Page 80 of The Healing Dragon
“What is she doing here?” the girl asks with disdain.
She looks familiar at first glance but I can't place her. Her bloodshot eyes and tear streaked cheeks pain her so differently from the times I have seen her walking in the halls. I remember her wearing the Royal Force uniform, she is one of Romans soldiers.
“She’s here to help Martha, Liz.” Amy Bee takes the hand of the older woman holding onto Liz. “There is no reason for your mother to be in such pain. She will recover from her surgery, but she needs her heart to rest. The pain poses too much stress.”
The woman nods with tears trailing down her face. “Whatever she needs.”
Amy Bee opens the door of the room and gestures for me to follow her. Pad is right behind me like a guarding shield to all the unfriendly faces. Most of the people in the room shoot me suspicious looks, but that is about it.
We go into an adjacent room from the living space and pause at the doorway. The woman on the bed is paper thin and pale. The moment her eyes focus on me, she trashes from side to side.
“No. Do not touch me, dragon!” she yells.
“Go ahead Janelle,” Amy Bee encourages me.
The smell in the room is strong. There isn't a window to open and let the air circulate. I hold my breath as I take a step closer and realize this is the woman who refused my help earlier. She looks so bad I almost don’t recognize her. Her hair is sweaty, plaster across her thin face.
“Stop, do not touch me.” She looks around for help. “She will burn me. Don’t let the dragon burn me!”
I don’t think she is fully coherent. Her rambling sounds like a fever dream. Her medications must be creating hallucinations. I’m no stranger to this scene. I could count in my hands the number of times my mother was in this same position. Delirious on pain medication, healing from yet another injury caused by her condition.
“Janelle,” Amy Bee says with a forceful tone.
I take the remaining steps to the bed and place my hand on the top of hers. She tries to fight me off her with her other hand, but she is too weak. I tighten my grip. I close my eyes and allow my gift to flow.
My focus falters for a second as her sharp nails pierce my skin. Small moon shapes of blood paint my hand as the healing light flows from me into her. Her strong, tight griploosens as the pain in her fades. I can see the edges of her eyes go from strained to relaxed.
Her hand holding mine drops to her chest and I take a step back. My job here is done. Martha’s daughter rushes to the bed and hugs her. Liz stays by the doorway, watching me in awe. Tears gather in her eyes and they fall one by one.
I don’t expect her to say anything, but she surprises me as she follows me out of Martha’s room.
“That is my grandmother. She was terrified the night of the attack. She lost many friends who couldn’t outrun the fire.” Wiping tears off her face, she continues, “What I’m trying to say is thank you.”
“I hope she feels better,” I say and mean it.
She might fear me, but she has a good reason. I know healing her today won’t make everything better, but I hope it helps.
“Healing huh,” Liz points toward my hands. “Who would’ve thought the dragon had something left?”
“The healing dragon.” Pad saddles up to us. “I like it.”
As I make my way out of the room Jesse steps inside. I first think he is here for me but the surprise in his expression tells me otherwise. He wasn’t expecting to find me here.
“Janelle,” Jesse says with furrowed brows and follows me out. “Amy Bee brought you to help?”
His guess is spot on. There really isn't another reason for my presence.
I nod.
“I am here paying a friend a visit. If you want to wait, I won't take long.” He stops talking and picks up my hand for a close inspection. “You are bleeding.”
The small nail shape indentations only have a little blood on them.
“It’s nothing.” I pull my hands away.
Pad, along with a few others, have stepped into the hall and are watching the exchange I’m having with Jesse. I feel like I am under a microscope.
“You can’t heal yourself,” he says.
