the damaged toy. She finally mended Foxy after Miss Livia and Mister Finn taught her sewing skills and gave her a sewing kit. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Hope had a purpose: love, protect, and care for the baby dragon. How much longer would that purpose be relevant? He's growing. He's maturing. He will become an immense and powerful adult dragon. Will he then disperse? Will he go out into the world, self-reliant and living on his own? Will Baby leave her? — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Monsoon was coming, and as typical, everyone was running around in a panic, preparing. There was always going to be the next Monsoon, so why didn't people prepare ahead of time? Hope admired the artistic flair of the writhing and spiraling grey clouds that would bring Monsoon as they displaced the orange-haze overhead. It was a beautiful pattern. Maybe someday, she would draw a picture of it, maybe with a panicking person in the foreground, their hands on their face, screaming. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Hope lounged against the baby dragon's side as he curled around her to share the remainder of the day in companionable silence. Through their connection, she could feel his contentment. She assumed he could also feel hers. Nevertheless, Hope was already making plans for the next day, another day of survival tasks, another day of hiding in plain sight, another day of facing danger. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: The First People were a diverse group, each with their own culture, language, and knowledge. They understood survival depended on them cooperating, pooling their resources, and sharing their knowledge. Their first priorities had been food and shelter. Even in their dire situation, abandoned on a strange world, they had survived, they had saved their knowledge, and they had created a new society. Hope felt inspired. She said, "The First People were amazing. I'm proud to be descended from such people." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: "Are you ready to eat food?" The baby dragon said, "Ee foo. Ee foo." In her mind, Hope heard, "[Eat food. Eat food.]" "Oh my! You're trying to talk." His mental words were clear, but his spoken words were baby talk. She didn't know dragons could talk, or at least try to. Of course, she didn't know anything about real dragons. "Ee foo. Ee foo." "Get ready." Baby resumed gaping while fluttering his wings and wagging his tail. The piece of meat she tossed into his mouth disappeared, as did the next. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: "First, I want to evaluate your jumping, climbing, and running. Do the obstacle course." He motioned toward the lush courtyard maze. Many of the trees and bushes grew in the ground and were thus fixed in place. Even more were in movable planters. Some of the walls and fences were also movable. Every time Hope faced the obstacle course, it was different. She enjoyed the relaxing experience of walking the peaceful paths to find the route from one side of the maze to the other. But, when told to run the obstacle course, she was not allowed to use the paths. She had to go straight through, under, or over the barriers she confronted. Mister Emery went up the stairs to a platform that overlooked the maze and waited. Hope took a breath and sighed "Okay." She could do this. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Hope found a discarded yet perfectly usable set of three nesting pots with lids. Even though the biggest pot had a big dent and the second pot had a matching smaller dent, the third pot was fine. She made plans to take them to Mister Randolph to sell on consignment in his mercantile shop. To keep them quiet so no one would find her hiding place, she wrapped the dented pots with towels and hammered on the dents. It required a lot of hammering, but the dents came out. Then she cleaned and polished the pots and lids using cleaning powder she had acquired from Mister Randolph. Mister Randolph had been impressed and was sure he could sell them for a good price, which he did. He shared that payment with her. She felt her investment in the project had been well worth the effort. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Sliding straight out from the tips of his fingers and toes came short, blade-like structures the same color as his teeth. "Oh my! You have … claws. No. Talons. Yes, I would definitely call them talons." He retracted his talons and pulled his hands back to his chest. "I don't like them." "It's all right. They're another of your dragon traits. It is what it is." "They hurt you." "That was an accident. When did you get them?" "They began growing a few days ago. I've been trying to keep them inside." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: The dragon egg was beautiful. It was tawny colored with brown lines that weaved and waved lengthwise. Hope touched it to feel its slightly bumpy texture, and its warmth. A tingle tickled the back of her neck causing her to shudder and scratch. A feeling of wonder washed over her. And, in her mind, a sensation whispered my friend. When she heard the dragons returning, she scurried to her hiding place. She desperately wanted to go back feeling compelled as if the dragon egg called to her. And, she did go back, every chance she had. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Hope ran her hand over the garden's border plants. "These are like the hedges around the farm fields. Keeping creatures out must be the purpose of the hedges. I like them. I wonder why they repel creatures." The baby dragon said, "Mommy, do you not smell the plants?" "They don't have a smell." "That's what you think." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: "Follow your breathing," the woman said. "Breathe normally. Be aware of it." She went quiet as she breathed before adding, "Be clam. Be patient. If you need help keeping your mind from wandering, silently speak your guide word over and over. I use calm. It can be anything you want; even humming silently to yourself will work." After a while of silence, the woman said, "When you have your breathing's rhythm, concentrate on individual parts of your body beginning with your extremities and moving to your core, consciously relaxing each before moving to the next, until you've relaxed your entire body." That had been the beginning of Hope's calming exercise. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: "It's okay to feel anxious, but anxiety can be an isolating experience. Don't let that happen. Talking can help. Whenever you need to talk, I'm here to help you find your path." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
dash cam image showing driving on trolley tracks that run down a street's traffic lane with a trolley passing by going the other direction on the left side and a transit bus going the same direction on the right side
Text that says: That evening, for drawing practice, Hope drew a picture of Miss Kallie showing her ready to spar, her staff in her hands, her eyes intent. While sparring, Miss Kallie had been courageous and skilled. In conversation, she had been intelligent and articulate. And when Hope left, she had been empathetic and encouraging. Hope admired Miss Kallie and wished to be like her. As she added details to the image, she drew Miss Kallie's wrist-cuff deed and hesitated. Miss Kallie might be all those things, and more, but Miss Kallie was not free. Hope vowed to never join proper society. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Thanks to the warning chimes, Mister Tymon had had time to secure his valuable assets, so he had survived the swarm with minimal losses -- militiamen pillaged while doing inspections. On the way to Mister Stirling's shop, Hope passed several shops where the owners were making repairs -- militiamen often caused damage in their zeal to terrorize riffraff. Mister Stirling's shop appeared undamaged. He looked up from where he was mashing ingredients in a large bowl. His contorted scowl transformed into a delighted smile. "Child, you're safe?" "Yes. How are you?" He glanced around the shop. "The militiamen took my food bars, except for the eaterregrets. I thought I could make them palatable, but few people liked them." Even though eaterregrets were nutritious, there was a reason why they were called that, although Hope had given one of the food bars to the baby dragon and he had liked it; of course, he liked everything. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Hope entered the warehouse lair for the first time since she and the baby dragon moved to the cave lair. The room felt ... safe. It felt like the right place to be, the place where she belonged. A sentimental yearning for her former hiding place and the years she had spent there welled up inside her. Yet, this was not a now place; it was a then place. She missed the warehouse lair, but she knew the cave lair was better for Baby. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: The match became a one-on-one between Hope and Miss Kallie as Mister Emery and Mister Randolph backed off unable to keep up with the speed of the two women. Miss Kallie focused on Hope, but Hope had to also stay aware of what Mister Emery and Mister Randolph were doing lest they rejoin the match. Striking, blocking, deflecting. Dancing, dodging, eluding. Running, jumping, climbing. Miss Kallie challenged every skill Hope had learned from Mister Emery and from a lifetime of surviving in a dark world. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Hope's parents disappeared when she was very young. They had taught her that if they said danger she was to reply run or hide and then do what they said. One day, they said danger. To her run or hide they responded hide, which she was good at doing — no one found her. She hadn't understood what was happening nor did she remember much about the event. There was the smell of unwashed men. Smashing noises. Screaming and yelling. She had scrunched her eyes closed, hugged her stuffed toy, and struggled to remain silent. When she finally came out from her hiding place, she was alone and never saw her parents again. Her only link to them was the stuffed toy she had with her when she hid. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
A finch picks up seeds and places them in a fledgling's mouth three times then runs over the other fledgling to also feed it
Text that says: "You should be able to fly with your wings." Baby tilted his head to the left. "Fly?" "Like—" She couldn't think of an example. "I read about flying animals, although none live round here. They flap their wings and waft on the air, like the insects that fly between flowers." Skepticism flowed through their connection as Baby said, "I cannot fly like an insect. They are small and light. I am not." "I never saw your parents fly, but I'm sure they could, and did. The storybooks that mention dragons say they can fly. They say dragons are masters of the sky. Besides, what are wings for if not for flying? I'm sure flying is a dragon trait." Baby's skepticism remained. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Image of two squirrels on the patio outside my window; in the background is a Douglas squirrel; in the foreground is a western gray squirrel
Text that says: "Miss Nella, what will become of me?" "That's a difficult question, Child, but one that's normal; you're not alone in facing it." "I feel helpless, and worried." "The future is an unknown; it's okay to feel uncertain about it. Is there a specific situation that concerns you?" "I feel lost. I know nothing about my parents. I have no family identity or history. I don't know how to be a ... me." Hope was sharing the baby dragon's feelings, although she framed them as her own. Now that she spoke them, she knew she felt the same. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: "This is Kallie. She's Randolph's daughter. You'll find that she's very good at sparring." Mister Emery's stress on the word very sounded ominous, but the woman didn't look ominous. She was taller and older than Hope, but not by much. Her blue eyes and blond hair matched Mister Randolph's. Hope nodded and said, "I'm glad to meet you, Miss Kallie." "You don't need to call me Miss Kallie. Just Kallie is fine." "Yes, Miss Kallie." "You're going to keep calling me Miss Kallie, aren't you?" "Yes, Miss Kallie." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Baby interrupted their exploration of the forest during Monsoon when he said, "You're hungry." "You can feel that in our inner-world, can't you? I need my morning meal. I brought food in my carrysack, but I don't want to eat in the rain, nor under the tarps by the latrine." "I can help." He opened his wings, brought them forward, and overlapped them to cover Hope as if they were a tarp or umbrella. "Oh my! That's useful." Protected from the rain, Hope removed her raincloak, laid it on a log dry side up to sit on, and opened her carrysack to retrieve the meat, cheese, and bread wafers. After eating -- sharing a few bites with Baby -- and drinking from her water container, she put her carrysack and raincloak back on. "Thank you for the shelter." "You're welcome." As Baby moved his wings to close them, a puddle of water that had collected on top spilled. Baby's shock shot through their connection. "Oops. Sorry." "It's all right. My raincloak blocked most of it." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: In his corner, the baby dragon had stacked several boards separated by an outstretched dragon-hand's width and placed more boards across the top leaving an open space beneath. Inside, he placed his stuffed animal toy, and said, "Misky lair." "That's nice." "Foxy inside?" "Okay." Hope retrieved her stuffed toy and put her inside with Misky. The tip of Baby's tail slowly wagged as he purred his pride. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Mister Emory said, "Self-defense is not about winning; it's about surviving. Escape is success. Faced with multiple opponents, you can't afford long engagements." Her sparring partners repositioned themselves. "Keep moving. Don't allow opponents to form a circle around you." Hope was already moving. "Focus on the leader, or the one who's doing the talking. The others are probably followers. Or, take down the one that appears most aggressive, confident, or formidable. Taking down the leader, or the more formidable one, can cause hesitation or worry in the weaker ones and they might flee. Otherwise, strike the closest one based on opportunity." Mister Emory was the leader, and he was doing the talking, so he'd be her first target. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: "We should practice our connection. I want to learn more about it." Hope leaned against him and focused her awareness on the hum of sensations coming from the baby dragon. Curiosity dominated, which currently focused on what she was doing, and why. Along with emotions, feelings, and a sense of his body and movements, she often received words and images, especially those directed at her, but she could never tell what he was thinking, or if he even thought... but of course he thought. He had to be able to think. It was ridiculous to think otherwise. Hope shook her head at the nonsense of her own thinking. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Screenshot from The Twilight Zone episode To Serve Man showing a book with alien lettering showing the title and a man holding a piece of paper with the translation that says to serve man
Text that says: Hope picked up the book Mister Finn had loaned her. Maybe Introduction to Zoology would help her better understand and care for the baby dragon. After reviewing the table of contents and index, she sighed in disappointment; the book contained nothing about dragons. What had she expected? She looked over at Baby where he played with his toy blocks. Dragons only existed in storybooks. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Alt Text: Text that says: She hugged Foxy, said, "There's a lot of misery in the world. I promise not to add to it," and then placed the toy on her perch. Made of red, white, and black fabric, filled with fluffy cotton, and shaped like a forest fox, Foxy was all Hope had from before she became an orphan, and she talked to the toy as she would have to her parents. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Then came hate and rage. Hope had never felt those emotions from Baby. He was always serene and loving, but these new emotions betrayed that. Along with the emotions came thoughts of people and terrifying thoughts of violence. He stood and said, "I will hurt the humans." He was a dragon. He had strength. He had talons and teeth. He had a tail that could crush things. And, he had been practicing fighting skills. Baby could inflect great harm, and he knew it. "Oh, Baby, don't say that. You are good. You are decent. Don't lose that." "Humans are bad. I will hurt all of them." "But, I'm a human." He paused, his emotions in disarray, unable to settle on any single one. "You fear the humans. You hide from the humans." "There are bad people, but not all people are bad. People helping me is proof that some people are good. But, because I can't tell if the people I encounter are good or bad, to stay safe, I must assume they're bad, even if I believe they're probably good." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Hope said, "Hide." The baby dragon crouched and covered himself with his wings. "Your wings don't hide you." With no time to hide him elsewhere, she ducked behind one of the alley's many busted crates, and watched as the men walked past. What could she do if they saw Baby? One of the men looked into the alley where he had a clear view of Baby. He acted as if he saw nothing. How had the man not seen Baby? He was right there. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: "Tell me about my parents." Anxiety washed over Hope. She avoided thinking about the dragon parents because those thoughts always distressed her. But, Baby deserved to know everything about them. After a calming breath, she described how she had discovered them, how they doted over him and talked to him, how she had not been afraid of them because they seemed nice, and what she felt the first time she touched his dragon egg. Then, she cried as she told him the story of the horrible day. After a long silence as Hope recovered herself, and where she couldn't understand the roiling in their inner-world, Baby said, "Mommy, I want to see my parents' cave". "Oh, Baby, don't ask that of me. I never want to go back." "I want to see their cave." Hope feared what they might find. She didn't want him to see what might remain. But, she would not be able to dissuade him. He needed to see it as a way of connecting to his parents. She would have to take him there. The next morning, Hope guided Baby north to his parents' cave. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Those wings had to mean he was meant to fly. In the valley there were no flying animals to which she could point as examples. And, mentioning flying insects elicited a laugh and his insistence that he was too large to fly like a tiny insect. He had no one to show him, no one to teach him. Hope didn't know what to do for him. But, she knew he was meant to fly. Dragons were denizens of the sky. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Crossing the farm fields was hampered by Hope having to duck out of sight each time a team of farm workers came her way as they reset sluice gates and checked the fields in preparation for post-Monsoon planting. When she reached the city, she had to avoid areas where riffraff were repairing Monsoon damage; although, most had returned to their normal activities. The trip had been stressful and risky, but she made it to her secret school where her secret teachers taught her in secret. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: Miss Nella said, "What you're going through is challenging, but it's hard to give advice about the anxiety, confusion, and emotional turmoil you're feeling. However, while it's normal to ask 'Who am I?' and 'Where do I fit in?', sometimes the question 'What will become of me?' needs to be changed to 'What do I want to make of myself?'" <scene break> Hope paused in a hiding place and concentrated on her and Baby's inner-world. "Baby, are you here?" "Yes, Mommy. I'm always here." He never failed to be aware of what she was doing and experiencing. With his complex dragon mind, her simple human mind was easy to monitor. "What do you think of what Miss Nella said?" "I don't know what I want to make of myself." "Neither do I, but we can choose what we want to become. We just need to figure out what it is." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
Text that says: The first things her teachers had taught her were how to read and write. The first gift they had given her was a dictionary she could keep. Hope enjoyed reading her dictionary. It was full of wonderful words she never heard anyone use. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)