"A Boring Life" by Marisha Forrestine Parker

A Boring Life

The moon shone down, cold and pale against gray stone. A lone castle stood like a beacon in an ocean of trees. Everything was silent and dark. Time seemed to stand still, and a shadow passed a moonlight-filled window. Pink slippers padded across the hall into the shadows and paused. A young teenage girl crouched by a statue, looking around warily. Her ice-blue eyes pierced the darkness as her wavy blonde hair hung around her shoulders. Trying to quiet her breathing, she darted off again. As she reached the two main doors, she took one last look behind her.
"I am so sick of this castle!" the princess Sheila whispered to herself. "Thank goodness I'm finally out of this boring life!" Softly she pusehd the doors open, stepped out, and shut them. They came together with a satisfying *thud* that sent her on her way. Once safely into the trees, she twirled a little and started humming a carefree tune. The dark trees were outlined against the star-dotted midnight sky. As Sheila looked up, she sighed contentedly.
"The world isn't nearly so scary as it's made out to be. If I hadn't le-" Her words were cut short when the ground suddenly wasn't there anymore.
"Huh? Wha-? Lemme go!" The world spun around and Shiela was suddenly upside down, hanging by her feet. An evil chuckle accompanied her cries.
"I have no intention of doing that. I really like princesses, however, and you're just perfect." The rumbling voice came from the mouth of a huge, red, scaly shape. Sheila gasped.
"A dragon! Help!! Help me!! Ahhhhhh!" There was a whoosh of air, then the dragon and the princess were airborne.

They flew for what seemed like days, but was probably only hours. Sheila screamed the whole time. Finally the dragon snarled,
"Stop screaming like that or I'll just eat you sooner!"
Sheila screamed even louder,
"I'll give you indigestion! I've got a disease that causes dragons to shrivel up and die! Your stomach will get infected! I've got a prince coming to rescue me!" Suddenly they landed in a cave and Sheila plopped on the floor. She shook her head to clear it and glared up at the dragon. "If you eat me you'll be sorry! Seriously! I mean it! Hey...hey! Ahhh!" The dragon had plucked Sheila up and was dangling her above the ground. He gazed at her contemplatively.
"I wonder if it's even worth it to eat this little morsel."
"No! No no! It's not worth it! You can just send me back home!"
"Really? That's funny, I could have sworn I heard you say that you hated your home right before I captured you."
"I...I...I...I did? That's strange, I don't remember. I must not have said it. Can I go home?" Sheila was nearly in tears by this time. She sniffled. "Please?" The dragon rolled his eyes.
"Oh don't start crying and sobbing, it's soooo annoying."
Sheila started wailing. The dragon dropped her and clamped his claws over his ears.
"CUT IT OUT!!!" he roared. That shut her up. THe dragon started pacing back and forth, peering at Sheila. She cowered miserably. "Oh I'm just oging to eat you now." As the dragon lunged toward her, there was a suddenl clang of steel against scales. Both dragon and princess looked toward the entrance of the cave. A figure was silhouetted there. It spoke, and the voice was rugged and deep.
"I am the prince Derick, come to rescue the princess." Sheila looked blank.
"Do I even know you?"
"No, but that's the point. This is how we're supposed to meet."
"Oh." Sheila clasped her hands together. "A prince has come to rescue me! Yay!" A short battle ensued, which consisted of: the dragon lunging at Derick, Derick dodging and smacking the dragon on the head with his shield and knocking it unconscious. Derick bowed to Sheila.
"Wilt thou come with me, my lady?"
"Oh of course!" As Sheila went away hand in hand with Derick, she thought to herself, "Maybe a boring life isn't so bad after all..."

Fin