The Boy in Abidjan

"For all of the readers"

-M.N

The Boy in Abidjan

Chapter 1: Kwaku

Kwaku means "born on a Wednesday". I know, right? Really interesting name and everybody in the village that I live in thinks that too. 

But it's a common name. I think so. Yesterday I was searching common Ghanaian names on the internet. I hope it's right. 

Ghana is not a poor country. Think about that most of the world's cocoa comes from Ghana. Lots from Ivory Coast, but much, much more from Ghana. 

Thousands of tons of cocoa beans grown on plantations and farms and then sent on ships for big companies like Nestle and Cadbery and all sorts of big branded names. 

Then lots of timber and mineral goods. Sent on ships to Europeans and Americans. That money goes to the country for medicine, new buildings and more cocoa beans. 

Some of that sadly goes to the big pockets of rich, greedy people in big, high positions. But most goes to us, which is good. 

Chapter 2: Moving

3 years later

We went on the immigration bus to Ivory Coast because there's better education and lifestyle in Ivory Coast and it would be better for us all. 

It was a long farewell to my friends and classmates. I was really, really sad to go to Ivory Coast because I would miss everybody and my only life that I knew. 

It was a long and bumpy and went on for many, many hours before all of the passengers on the bus went to the immigration office in one of the cities.

The immigration officer only spoke French because that's the language that they speak in the country. But they was another officer who spoke our language. 

He said to our family that we were accepted full citizenship to Ivory Coast. Then we got our papers, had to sing the national anthem and then the immigration officers wished us luck.

Chapter 3: Abidjan

We finally found a hotel for the night in the economic harbour city of Ivory Coast. Abidjan is huge. The famous highway that runs through the city is full of cars and garbage from all of the people. 

The buildings are big, but the people are small and abundant in numbers. French is only language that I hear and see in the large city. 

My family was on the top floor of the building because we got a good deal from one of our friends who lives in the city who works here as a maid. My mother thanked her a lot.

We ate some of what we had when we moved here. Mostly bread and some things that Mom bought from one of the markets in downtown Abidjan. 

She said that downtown in the city was crazy. Sometimes it was so busy that everything on the ground, even a baby would be stomped on by the mess of people.

My parents slept easily because of the long day that they had. But my two sisters and me didn't sleep well because of the traffic noise and sirens going off. 

It was a long, long day in a new country with new people, a new language, and a new lifestyle. I don't know if this is going to be a good country for us.  

Chapter 4: School

I went to school for the first time today for the first day in a different country in a new language. I was put in Grade 1 to start. 

All of my classmates were from Ghana because all of the students spoke our language and didn't go to school yet. 

Lots of students in my class. That's means lots of people in Ghana don't always go to school. 

But they are all in the same region as me. Same places do go to school, some don't. Some don't have money to go to go school too. 

Sadly, nobody is from the same village as me. But I made a few friends today. I forget their names, but I will ask tomorrow. 

The school is very, very busy. Lots of students with big books and big things that they can carry things in. It is like a bag that goes on your back. 

French was everywhere when I walked back home to the hotel that we're living in until we find a home. I feel so, so alone in the new country with a new language. 

I still think the new country is not going to be better than the old one. Why not move to another part in Ghana? Can't we?

Finally after a long walk, I made it to the hotel. We ate our dinner and my sisters and me talking about our new school day. 

The good news is that we found an apartment that we can move in. We are all very, very happy. So am I. It's the first good news that I've heard in a long time. 

Chapter 5: The New Apartment

It was the weekend so we all went to the new apartment to see if it is the apartment we want. So were're renting an apartment for a few weeks. 

We got to rent for a cheap price because the people that we were talking to liked us and gave us the cheap price. All of us were very happy. 

I moved all of my things that I had brought from the hotel that we were temporarily living in. So did my sisters as they brought their belongings too. 

My parents had already got their stuff in the new rented apartment that we might one day live in for the rest of our childhood in. 

So I walked with my sisters and carried a few of their things, mostly heavy things like big books and a few bigger toys. But they even let me keep their pocket money safe. I felt some happiness in my heart. 

It was dinnertime when we were all done with hanging things and unpacking clothes and books and special belongings, we ate but didn't talk much though. 

There was a electric box called a television, or TV for short. The sisters and me played and watched a little bit of the new creation. 

Mom read to my sisters but I slept hard because the long, long day of packing and unpacking in a country with new people and new things.  

Chapter 6: More Learning

In class, we learned a new language. Or learning, I should say. It was French, the national language of Ivory Coast, this country. 

I know how to said "because". Parce que. And "I". It's very easy. "Je". Super easy. But I know that it will get harder and harder. 

Our teacher said that French is going to be hard. But we are at a young age so it's going to be easier than learning to older kids who know their language very well. 

We learned some numbers and adding numbers too. 14 plus 6 is the number "20". I learned the numbers in French all the way to 30. 

I walked around the school today at my break, or recess to see all of the new things outside and inside the school that I've never seen before.  

I saw all of the things outside, the long grass, the poles and the strange flowers and bushes in the new school that I am so interested in. 

Sadly, I was not allowed in the building in this break. But I was given a piece of the building plan where all of the rooms are. 

Later in the day, I walked back to the apartment and did all of the homework that I was given to do here. It was very easy to me for some reason. 

Maybe I just like new things and new kinds or questions and orders. That was it. I'm probably just good at this subject called math, when numbers are used to solve questions with ways to figure out the questions. 

I ate dinner with my family. The sisters and me all talked all talked about our day. Mom is trying to work at this one job that earns enough money for us to live and buy food. 

And if Dad gets a good job too, we will be a family that can buy food and clothes and rent this apartment for all of us. 

I played with my sisters and the three of us played with the new box, TV for short. It was lots of fun to do with all of us together. 

Then Mom read a story to both of my sisters and I was put to bed nicely and she wished me a good night. I said the same to her too. 

Chapter 7: Robbery

It was in the middle of the night. We all heard a knocking at our door. But the knocking was really somebody slamming their body to break the door. 

When the door was down, the robber told us all to drink this strange smelling liquid. The person had a weapon. My sisters and I were scared the most.  

All of us drank it the strange drink up. At first it tasted awful. It could not be described at all. Soon I was sleeping and talking funny.

When it was morning, most of our valuable things were taken by the robber. My sisters and I were not so upset because the robber didn't take our used toys that we played with for years. 

Mom and Dad were sad when all of our money was taken. They said that we would have to live on the streets. It was very sad for all of us. 

Mom's job would help us but Dad would need a good job for us all to live in this new country. All help is going to be needed. 

Chapter 8: Another Day

It was Monday and both my sisters and I went to school like always in the week. I was walking since there is no bus going to my school. 

So I was walking in the hot early day sun walking to school with my two sisters. It is a long way to the school with heavy traffic and places with lots of people walking by. 

We both see lots of stores and people with stands selling things for tourists who comes and the people who don't think and have money to burn. 

Money is a big concern in Abidjan. I see with my sisters everyday lots and lots of peoples playing drums and different instruments with boxes with coins. 

Not because they want to but because they need money to buy food to feed themselves and money for clean water and a place to live. But the money that they earn is barely enough for them to live. 

All three of us got to the school on time. My sisters went to a different class with different things and I went to my class with my things. 

I was greeting with the sounds of talking and bodies all moving around the class. Soon the bell rang and the class was silent. 

The teacher taught us more French words and numbers in class. We were writing the numbers in our books that we had with us and used it for mathematics. 

The school day passed and I was again walking home with my two sisters in the heavy Abidjan traffic, the sounds disappearing as we walked. 

Dinner came and we all talked of our today. Mom was all good with her new job in the city. Dad went to an interview with a company. We all hope that he gets the job. 

I talked about my day and so did the sisters. Then Mom read to me and my sisters and we all went to sleep for another long day.

Chapter 9: Moving

We found some new things today. When Mom was cleaning the apartment she found a big hole in one room that we didn't even notice in the small home. 

It was full of strange noises and smells. And in the hole, some green liquid was coming out of the hole and into the carpet in the room. 

And we complained to the owners of the apartment building because the liquid would not come off. But the owners did nothing but tell us that we could buy this special powder. 

When we got to the store where they sell it the powder, it was $400 a bottle. And after that trip to the store, we told the owners that we are moving. 

So we got all of the belongings out of the apartment and went to a hotel for the night so Mom and Dad could think of a place for us to live. 

The next morning, we went to a different apartment that Mom and Dad were looking at on something called the internet. I think that it's a website on the computer. 

Mom and Dad checked in with the apartment managers paid the last of the money that they had for a rented apartment to live in for a few months. 

I walked with my sisters in the city traffic with all of our things from the old apartment from our village from our old country to the new apartment in the new country in the new city. 

Later we ate dinner silently and watched a little bit of the TV in the apartment. Then Mom read to my sisters and I and then we went to bed. 

Chapter 10: The Dark Corners of Abidjan

I was walking to the store with the shopping list that I was given by Mom as I was told to go to the shopping store near our apartment. 

Both Mom and Dad were busy working to earn money so I was the only one old enough to go and buy the food at the store. 

She gave me some of the money that she earned from work. Then she told me not to spend the money on other things that we didn't need at other stores. Also Mom said not to talk to other people or give the money to anyone. 

Then I was on my way to the store in the busy city full of people and strange noises  and was well on my way to downtown Abidjan in the big shopping store where food is brought at tills and money is exchanged from person to person.

And it was busy; people were all over the big store talking and looking at prices of the foods on the shelves in the store. 

I didn't know what was a good deal and a bad deal for the prices for the food so I picked the things from the shopping list as told and went in one of the lineups in the store. 

When it was my turn, the person at the till to start scanning the food bar codes on the boxes and cans of food. I don't know why they do that. Maybe the bar codes are secret money codes to get money. 

Then I walked out of the rushing store and went back home to get the food for dinner and other meal times at home with my two sisters and Mom and Dad. 

Suddenly one person gave me some money if I walked in this alley with him. I accepted the deal. I was thinking of the happy faces at home when I gave them the money. 

It was a man with dark clothes and greasy hair and smelled like he never had a bath before. He also wore a strange necklace too. 

When I realized that it was a trick, I was shoved in a truck and was given some stuff to make me fall asleep in the moving vehicle. 

Chapter 11: More Badness

I was dumped on the floor in a room by one of the people that tricked me like a sack of potatoes. Not a good feeling inside. 

Then I was rounded up with the children that were tricked the same way as me. It was not great with all of us together like cattle on a farm. 

These kids were very skinny, tired, smelt and were greeted with the welcoming visit of these bad people as bad fortune rained on them like cold words. 

The tricksters were probably going to sell all of us to people that did bad things with bad manners and had bad ways of doing things. 

Suddenly we were all loading in vans one by one single file and sitting quietly in the vans, the children with scared faces. 

It was long drive to where we were going. And I wanted it to be long because maybe it could help all us escape from these bad people. 

Then we arrived. I saw lots of lots of people working and digging in the ground and picking things. I first thought a gold mine. A cocoa plantation was the second guess. It was a farm for vegetables.

Chapter 12: On the Farm

It was huge and big and it was almost empty. The soil looked very dry..The grass was not green and growing. Also there were no trees and no animal sounds And there were no big farming machines to use.

The two farmers that were running the farm did not have manners and had no loving looks or sounds for us. No greeting. No smiling and merry on the land. And lots of angry words.  

Lots of poor innocent children all in one big cluster ready to be sold to farmers with bad soil, no green environment and no manners. Not where I want to be now. 

But I am. And so are many, many others. The farmers told us to water and dump compost on the bad soil so the soil would freshen.

Then we dug up all of the weeds and rocks that were in the soil without removing or ruining any of the compost that is going to be the good soil.  

Next we had to get the seeds that were in big sacks and plant them on the fields that we were now at this time fresh and had better soil than before. 

Then we watered and watered all of the fields and looked all around the fields to see if it was all right and then we went to the farmers.  

They were talking with the people that had tricked us into going on this farm. The farmers and the other people looked up at me. 

The farmers gave the people money. It was probably enough because after that, they left in their van and drove away from the farm. 

They said to all of us that it was good enough and that we were given dinner and a place to sleep. It was the first good news of the day. 

But dinner was this colourless mush that the farmers cooked and that tasted horrible. And sleep was a cot that looked like it was going to break any second. 

But they didn't break. Probably because we were light enough from all of that farming that we were forced to do. And it was good that the cots didn't break. What a day! 

Chapter 13: More Work

If you thought that just doing all of the field work was all, not correct. And even by a little bit. Still lots to do on the farm. 

Like tending to the farm animals. That was the first job that we had to do today starting at the crack of dawn in the wee little hours in the morning. 

We had to feed the horses some of this food that didn't look good to eat, even for the horses. Then we shooed the horses to the open place.  

They were much, much happier since they were whinnying more happily than when they were in that cramped coop for horses. 

Next we cleaned out all of the hay in the stables because it was very dirty and the farmers told us that's where the horses poo. 

We brought in some clean hay that the farmers gave to us to use for the horses. They told us that use some of it because we were going to need it for the other farm animals. 

By the time lunch was all cooked, we were all done cleaning and replacing the new hay into the horse stables that were very clean for the horses. 

Then we ate lunch which was the same colourless mush. But the farmers gave us each a little bread and some rosemary to use with the mush so it tastes better. 

I guess that it was all of the hard work that we were doing to freshen the farm up. It was a little bit of a bonus for us from them to all of us. 

After lunch, it was back to work again cleaning up all of the faults of the farm that we were going to take care of with lots of hard work. 

We were cleaning the cow space next. We cleaned all of the mess that the cows were made and we shooed them out of the small space and into the open space so we could clean away. 

Next we were replacing all of the dirty hay with good hay from the farmers and got both the horses and the cows inside their homes. 

It was dinnertime after all of the cleaning all of the farm animals including the goats, the chicken coops and the sheep pens. 

The same mush but with something good too. And then we went to sleep for the old cots and began to sleep as another hard day was ahead of us. 

Chapter 14: Escape

One month later

In the middle of the night, I had an idea; to escape this farm and to go back home in Abidjan where my family lives in the rented apartment near downtown Abidjan. 

But I would not go back to Ghana. My life is now in Ivory Coast, the new country with a new language and new sounds. 

I talked to all of the children around me in the room that we were all sleeping in. I told them about escaping this farm where the food is bad and when we could go back home. 

But the farmers were meaner to us by the day. The food that we ate was worse, the sleeping space and the cots were the same though.

But I wanted to escape because many, many reasons. It just wasn't home to me and to the other tricked children, too.   

Sometimes I heard some of them talking about that the farmers are mean and that they are like evil in a bottle because all of the hard work for bad food and bad sleeping space. 

So I told them about my plan; we were going to the kitchen to get some food and a bottle with clean, cold water inside the bottle. 

Then we were going to get a wagon from the shed with all of the food on it and we would write a note that we would leave in our sleeping space and left it for the farmers to see the next morning. 

And we did all of that; like quiet little mice in the night. And we went running in the night with a flashlight that one of us got from the farmers. 

Two days later

Chapter 15: Back Home

It was a little more than one month that I was kidnapped by the people that had tricked my greed and moved me far, far away. 

When I rang the buzzer in the apartment, Mom opened the door and was so happy to see me back home after I was missing for a long time. 

Dad was really angry that I was gone for such a long time. He told me at the table that we were putting up signs and flyers in the newspaper. 

My sisters were very, very excited that I was here at last. They said that they were very sad while I was away. That means I am very respected at home. 

It was a Saturday, so there was no school today. I played with my sisters and did some chores and talked to my parents who were still angry. 

I told Mom and Dad about what happened when I bought the food at the store and when I was tricked by bad people. I also mentioned the farm and all of the children. 

I tried to apologize, but they said that there was no need. Mom and Dad said that I had made a mistake and that I learned my lesson about it. 

They also said that it was their fault too because they shouldn't have sent me to the market because I was too young and it was a new city. 

After we were speaking about the accident, we ate our lunch and Mom and Dad and my sisters told me about the new jobs that they got and the good pay that they were getting. 

Afi and Afua, my sisters talked about school and the things that they were learning. Mom and Dad also said that they were getting better at writing and drawing. 

After lunch, I played with Afi and Afua and they drew some drawing of me and showed them to me and I would rate them at the art. 

The two sisters were not bad artists for their age. They were better than most kids that draw at their age. Maybe if they wanted to be for their career, Afi and Afua could be artists. 

We watched a little bit of the "screenbox". It was our name for the television because of the screen with the moving people and the box shape that interested them at their age. 

We ate dinner and watched a bit of the screenbox before bedtime. Mom read us all a story and then we went to sleep.

Chapter  16: The Missing Student

Sunday has passed and school was going to be in a couple of hours when my teacher would hound me with homework because of my long absence. She will also ask why. 

I am on my mat that I sleep on, away from the dust, trying to sleep. But I can't because of my rock hard thoughts crashing in my brain. 

I am worried that if I go to school, everyone in my class will be so far ahead of me and I will be behind and that everybody there will laugh at me. 

That is why I don't want to go to school today. Not for any other reason why not to go to school and that I'm terrified about. 

When it was 7:45 AM, I got up from the sleep that was able to use for the day at school that was ready to prepare there. I was going to do my very, very best. 

I woke up Afi and Afua and helped them get dressed and get ready for school. We ate breakfast that I made for the sisters and I and helped them get their things for school. 

Then at 8:15 AM, we walked to school, Afi and Afua holding my hands at both sides and we walked in the busy early morning Abidjan traffic. 

Then when we arrived at the school, we waved at me and said their goodbyes and I went to my class, they went to theirs. 

I was on time for the day of school as the bell rang. But before class had started, the teacher went to me. She was going to ask me questions. 

I ran out of the classroom and into the hallway but I was stopped by one of the other teachers walking to their classrooms. 

Then my teacher wanted her questions. But she was kind about it. But also she asked some very stupid questions that were despicable. 

Then she let me go and I was in class learning things that would be useful in my future job so that I can earn money to buy food for my family. 

When school was over, Afi and Afua walked with me through the traffic and all of the people. And we made it to the apartment building in a good time. 

I did my homework and then played with my sisters and did drawing and lots of fun things with them before dinner started. 

We ate and talked and we all talked about our day. Mom and Dad were liking their jobs because the people were nice there and their jobs were going well too. Sometime that hasn't happened in a long time. 

After dinner, I played with my sisters and later I spent a little bit of time to myself doing some fun things that only was with me. 

Then Afi and Afui watched some of the screenbox with me. It was very interesting that people could move and talk and we could hear all of the words. Like a telephone.    

Later we got ready for bed. Mom read us all a bedtime story and we were tucked into beds and Afi, Afui and I said goodnight to our mom.  

 Chapter 17: A Match of Football

I invited my friends to my apartment. We all live on the floor in the same apartment building, so it's easy to find where we can meet. 

Their names are Emmanuel and Eric. They are in the same class and are the same age as me. They are really nice and lots of fun. 

Emmanuel and Eric like the sport football, with the ball and you score on the net with a goalkeeper guarding. Americans call it "soccer". 

I played a little when I was living in Ghana, so I know the sport and what to do. They play on a football league and they said that it's a lot of fun. 

They like to play outside and play. But our apartment doesn't have an open space to run outside and play football with. 

Plus they are too many cars and trucks and people walking by, so it wouldn't be very safe anyway even with some space to play with. 

So when it was the day to go play with my friends, I asked Mom if she would with us to the park near our apartment building and my friends and I would play. 

It was a Saturday, so Mom didn't work at her office. It was sunny and it was beautiful outside. Mom wouldn't refuse to go with us to the park. 

She agreed and my friends brought their footballs and we played football with wooden posts from thick sticks and played. 

It was Eric and Emmanuel versus me. It was fair because I practiced a lot and had a few moves, which was good according to Eric and Emmanuel. 

We played for a long time. I won 3-1 in the match and we were all happy from the exciting game. There were a lot of fun moments in the game. 

Then they left with their parents in their cars and Mom and I walked back to the apartment and ate dinner with all of the other members of the family. 

I played with Afi and Afua as we played a board game that was really fun and we laughed a lot and had a lot of fun. 

We played some of the screenbox and later Mom read us a story and we went to sleep, another fun day ahead of us. 

Chapter 18: Moving

At dinnertime, after school was finished and the homework was ready, Mom and Dad told all of us some very exciting news. 

They said that we can afford to buy one of the houses in the area. It's a good buy and it's going to be much better than what we are living in now. 

In a couple of months, we are going to be moving to a small apartment/house, outside the busy downtown area in the city. 

The house is a little bit farther away from the school, that's the only problem. But it's only a few minutes of a difference, so it's not a big loss. 

But the house is bigger, looks nicer than our rental apartment that we are living in. And Afui and Afi and I get an room to ourselves. 

And what is really good about the house is that there is space outside to play football. The house even comes with a net too. I am really excited to see what the outside space looks like. 

We are all really excited to go and living in this house that is said to be very good. I am hoping that the time between now and living in the house is short. 

When Mom finished reading the story and when we fell asleep, I dreamed about the house and the good things in it. I hope it's as good as it is in my dream. 

Chapter 19: Joining the Game

The next morning, I woke up when it was 7:45 AM and got ready for school while also helping my two sisters get ready for school too. 

When we were all done, Afi, Afua and I went through the early busy traffic to the school, Afi and Afua holding both hands as not to get run over by a car. 

I didn't take them to the school, but to the football stadium where you can join and play with a team against other teams in Abidjan and other cities too that play in the same league. 

I told Mom and Dad about all about that today I was going to try to join and play in the football league. And they gave me permission to go. 

So I went inside the stadium and looked for a couch there. And soon I found a couch and asked if I could play football here and play in a league. 

The couch said that I could come with my parents in the afternoon and we could watch one of the team's practicing for an upcoming game.

He would talk to my parents about the cost and when the practices were and all of the games that would take place in the league. 

So I left the stadium and walked the girls to school where they were to were to be going to in the first place, not to a football stadium. 

When class started and the teacher gave us the things that we were going to do, football seemed so far away from where I was. 

When school ended for the day, I rushed with Afi and Afua through the traffic to the apartment building to our apartment room when I told Mom and Dad what to do. 

Dad and I went to the football stadium and Dad talked to the same couch that I was talking to this morning about what would happen. 

It took a while, but the cost was not bad and when and where were all good since I am not in any other sports. 

But football is my sport!  

Chapter 20: First Match 

On Saturday, five days since I joined (because the day was nearly ending), I was in my first match of my football career and also of the season too. 

Good timing. I wasn't nervous for the match, but a little bit of unhappiness settled in the stomach. I didn't know if I was any good. 

I was pretty good when I was playing with my team at practice. One boy said that I was really good. I was interested by that sentence. 

No one had said that I was good at football other than my mom and dad, my two sisters and my friends. And that boy too. 

But I couldn't think about that now. Soon I was on the field, the coin dropped and the game had began at last now. 

The other team had the ball from the right guess from the coin flip, so we were to get the ball from the other team, but to also defend well too.  

I was a midfielder, one of the forward that has the ball a fair amount. So I was happy about my position that I was playing in. 

But the positions were testing the level of how good we can play in the position. All of the other players and I were going to try to keep our position on the field. 

I had the ball for a little bit and passed for most of the time. But this time when some of the players were not looking. 

I ran with my speed with the ball and took a shot not far from the goalkeeper and I scored. And the stadium cheered loudly. 

I was cheered by all of the players on my team. I was very, very happy of the goal that I just scored, the first goal of the season and my career. 

Later on the match was on, passes and great were made, but no more goals were scored though. And the final score was 1-0. 

Chapter 21: A Big Gap

After the weekend was over, it was time to go back to school. The gap between football and school was very, very big in fact. 

I am very good at school. I am one of the best students in the class according to my teacher. That is very good and all that I am a good student at school. 

But I also like football too. It's a very fun sport to play but also to practice too. And playing in the big football stadiums are really cool too. 

But school is more better, yes, and the distance between school and the football stadium seems so, so far even though in reality it is only across the street. 

But I like school too. I like the work and all of the fun things that we do at school and all of the students in the class too. 

My teacher is very nice and polite but also teaches me and her class a lot of cool things. It's a good balance, especially for younger kids like us. 

I am continuing to do well at school as a good student and a good learner too. And I am practicing and getting better on the football field too. 

Chapter 22: New Home

Three months later

Of all of the bad things that we were facing as we moved to a new country with a new language and a new life, moving to a house was the most best part. 

Never I have seen a house so big and so different than our homes that we can move than this. Just looking at the house was nice. 

It was very new to all of us. And it was just as Mom and Dad had said when the topic was just brought up by my parents. 

It was a newer house that was made from wood and there was two bathrooms, four bedrooms

and also a downstairs too that was colder than the rest of the house. 

When Mom and Dad said that we were going to live in a apartment\house, they said that so we wouldn't be too, too excited about the home. 

I got the first pick for the bedrooms, which was the biggest one with a big closet and lots of room to play in and read my books and do homework. 

Afi got the second biggest room with lots of room too and Afua got the smallest room, but it was the nicest room of all of the bedrooms. 

Mom and Dad shared one of the biggest rooms which also got a bathroom. That was a really cool thing that that room that didn't think of. 

Then we moved all of our things to our rooms and placed them the way we wanted. That took a while, but it was worth it. 

We were renting it though, so the rooms and living in the house were not permanent. That was too bad that we were just renting. I liked it already. 

But Mom and Dad said that they think that the house is going to be probably be our future home, so there is some hope that we might live here in the end. 

But I forgot about the football space. So before dinner, I looked at the backyard that some of it could be a football field for playing. 

There was a big net for playing on and the backyard even came with a football. It was the nicest football that I have seen. 

Then we ate dinner and talked about the house and the good things about it. It was a very happy time in the new house. 

My sisters and I watched some of the screenbox before bed and then Mom read us a story and tucked us all to bed. 

Chapter 23: More Football

On Monday, Dad drove me to football practice after school after I was waiting and waiting for school to end for the day. And it did. Eventually. 

Football practice is from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM. An hour and a half of just me, the team, the couch, the football and the football field. 

Sigh. If life was that simple. But then there is the football field for a reason; to play on, to have fun and to shoot and to score. 

We were told that we needed to have better defence in our games. Even if we were winning or losing, the defence can change the tide of the game quickly. 

So the couch was working on the defence a lot in the practice, so the midfielders and the forwards were not so much working with the couch. 

But the couch was also working with the forward positions too just like he is to do his job. Work with not one kind of strategy, but another as well.  

When the practice was over, Mom picked me from the stadium and we drove away home to eat dinner with the rest of the family. 

We ate dinner, talked a bit about our day. I worked on some homework, later played with my sisters and watched some screenbox. 

Then Mom read us a story and then she tucked Afi and Afua and I to bed and we went fast asleep, for another long day was already ahead of us, ready to be opened.  

Chapter 24: The Holidays

Finally the holidays are here! It is always so exciting when the holidays are here, even you are not very rich. Even Christmas. 

At Christmastime, we make all of our gifts to one another. We use all of the resources that we have at the moment and we try to make a good gift for all. 

I am making a music-box for Mom and a chair made from wood for Dad. And some little wooden dolls and a small vehicle with space for the dolls for the girls. 

There is no more school until January so I have all day to make the wooden dolls and car for Afi and Afua, Dad's chair and Mom's music-box. 

The music-box is going to be hard to make because the things I need are hard to find and the build is very, very hard too. But it will be worth it. 

I need some wood from one of the neighbours across the street, an old man who owns a mill that cuts and peels and dices wood for houses and building materials. 

He ships to some other countries too by sea. The neighbour is very, very nice. 

Chapter 25: At the Mill

All of the trees that are cut in this city are going into mills. And one of the biggest mill operations is what one of our neighbours own. 

I bought all of my money when going to the mill on the car ride there because I didn't want to go empty handed when we left the mill. 

Dad drove me to the mill when we went there. It was his day off work because it was the weekend and Dad doesn't work then. 

Dad works at the mill for his job so I was going to be easier to find, buy and drive home with the wood than I thought. 

When we arrived, we met his boss there, not the old man but another man who is in charge of that mill. We were real nice to his boss. 

When I asked for some wood with the money I brought, the boss man said that it wasn't enough for the wood that I wanted. 

But Dad worked there and he said that the prices were much, much lower than his prices. But that didn't change the boss's feelings. 

Just when they were going to argue about the wood prices, the old man came from his car and said to the boss that we can have the wood that we wanted for free. 

But the boss of the mill was outraged. He was trying to speak but he couldn't because the old man's change of words. 

The old man said that it was Christmastime and this was to be Dad's holiday gift because he is one of the hardest working people at the mill. 

So the old man gave us the wood that I needed, we thanked him and we drove away home.   

   

   

  

  

  

  

   

  

     

Fire and Wings: Two Great Powers

"To all"

-M.N

Fire and Wings: Two Great Powers

Chapter 1: Forest's Battle

The next day, we went to battle with Fireless. His battle were stationed on the battlefield, arrows and swords at the ready for us to attack. 

We got our bows filled with arrows, then we silently fired. They hit lots of Fireless's troops. Then we attacked. And the battlefield was full of blood. 

Our troops were winning the battle because of the silent arrow attack. But the battle wasn't over. Fireless's troops were still holding ground. But we were stronger because of the arrows. 

Soon we won the battle and got all of the resources from Fireless's troops that we killed. It was sad, but it was to make Fireless's give up the war. And for our people's freedom. 

Chapter 2: New Plan

"We need a new plan" said Forest. "The plan was good, but we need to think of something as good as the first one". 

"How about we build an land vehicle?" I suggested. 

"Fireless hasn't made a land vehicle yet" said one of the members. 

"That's a good idea, he hasn't made a land vehicle yet" said Forest. "Let's start designing". 

We wanted to make it big, so we designed on paper a vehicle that has a cannon and someone is controlling it on the inside. It was a great idea, but we needed fireproof steel. We would have to steal it from Fireless's forts. 

"But we don't have the steel. We need a small group of dragons to get the steel from the steel mines that Fireless's dragons are extracting from the mines. The steel gets shipped to Fireless's forts" explained Forest. 

"We need to ambush the trucks that deliver the steel" said Forest. "Got it?" said Forest. 

Chapter 3: The Ambush

Forest told us to go to Mineland, a small mining town that Fireless's soldiers attacked. We saw dragons mining for the ore in the steel. I was with two other dragons named Firetongue and Flame. They were nice dragons, but they were as tough as the fireproof steel we were going to get from Fireless's miners. 

We waited and waited for the truck to go our way, and the patience was worth it. There was a huge truck full of rock, but some of it was steel. When we get it, we are going to analyse the rock to see if there is steel. But first we need to attack. 

The truck rode by and we shot a few arrows at the truck's tires. In the middle of the rocky path, the truck stopped to a halt when the air got out of the truck's tires. Then we attacked the driver. 

We didn't kill him, but we knocked him out. Then we pumped air into the tires and covered the holes with glue. Then we drove the truck to our base and they analysed the rock, and sure enough, we got enough steel to make a part of a small vehicle. 

We would need more, but we knew that this was going to be good for us and that the war will be finished with faster.  

Chapter 4: Building the Vehicle

Soon we got all of the steel to make a small vehicle. First we made the chassis, next the doors and the exterior. That took a long time to make because we needed to make it with the fewest materials as . 

possible and we need to see the blueprint and get the supplies, which was heavy. 

Then we made the interior and the back of the vehicle. And soon we made the roof and finishing touches of the vehicle. It took a long time, but it was worth it. 

And we had enough savings of steel to made another vehicle and so we split into three groups: one to make the vehicles, another to ambush and control the steel mines. 

Most of the dragons wanted to control, ambush, which was a big job, but we needed more of the builders than the attackers. And we needed dragons to analyze the ore.  So a few of the dragons and I went to join the analyzing group, and at that point, it was good. 

Chapter 5: Working

The next day, we woke up before dawn and starting working to build the vehicles, taking control of the steel mines and analyzing the rock. 

Analyzing was interesting. First we put the rock in heated water and stirred the rocks to separate the dirt and the metal. Then we turned off the heat and hammered on the steel to make it smooth and workable. After that, we gave it to the builders. 

Forest and the builders were sweating and working hard to build the vehicles for war. They are making about one vehicle every two hours. We were working from 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM. And we had no breaks, so we needed to feed when we had time.

So we all helped build five vehicles a day. Per week we would build 35 vehicles mounted for war. But then we knew that we needed soldiers and doctors and vehicle drivers for the battlefields, so a lot of us went to war. 

At the time, we were building only one vehicle every 5 hours. Every day we built only two vehicles. In one week, we built 14 vehicles. That's 21 less than at the start. 

And I was the only one analyzing the ore. It was a hard life in this war. But soon I was sent to the battlefield as a doctor. And it wasn't better than the hard work at the analyzing station. It was worse. 

Chapter 6: On the Battlefield

This was no better than the analyzing station: I was in a hospital not far from the battlefield where a raging battle was being fought. 

The hospital was a small one floor building that looked like it was built a million years ago. Paint was falling off the walls inside and outside. Arrows were deadlock stuck on the war, making the place looked like a firing squad had shot there. 

But the battlefield was worse; dragon soldiers were injured there, groaning and moaning on the battlefield as if the battlefield was a graveyard and the injured soldiers were ghosts. The grass bled with blood. The sky was dark and gray. And swords were swinging in bloom. 

I was careful of incoming arrows and enemy soldiers, so I took a few of the dying soldiers and got them back to the hospital where they would be healed from their hell. 

Chapter 7: More for Dead on the Battlefield

Today is a bad day for soldiers. The hospital was busier than ever. Soldiers were in rooms and delivered to be healed. It was chaos. But I was getting soldiers from the battlefield, not healing, but even for me, it was a bad day. 

Many of the troops from Fireless's broad range of soldiers were trying to kill me. Of course, this is a normal thing. That's the right thing for Fireless's side. So they don't get healed. But that's war. 

The good news is that I saved most of the soldiers injured on the battlefield. That's good. For our side of the war, but it's also good so they can live life longer and might even survive the war and its tumbles and falls. 

I feel good about my job, getting injured soldiers from the battlefield. I feel like I'm helping another dragon live longer, which I am. And I shall to it, no matter the cost. 

Chapter 8: Life as a Soldier

I am not so happy today. I got sent to war as a soldier, so I had to resign my position as saving the soldiers on the battlefield. Now I'm fighting them. 

And let me to you; it's /not a fun job to do. You eat stale bread, sleep on rotting wooden beds. I have to wake up before the crack of dawn. 

Also I have to go in the mud and get dirty like a pig trying to cool itself. And in the end I am always tired and hungry. 

Chapter 9: The Killing On the Battlefield

Today we got to go and fight on the battlefield. Everyone was happy. All except me. That's right, I was the only one of the rowdy bunch that didn't like the battlefield. And that's good. For me.   

I do not like killing. At least, I don't think so. But hunting for food is different. The animals know that they are soon going to be hunted, but for a good reason. This is killing to change a tide in something. 

And changing the tide can be messy. That's why war was invented. 

In fact, war wasn't even invented; it was just here. Here in the middle of the world. And dragons found it. Well, not physically found it, but we thought that it could reason with arguing. That was it. 

Before the crack of dawn, we marched to the battlefield with our swords and arrows. And we fought. And I didn't like it. Arrows were shot in the air, some hitting the enemy soldiers, some breaking and some stuck to the ground as though it was made of solid rock. 

And when the battle, I was glad. My first day and my last day on the battlefield was over. Now I will not be fighting on the battlefield anymore because I resigned. 

 Chapter 10: Achieve the Dream

The war isn't going so well. That's right, the Fireless army is losing to the allied forces. We need allies. So I called on a big group of dragons who agreed on the deal that we share the winnings of the war when we win. 

If we win, that is. And if we do, we will be very, very happy and the losers will be slaves and some will be killed. But we need a plan. A very plan, a plan that will surprise the army badly. 

So I called a meeting. I hope this will work, because I need good ideas, lots of them to choose from so we can beat them and rule the world. 

Just like I wanted when I was a little dragon. I always wanted to rule the world, or at least be an important ruler of a big piece of land. That's how I was when I was little. 

But as the years went by, the dream of being ruler of something important was more and more of a dream that I could never do. But now I have my chance and I will get it with all of my might.

Chapter 11: The Meeting

Everyone was here. There was I, Fireless, the commander of the Dragon Armed Forces, the leaders of three of the allies I was talking about before. That was all. It was a small meeting.

"So I need ideas. Good ideas so we can win this deadly war. I was thinking about making a type of vehicle. Maybe something to protect us" I elaborated.

"Hmm... It's good, I like your thinking. Maybe a trap" said the commander of the Dragon Armed Forces.

"Allies?" I asked.

"An type of bomb?" they suggested.

"I like the trap idea. Let's elaborate on that idea" I said.

"A land mine" said the allies. "Every time they attack, if the enemy steps on the mine, boom!"

"Good idea!" I said. "I like it. Let's build!" 

Chapter 12: The Tide of the War

We are losing so many on the battlefield. So many that I am the only soldier saver on the regiment. That's right, and it's a hard job to be the only one of your position. 

That land mine idea is killing so many in the regiment and our soldiers and commanders that we are sending more and more to the battlefield, the soldiers waiting for their chance on the battlefield to live and let die. 

The life is harder than before. I wish I was in the analyzing station with my other workers, or even better, at home lying on my bed, relaxing and dreaming of happiness and creativity in harmony. 

But this war is ruining it; everyday I see soldiers in big trucks delivered to the battlefield like cows, like dragon farmers waiting for cows to eat the grass in the big field to supply milk for the dragons to sell to others to drink. 

It's sad, but it's what war is and the people who chose to be heroes and warriors, the only warrior and hero you get is to be on the battlefield seeing the thousands who go on the battlefield and fight.

Chapter 13: To Fight For

The war is going great! My allies and soldiers have killed many on the battlefields of Drgonia, big military land ruled by Forest, the prime minster of Drgonia, a big country in the big West of the world.

We are inventing more and more weapons to destroy the Drgonians and their allies. And soon, in a few months time, them and their allies will give up the war and we will rule the world. 

But we need to fight for the land of Drgonia and their allies. You don't earn land if you don't work for it. And that's what we are doing; fighting for land. Ruling many lands and more dragons to be a better country.

Chapter 14: Another Loss

Today is a sad day. Forest, the prime minister of Drgonia died. The whole country is in mourning for this sad day as the 24th prime minister of Drgonia has fallen. 

So now we need a new prime minister to rule the country. And no one has the brain of Forest's. And there was a big speech about Forest and his life and also about he changed the country from poor to rich. 

One of the superior dragons spread his ashes in his grave. His parents came to see the spreading of him, the 24th prime minister of Drgonia or his friends and family, Forest. 

After the funeral, we left Forest' grave in peace and chattered sadly in whispers. It was indeed a very, very sad day in this terrible war that has been upon us.  

Chapter 15: Another Small Change In the Country

Another today of loss. And another small piece of land was taken from Fireless's allies. It is sad indeed. As many of the soldiers that are fighting and fighting for peace in the land, but the enemy isn't moving away from progress.

And in the meanwhile, Fireless is laughing and talking away with his allies, forming more and more plans to kill the population of our allies. 

My job isn't any better. The battlefield is spilling with blood, the grass splattered with blood and dying soldier just fighting for peace and hope for their country. 

But more and more of the soldiers are failing to pass the test of saving the country or their country. And it's very hard, I know because I've been in battle before.   

Chapter 16: Another Tide

Today was interesting; we won a battle. That's a new one. That's means that the war might change. Hopefully for our side of the war. I don't know. 

And there weren't many bodies on the grass today too. So my job hasn't been as bloody as before. And that's results to a better, cleaner, job today in this war. 

There were many more dragon soldiers, though, so that's interesting as well. I don't know why we need more soldiers in the trenches in the battlefield. Another chance for a change in war. 

And I noticed that some dragon workers are fixing the old hospital to better conditions. I saw that they're fixing the bullet holes and the broken glass in the hospital. 

Maybe the war is coming to an end. But there's a chance, a slim one, but indeed a chance. I hope the war does end though, even if my job ends. Of course, the job isn't because I like it. It's because I have to. Because I need the money. 

Money is called "Dragcoins" in this country. In other countries, different names and different values. All of the coins are medal and the coins don't have name. Just Dragcoins. 

But they have values. The big gold colour coins are worth $2.00. The sliver, $1.00 and the bronze, $0.50. I earn 30 gold coins a day, which is okay, but not a lot, but it's enough to live on though. 

I hope this war ends soon, because it's tiring and madding.

Chapter 17: The Second Win

And now this wasn't just a win. It was forming words meaning that for once our side is winning. That's great. Now the war will make way for peace. 

But we're not out of the woods yet. We need to keep fighting to win the war so that Fireless will give up and that the world might be a happier place once more. 

But to do that, we need to earn it. The same with Fireless. If he wants to win and rule the world, he needs to fight for it. And win. 

I feel bad for the dragon soldiers on Fireless's side and our soldiers too. Because they're killing each other because they're from different places. And that's why I don't fight. 

I save. So dragons are saved from the mouth of war. And if they have blood all over their body, my job to save them so more dragons can live in this great world that we in. 

And that we all should live in. In peace for all creatures great and small. But first, we need to end this war. And I know Fireless will not stop at any cost, so we will have to fight for freedom all creatures great and small.  

Chapter 18: Depression

I'm losing my chance. And my patience too. I'm sick with one of the worse viruses in the whole of the world. It's called the Vera disease. It's very bad. 

And I don't think I am going to live after this disease because it is very deadly and is so far not curable. But dragon doctors are searching for a cure as you are reading. 

Also we have been losing very badly and dragons in the country and our allies are trying to come up with ideas, so that's good at least. 

But not is bad; I got to see my parents, who are very old indeed if you don't mind me saying, that's good. But they only got to look and talk to me, that was the worst part of the visit. 

Also my wife is giving birth to twin dragons for our sake of parenthood and our families, as the population of this country and the world is declining because of this war. 

I always wanted children. Always so nice and pretty. Like a brand new coin and a toy. But work is needed, but I will always be happy to care for the young ones. 

I might die before I see my children, but maybe not if they find a cure for it. That would be good for me and the world, maybe if the other side wants it. 

I'm in depression. But I'm not the only one.   

Chapter 19:  Back Five Years and Leave Soup 

I got a new position as an analyzer. Back to Analyzing, my first job when the war started. That moment was five years ago. A long time, right?

The war's been booming along for five long years. And it's already October. The autumn has starting and the leaves of the trees are falling, falling down on the ground as they are used as fertilizer for plants and made into leave soup. A delicacy in many countries. 

So that one food they we can survive on for a little while, leave soup. Keeps the health to live longer and healthier. But the leaves are hard to get, as they crush easily and are destroyed by strong winds and other animals. 

But some are grown in backyards or farms and some are picked by the school children who give this rare treat to parents and family to eat. 

I was thinking of being a grower for leaves, maybe to supply trees and fertilizer. But the analyzing job is rare and get lots of money, 130 gold coins a day, a lot to consider that jobs are hard to get in this bad time. And 130 is good money in a job.

I should visit my parents and make them leave soup. But I don't know where they live of if they are alive. I wonder if they are...

So I sent a letter to the house we lived in. I hope they are alive and healthy. That's all I can said about this idea of mine. 

Chapter 20: A Letter

I got mail today. With a very nice letter and a very nice postage stamp on it, with the head of the old prime minister. It said that he died, so the post company of our country made a stamp to remember.

The letter was from my parents, Drgon and Meadow. They said lots and lots of things in the letter that they sent me. Probably because so they save money, but I'm guessing it's because they want me to know how things are where they live. 

They said in the letter that they living in the same house for the five and more years in the war, the same house they have been living in since they were young. 

The military wanted to destroy their house to use for a gun making factory and a military training base, but they said no. And they stopped the full destruction topic of the house. 

It said that they are fine and that they would like to have me over for a few days to talk, eat and have fun. And I'm going to see them in a few days. 

So I sent them a letter to my parents saying that I am going to visit them in two days time, in the house I lived in for my childhood and with the parents I lived with before the war. 

Chapter 21: Visiting My Parents

I went on a bus to the town where my parents are living in, which is called Treedonia. It is named that because the community has lots and lots of trees. 

It was a long, long bus ride to Treedonia. I noticed that there were not many going to Treedonia. Probably because not many families go visit there in this time of year, especially if there's a war going on. 

When the bus stopped at the bus stop, I walked to my old house, the house with my parents. And when I rang the doorbell, I saw the happiest face that I've seen before the war. For a moment there, I almost forgot about the war. 

It was around dinnertime, so we sat and talked for hours on end like we Treedonians do all of the time. It was so happy being in the house of where my childhood took place, the old holes and the little landmarks of the house, like the huge wine cellar deep inside the house where all of wine making is used to make great drink. 

They told me about all of the new changes in the house, such as the new door and the fixed pipes and even the old doorknob. I always loved the doorknob though. But they saved the old thing for me to play with. 

We played games and laughed together like a real family does. And all of the family excitement was bringing me joy and love, the old house filling with joy. 

Chapter 22: Leaving the Old

Today, I had to leave to go and work as an analyzer. So I said goodbye to my parents and the old house that felt so young and alive. 

I took the ride back to where I live, in Dragon City. It was a long, cold ride back to the city, the war raging on still and silently. 

I was welcomed by the staff and I was greeted by one or two workers at the big plant. So I got to work, getting and heating my kettle full of dirt and ore.  

We were all cooking and heating, the ore bubbling in our kettles soon ready to be used as army vehicles and armour. It's sad where it goes in the end, our hard work destroyed by dragons. 

I heard we are losing more and more, the country trying to get more and more dragons to become soldiers, doctors and drivers, all to win a war. 

Chapter 23: The Letter

After the long time gap without my parents, they invited me again to visit Treedonia for Christmas. I was very excited to read the letter. 

I sent a letter saying that I'm coming to them on the 24th of December, on the night of Chirstmas Eve, the magical night of the Christmas season.

It was only a few weeks until the visit when I will come to my parent's old house, the house that stays to the end, and feasting and talking to my parents about all of my days. 

And days were ticking off, bit by bit and soon with all of the waiting and tossing and turning, I went on the bus, the same one to Treedonia on Christmas Eve. 

Chapter 24: Happiness in the House

It was midnight when I reached the house where my parents lived in Treedonia. But they were glad to see me even in the late night when everyone was sleeping in the small quiet town. I was happy too. 

We went to bed quickly and quietly, the excitement of them accelerating in my gut. But I calmed down because exhaustion and sleep had taken my brain to a sleepy, sleepy rest in the old slumber house. 

The next morning, the air was full of happy words and static happiness. The house was alive once more with sounds and laughter. The ground was full of snow. 

And it was Christmas, the day of hope and giving. With snow, happiness, the Christmas tree, presents, lights and family, Christmas was here. 

Chapter 25: The Best Part

Then it was the present opening part, my favourite part of the holiday. Not just for my benefit, but to see the faces of the dragons who open my presents. 

I got gifts for my parents, even when I was all tired and worn out. I know a guy who is a friend of mine who gives me deals on his sales. 

He didn't mind that I was shopping in the night, when the town was all sleeping in their houses. I bought a few things and went quietly to my family's house. 

They liked the gifts; I got them some treats and some very nice new and clean mugs. But the best part was the leaves, the special leaves made for leave soup. 

My friend knew a farmer that grows the leaves made for leave soup and sells some to him. The friend gave me a special deal for the leaves. 

I said that one day after the war, if we win, we will celebrate and have something on me. And he even the leave for free. I thought that was fair and he gave me lots and lots of leaves for leave soup. 

It was nearing lunchtime, so we cooked lunch and our soup we ate was leave soup. They kept the rest of the leaves in a jar in a cabinet to use for other times when we have leave soup together as a family.

Chapter 26: A New Year

I got to stay with my parent's house until the New Year, a very exciting event in Treedonia and all of the country. Even the world. 

It's today and only twelve more hours until the new year. Maybe the war might end soon. I heard that our allies are going deeper in the heart of our enemy's territory. Soon, soon, maybe the war will end. 

We are stitching up a part of the dragon costume some of the town is going to wear for the big celebration on New Year's eve to celebrate the new year.

The minutes are going by quickly and I feel that the excitement of the town is growing stronger and stronger as night is getting closer and closer.

Some of the neighbors are setting up fireworks in the big open dirt field where not much grows. The town calls it "Firework Field" because fireworks are setting there every year. 

 I walked to Firework Field to watch the fireworks that the town is going to fire off when the new year is here. My parents didn't come because they are sensitive to the firework noise, so they stayed home.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, zero!" we all shouted. 

Then the fireworks were set off into the dark sky and we all watched as they flew in the sky and soon cracked to become sparks of bright colours. 

Then all of the dragons packed their things and went back to their homes and I walked back home to tell them all of the excitement of the fireworks as the new year came. 

Chapter 27: Back to Work

On New Year's day, I left my parent's house to go on the bus back home in the heart of Dragon City, the capital of the nation of Drgonia. 

It was a long and cold bus ride home, and it was early in the wee hours of the morning when the town was still sleeping away all happy and dreaming.

I arrived back at the analyzing plant where it was almost empty because I arrived so early and everyone was probably getting ready to go to work or was still sleeping. 

When the little old clock in the building turned to 8:00, the plant was full of smoke fumes and the sound of bubbles. The smell of burning ore filled the plant. 

It was a busy day as more dragons were walking to get ore or lighting the fire for the cauldron to get the good ore from the bad. 

I got many big pieces of ore, which is hard because it's always sticky or strange bugs are inside the big pieces of rock. But there's always a good reward inside. 

When work was over, I went to shopping...

I know. You can hunt or can buy. I hunt if I'm traveling. But the animals at the farms are always treated very fairly and give them lots and lots of food even in a war. 

The feed is easy to grow and it grows fast in the country too, so there's lots for everyone, even for the animals in the farms. 

I got my things and went back to the apartment building that I live on, in room 346 on floor number 21 and ate and soon after that, I fell into a deep, deep sleep. 

Chapter 28: The End of the War

2 years later

The war has ended at last! It was a long and difficult time, but we pulled though and the patience and the wait was worth it. 

Worth the freedom that is. We didn't win the war, meaning defeating all of the troops of Fireless's, but we did come to an agreement. 

Fireless died from an illness called the Vera virus. It is a virus that dragon doctors are trying to find the cure for the virus. I hope it's found. 

I celebrated with my friend, Heartmouth, the friend that I bought the leaves from. We had dragon mead, a sort of drink that is made in Treedonia. 

On my visit to Treedonia, I got to see my parents. They are very happy to see me, but my mother was close to dying because of the Vera virus that is spreading. 

The doctors are thinking that maybe a medication might slow the virus down. I gave her some leave tea with some of the leaves from the supply. 

I bought more leaves from Heartmouth for a very good deal, hoping that the leaves will help my mother feel better. 

I went on a walk around Treedonia and I met this very beautiful young dragon. So I asked her to go and watch this play that was near us. 

It was a great night when I was with her. At the play, I got her address and some information about her and her family. 

I went home and went to bed dreaming about her as I slept away in the night.  

Epilogue

I married the dragon I was dying to love. And we had it. We had little dragon children. It was hard, but worth the fun and happiness. 

After the war, I went to Fire and the old cave that he lived in that I saw so long ago and I talked to him about the war and all of the details. 

He told me that I was going to be a superior dragon soon and that I should go to Dragon City and ask the dragon administrator about Forest's will. 

And so I went on my long, long journey to Dragon City and asked the dragon administrator about the will of Forest's. 

The paper said that his position goes to me. I didn't know what to said because I was shocked with glee that was holding all of my words. 

I left and for a long, long time, I was in a pretty big position as a chief worker for building the tall new Dragon Tower. 

I was a superior dragon and it was a good pay and lots and lots of work and talking. But it was a good life overall. And I liked it.