Chapter 2 - I'm not afraid of the dark - it's what in it that scares me

It was dark and my head hurt. Damn! I must have been knocked unconscious. Yeah, that explains the weird dream. I must be in the closet. Yeah, that's it. It's sure dark in here. I mean total absence of light. Oh, fuck! Maybe I'm blind! Shit! I didn't think those old wives tales were true! I mean I only jack off once or twice a day! Okay! Okay! Maybe 3 or 4 times a day but not every day! I thought that was normal! My head really hurts. I wonder what hit me.

There is something lying on my chest. Did the whole shelf fall on me? I try to sit up. I can't. What ever it is it's pinning me down. I let out a moan cuz my head fucking hurts.

"Where am I? What happened?" I mutter to myslef.

"Oh! You're awake," said a voice and the weight across my chest shifted a bit.

"Aaaaaaay!" I screamed. If whatever was pinning me down wasn't there I sure I would have jumped a mile.

"Oh, sorry I didn't mean to scare you," said a voice I'd heard before.

It was the voice of the dragon and he had a leg pinning me down. Nope now two legs pinning me down. Shit just as I was going to kick it. I could barley move.

"Let me go you big -- big -- whatever you are!" I shouted.

"Okay, I will just don't go running off in the dark because if you're like Zeek you run straight into the wall. And I'm a dragon and I am not big. I'm sort of small for my age...and different..."

He removed his legs from my body. I wanted to run, but it was absolutely dark. I waved my hand in front of my face. I couldn't see a thing.

He chuckled.

"What!?" I said getting a little pissed.

"You are like Zeek. You can't see in the dark."

"Who is Zeek?" I asked after realizing it would be stupid to run.

"He's an elfin like you except your ears aren't pointy like his. He's my best friend...well actually my only friend. You have no idea what it's like not to have any friends. You pretend it doesn't matter but it does."

"Well, I do know what it's like to not have any friends, but in my case I don't need or want them. I'm better off without friends and they are way better off not having me as a friend."

"I don't belieeeeeve you," he said teasingly.

"Fuck you! You don't know me! Just leave me alone. Okay! I don't need a stupid dragon as a friend or elfin or a human or anything! Just go away and don't mess with me or you'll regret it!" I shouted. I had my reputation. I had to get my attitude back even if this is only a fucking bad dream.

"I still don't believe you, but I will leave you alone until you say "Arvin, I need you. I'll be your friend," said the dragon as he moved away from me. I heard him walking away.

"That suits me just fine! GO AWAY!"

It was quite.

It was dark.

I was alone. This is such a fucking nightmare -- or is it? I've never had a dream where I felt physical pain. It's got to be a dream. You can't just be teleported or whatever into a different place. Dragons don't exist. Elves don't exist. This cave doesn't exist. This is just a dream!

Time has passed and I am sitting here in the dark. I feel awake. I wonder where the dragon went. Is it a he dragon or a she dragon? Okay. I am officially insane! Dragons do not exist!

I wonder where my mp4 player is. Oh, in my pocket, but where are my earphones? Damn! Fuck! SHIT! They're gone! Five thousand songs and no earphones! "FUCK!" I shouted and then heard, "Fuck! ...fuck!...fuck!...fuck!..." as my echo faded.

"HELLO."

"Hello...Hello...Hello."

"I'M HERE."

"I'M HERE... I'M HERE... I'M HERE"

"SUCK MY DICK."

"SUCK MY DICK...SUCK MY DICK...SUCK MY DICK"

"DON'T MIND IF I DO!"
"Don't mind if I do... Don't mind if I do ... Don't mind if I do"

I've sat here for it seems like an hour saying stupid things and listening to my echo. I wish I had my watch but I took it off when I took a shower this morning and forgot to put it back on.

I'm not dreaming I've been awake all this time since I woke up with Arvin's leg over me. I was such a shithead to him he'll probably never want me as a friend. I guess he's a he. Don't know. I could be his friend if he wanted but maybe he won't want me as a friend. It really shouldn't make any difference to him if I'm straight, gay or bi cuz he's a dragon and I'm a human.

If I am insane then it doesn't really matter if I have a dragon as a friend.

"Arvin, I know you're here. You never really left did you?"

Silence.

"Okay, you win. Arvin, I need you as a friend. No, it's more than that...I want you as a friend. I swear it."

From behind me came, "I would like to be your friend and you can be my friend too."

"I'm not sure you'd want to be my friend," I muttered. He must have had super-sensitive hearing because he replied to my mutter.

"Now you will have to let me decide that. But out of curiosity why wouldn't I want to have you as a friend?"

"I'm not a very nice person," I said looking in the direction of my feet. It was still dark.

"You may not think you are but I still have to be the judge of that."

"I'm a homosexual," I all but whispered.

"Does that mean you like people of your own sex?"

"Yeah, it means that I am attracted sexually to guys- males."

"I'm a male if you hadn't guessed. I'm Arvin not Arvina. So does that mean you're attracted to me?"

"No. You're a dragon."

"Oh." He sounded disappointed. "You don't like dragons?"

"Well, I've never known a dragon before. Where I come from dragons are mythological -- they don't really exist."

"So, you don't find me attractive," he said sadly after a few moments.

"Arvin, don't be sad. I only saw you for a few moments before I passed out and it was a bit of a shock to see a real dragon. You had a tear rolling down your cheek." I felt like I had to say something encouraging. "I'm sure once I get to know you that I will think you are the most wonderful dragon ever."

"You've got a good heart, Gladimhere," he said, "And you're a pretty elfin boy for an elfin."

"Thank you but I'm not an elfin."

"Oh? What are you?"

"I'm a human."

"You are? Wow! I thought humans were mythological creatures. Well, you are a very pretty human."

I could feel myself smiling.

"Can we go outside the cave?"

"No. Not until daylight breaks. Orcs and goblins don't usually like elfins and you are enough like an elfin that they probably wouldn't like you -- they'd probably kill you. You should try and get some more sleep."

"Arvin, why do you call me Gladimhere?" I asked.

"Because when I first saw you, you were looking over the cliff and said `I'm Gladimhere."

I did say that. I smiled. I was tired of being Josh.

"Arvin? Would you hold me like you were when I woke up?"

I felt him lay down behind me and then used his claw and leg to gently pull me against him.

I felt safe. I fell asleep.