The Ryan Story Part I
The screen door burst open with a resounding crash, unleashing a wide eyed, over excited, fourteen year old onto the world, his short blond hair shining in the sun as he ran towards the family's red Subaru wagon with a suitcase carelessly perched one one shoulder. He tossed the suitcase into the open hatch, rubbed his hands on his worn jeans, and ran back towards the small apartment for another suitcase. They were going camping and he was so excited he could hardly stand it!"Ryan, slow down before you trip and kill yourself!" a woman called as walked she out of the apartment, her long brunette hair swinging in a braid down her back as she carried a suitcase to the car. She placed it inside with a little more care than he and walked back to where Ryan was standing with an imprudent grin on his face. She smiled down at him, her hazel eyes meeting his blue ones."Sorry mother!""That's ok, just be careful. Now go see if your father needs anymore help.""Ok mother!" he said cheerfully and walked back into the apartment at a slightly more sedate pace which she figured would last all of a few minutes in his current excited state.Ryan walked into the living room where his father was trying to shove the lid down on an overstuffed suitcase. "Need some help father?" he asked brightly."Sure, just push down on it there," he said gesturing to the lid. Ryan pushed his weight down on it, slight though it was, and it shut with a click. "There!" his father said with a smile.Ryan grinned and then threw his arms around his father's stocky frame as best he could. He patted the boy on the back. "Alright, lets get to the car and on the road to Glorieta."Glorieta New Mexico: that's where they were going. The church had a conference center there and they were able to get tickets at a good price. They had scrimped and saved for
months and months to get them and his father had finally purchased them just a few short weeks ago. Ryan had hardly been able to contain himself when he brought the tickets home."Yes father!" Ryan said and bolted out the door before he could be reminded to slow down. His father sighed and shook his head with a smile and followed him out the door, caring the last suitcase. He put the suitcase in the car and shut the hatch, then turned to his wife. "We have everything?""Yes dear," Ryan's mother said and walked up to him, putting her arms around him, giving him a kiss. She ran her hands through his thinning hair. "Going to need a haircut soon.""What there is of it!""And when it falls out you'll be the most handsome bald man in all the world, Allen!" she said grinning outrageously."Why Beth, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were flattering me!" "Would I do that?" she asked, eyes sparkling with mirth."Ugh!" Ryan said, making a horrid face, and they both laughed at him. "We have checked and double checked. Can we go?" he asked, fidgeting."Better to check twice than to find out that you missed something you needed," Allen remarked. He turned to Beth. "You have his medical kit?""As if we'd go anywhere without it!"Ryan's medical kit was contained in a small leather purse, rather satchel like, that had a dragon emblazoned on the cover. It contained salves and other medications that were specific to dragons. After all, when your son was a dragon, you never knew when you would have need of such things. They hadn't often; Ryan had proven to be quite healthy. Beth could only remember once when they had needed them because he had managed to scrape his hind leg while in dragon form. According to him, he hadn't even cried or squirmed when they put the salve on it to help it heal and avoid infection.Well, at least not too much anyway."Say, where did you get that stuff?" Ryan asked curiously"Lets get in the car and get on the road," Allen said smoothly. "We can even stop and get you some crumb donuts and chocolate milk.""Really? Lets go!" Ryan said, nearly bouncing in excitement.They laughed and piled into the car. After a short prayer for travel mercies, they set out on the road, eagerly awaiting the adventures that it held.
They made their way up the grade towards a small town called Tehachapi, Ryan sitting in the back seat, chattering away about hiking, biking, and more improbable things that they were going to get to do while at camp. Beth looked back and smiled at him fondly, happy to see him happy. As they rode along, Ryan looked out the window at the rolling golden hills of the California countryside. He enjoyed the view of the brightly colored wild flowers that had just recently burst forth into riots of color, singing to himself, watching the clouds as they rolled along seeing all sorts of shapes and things in them as children tended to. He laughed quietly as he saw a shape that reminded him of a dragon. That made him pause for a second.Should he ask about being in dragon form while being at camp? He
was allowed to be in dragon form at home so long as the blinds and curtains were drawn, he kept quiet, and he had his parents permission. But outside the house? He wasn't so sure. Normally the answer was no, but they were going to be there for a long time in his estimation. Sometimes his father would become upset if he asked about being in his dragon form or asked questions about being a dragon in general. He sighed. This was important to him, so he decided to ask his mother. Always start with mother regarding things draconic."Mother?"She turned and smiled. "Yes Ryan?"He hesitated. "Will I be allowed to be in my dragon form while at camp?" His father frowned and he sighed. He knew he shouldn't have brought it up."We'll have to see, Ryan. It's not like we're going to be gone that long.""I know father, I just do not like to sleep in my human form so very much.""I know, Ryan, and watch your language.""Yes father."They made a pit stop in Tehachapi, going to a restaurant there that they had visited many times before. The restaurant had a model of the Tehachapi loop, a rail system that allowed the trains to get up enough speed to make it over the grade. While he had no specific interest in model trains he watched the train go around the loop and listened to the narrator describe what was happening with bright, interested eyes. His father came up behind him and patted him on the back and he looked up at him and grinned. "Father, can we get something to eat?"Allen looked at Ryan, eyebrows raised. "We just had breakfast a few hours ago.""Yes but I am feeling so very hungry," Ryan said and looked around to make sure no one was listening. "I am a growing dragon!" Then
winced at what he just said.Allen laughed and Ryan grinned back at him, relieved. "Well, we can't have that now can we? I suppose we can get a light lunch."They sat down to eat. "This is so very nice!" Ryan said and sighed happily. He enjoyed being out with his family in restaurants because he felt as if he blended in with everyone else and didn't have to worry as much about how he acted or spoke. He was just another boy out with his family having a good time. Beth smiled. "I know Ryan, but you need to watch how you're speaking.""Sorry mother!""It's all right; just be careful."As the sky grew dark, Ryan and family looked for a place to eat and possibly stop for the night. They pulled in to the drive way of a restaurant with a huge wagon wheel on the roof as decoration. "Looks interesting enough," Beth remarked as they pulled in."Busy enough too. Probably decent food then," Allen replied.The interior of the restaurant was decorated in old western style along with route 66 signs posted here and there. The hostess smiled. "Party of three?""Oh, not sure how much of a party we are, but there are three of us, yes," Allen said.The hostess laughed. "Right this way then, my sedate group of three."They were seated in a small booth and given menus to look over. "Your waitress will be right with you. Enjoy!""Thanks much," Allen
said.They looked over the menus, trying to decide what to eat. "The omelets look good," Beth remarked.Ryan wrinkled his nose. "It is not breakfast time.""So? You don't have to eat breakfast foods at breakfast!"Ryan looked at his menu, they had given him a children's menu, to his chagrin. He was old enough for an adult menu! Just because he was a little small for his age people were always mistaking him for younger. "Can I see your menu when you are finished with it?""Nothing in the children's menu for you?" Beth asked."I am not a child!" Ryan said indignantly and Beth laughed and handed him the menu.Ryan grumbled and looked over the menu, finally choosing tamales. He had always enjoyed Mexican food. "I think I will have the tamales.""Hmm. Not a bad idea. I think I'll have their mucho burrito," his father said.The waitress collected their order and they found themselves in the random chatter about nothing that close families found themselves in so often. After awhile Ryan picked up the children's menu and started to look through it."Now here I thought you were all grown up!" Allen laughed."Just bored!"He flipped through the pages of the "exciting dinosaur adventure!" menu, snorting. He had never quite understood why such things appealed to other kids but not him. "What is so exciting about this menu?" Ryan asked his mother."It's to appeal to kids, Ryan.""I am a kid!" he objected."You're different."He looked down. "Yes. I know."Beth looked at Allen worriedly for a moment and then patted Ryan on the arm and smiled at him. He gave her a half smile and went back to reading the menu. As he flipped over one of the pages, one of the dinosaurs caught his eye. It was supposed to be a pterodactyl or one of the flying dinosaurs but the artist either wasn't that talented, or the printer had made a mistake. Either way, it had a decidedly draconic appearance to it.Ryan stared at it for a long time, bemused. Beth looked over at him and frowned and stood up a little to see what he was looking at. Ryan paid her no mind, his attention totally locked on the page. He reached out and ran a finger along the outline. "It looks a little like me," he murmured softly.Beth looked over at Allen, a little startled. Allen coughed and Ryan snapped out of his reverie. "Say, do you think you'd like a malt if you can finish off your tamales?"Ryan grinned. "Oh yes, very much! And I will be able to eat all of it!""We'll see. Such a lot of food for a small boy like you," he said with a wink at Beth."I am not so very small!" Ryan said indignant once more. Allen laughed at him while Beth surreptitiously put the children's menu into her purse.Their food arrived and everyone dug into their plates, murmuring their approval at the cooking. "Sometimes, simple food served skillfully is just the best," Allen remarked.Ryan ate happily, enjoying his food. He looked around the restaurant occasionally, peering at the decorations, watching the waitresses as they walked past with plates food, marveling that they did not drop any of it. He noticed a man sitting a few tables over was looking directly at him. He quickly looked down at his plate and continued to eat, occasionally stealing glances up. The man met his eyes and smiled at him and Ryan started, ducking his head, quickly going back to eating. He slowed down, eventually just looking down at his plate, wishing the man would look someplace else or just leave.Allen looked at Ryan with a frown. "Why aren't you eating?""Just tired," Ryan mumbled.Allen started to say something when Beth patting his arm, shaking her head. "I'll figure it out, just eat," she said quietly. Allen shrugged and went back to his burrito. Beth looked around the restaurant at the other patrons, knowing that Ryan could be very sensitive to people, but didn't see anyone she thought might upset her son."Ryan, please eat your food," Beth said gently. Ryan nodded and ate a few bites, then glanced up at the man and swallowed hard and went back to staring at his plate. Beth looked over and the man smiled at her, then went back to his paper."That man was watching you wasn't he?" Beth asked quietly.Ryan shrugged nervously. "I guess so."Allen looked over for a moment. "He was watching. How long has he been looking at you?" Ryan shrugged, looking uncomfortable. "I know not, father.""Great. Let's get out of here," Beth said worriedly. "No. Finish your
food and we will get the malt to go. No need to draw attention to ourselves. Ryan, eat."Ryan nodded and tried to eat, but every bite went down like lead, upsetting his already roiling stomach. Beth looked over at the man nervously a few times and her nervousness communicated itself to Ryan, who started to fret. Beth reached out and put her hand over his. "It's alright Ryan; don't get all worried."Ryan gave a half smile and nodded, then froze, eyes wide. Ryan had always done that: froze if he were startled or frightened by something, utterly stop moving. Sometimes if he were close enough to one of them, he would hide behind them or even leap up into their arms if he were in dragon form. They guessed it was some sort of survival instinct, relying on an adult dragon to protect him from danger.Beth looked over and saw the man walking towards them. "Great!" she muttered."Just keep clam," Allen said tersely.The man stopped at their table and Ryan's eyes flicked up to him and then back to his mother, a small tremor running through him. "I was just admiring your son. Such a solid looking lad," the man said with a slight french accent."Thank you," Allen said flatly but the man either did not hear or ignored the warning in his voice."What is your name son?"Ryan looked at his mother again and then shook off the freeze. "R-ryan sir.""A good, strong name," the man approved. He considered Ryan for a moment and then leaned down and placed a hand on his arm. Ryan looked at his hand with dismay but did not draw away from him."Always be what you are Ryan," the man said warmly. "You were given wings for a reason. Use them to soar!" He stood up and beamed at Ryan's parents. "A
delightful child. You are so very lucky to have him."He gave Ryan's arm a pat and whistled as he went to the register. He paid his tab in cash and walked out the door of the restaurant. Ryan watched him go, heart pounding in his chest. Wings? Did he know? Could he have known?Ryan leaned against the door in the back seat of the car, brooding over what had happened, as he looked up at the stars. He had always enjoyed looking at the stars and thought that maybe someday he would like to be an astronomer.But for now his thoughts were consumed with the strange man back at the restaurant. The man had said that he had wings and that he should soar. Did he know that he was a dragon? It suddenly occurred to him that the man had said "so very much" just as he would have. They discovered long ago that Ryan spoke in certain phrases or idioms, using the phrases "so very much" or "I know not" rather than simply saying that he liked something or didn't know. Ryan saying "so very much" didn't even indicate how much he actually liked whatever it was, it was just a formulaic phrase of sorts. There were several others that crept up in his vocabulary as well as his refusal to use contractions. He told his parents that he could use contractions but that for some reason it was very difficult to do so.Ryan sat up straight at the realization. The man was a dragon; he had to be. If that was so it was the first dragon that he had ever come across other than himself. His heart pounded at the thought. He often wondered why there were no other dragons and why he was with a human family rather than a dragon one. Not that he didn't love his parents but it was still odd to him that he was a dragon and they were not.His parents would tell him little or nothing about how they got him other than he had obviously been adopted and that they loved him and wanted him from day one. He didn't know his biological parents names or if his adoptive parents had received him from them. Perhaps they had just stumbled across his egg one day and he just hatched for them, if he had even hatched like all the dragons in the books had, he could have been born live for all he knew. If he did hatch from an egg there was no telling
how long he had been in the egg before he hatched. For all he knew his egg could have been laid centuries ago.His parents would listen to him speculate and occasionally comment but mostly they told him not to worry about it right now. He hoped that meant that when he was older he would learn more. Perhaps that time was now, he wondered. Perhaps he was old enough to learn more now. Perhaps this time they would tell him more about being a dragon.He steeled himself and then said, "Mother?"She looked at him wordlessly for a moment. "You were very brave back there, Ryan.""Thank you mother," he said, giving her a half smile. "But I was wondering at what that man said. He said that I had wings and that I should soar. Do you know what I think? I think the knew that I am a dragon and--" "He did not know you were a dragon!" Allen said abruptly. "And he didn't say that you had wings but to soar as if you had wings. People tell each other crap that like all the time. It doesn't mean anything.""No father! He said I had wings! He must have known what I am!""He did not know you were a dragon! No one knows you're a dragon! If you don't shut up about it I'll turn this car around and you can forget about camping!" Allen yelled."Father--" "Enough Ryan!"He looked over at his mother, tears streaming down his cheeks, and she shook her head at him. He sniffled and leaned back to look out the window at the stars again.He had always enjoyed looking at the stars.