The Dragon

Abandoned in a desert under a hot sun
I hack calloused elbows in sand.

Dragging crippled legs behind
I inch forward.

I am wounded.
The wound is so very deep
it leads all the way back to Heaven.

...but a dragon guards the wound.

It breathes fire fear
into those who dare to look
so no one go deep enough
without turning back,
...back to the desert.

I crawl closer like a slug
as vultures circle over head,

...the dragon guard is near.

Coming from the wound
I feel heat of dragon breath.
Desert sand begins to burn
and melt to glass.

The fear is so immense it hurts
like nothing I've imagined.
Acid fear,
eating it's way out from inside me
like an alien.

But I crawl deeper into the heart
of the wound,
of the dragon's cave.

Through the dragon's fire breath
and sulfur smoke it snorts
I see it's eyes glaring
with the power of Medusa.

But if I look away
then nothing will have changed.

There's a deep dark secret
that the dragon's existence depends on.
If anyone finds it out
the dragon can be slain.

It roars like a thousand lion beasts;
it is protective.

Sleep calls my name like a siren,
but I inch deeper.

Volcanically,
the dragon's breath erupts.
It spits doubt.

What ever on earth could survive this?
Who could possibly conquer this mighty beast?

But guided by some
unknown spirit.
I crawl closer.

The dragon roars like thunder,
so loud it shakes the sky

...but this time it's in pain.

No one has ever come this far
into the dragon's lair.

It beats it's wings and stomps it's feet in rage,
offended.

Directly I gaze into the dragon's eyes,
they pierce like daggers...

But it recoils as I stare back
and the power of the beast
becomes more diminished
with every step I take.

I can walk now.

I'm not afraid...

I can run.

I run to slay the dragon
but it ghosts away in air,
vanishing
like an extinguished flame.

It is nothing.
It always was nothing.

This is the secret the dragon had kept hidden
in the darkness for so long.