Legend of Mace Read Online Free PDF Page B

memories. With no recollection of life before the apocalypse, they tried to create their own make-believe world that didn't revolve around death.
      Stopping underneath a grove of Cypress trees, they tried to catch their breath. Most of the buildings around them were long demolished or burnt to the ground. Mace wanted as much visibility as possible for any ground intrusion. It made it harder to sneak around for the kids, but more fun because of the challenge. They all knew their way blindly around the mines.
    Spotting something on the bark of one of the trees, Chelsea approached it slowly. It was some type of reptile.
    “What is it?” whispered Maya, who peered cautiously over Chelsea’s shoulder, unnerved by the lizard-like creature. While infected or hostile outsiders seldom put a fright in her, reptiles and spiders could still easily do the trick.
    “It looks like a tiny dragon,” Chelsea whispered back. Moving forward slowly, Chelsea’s eyes were glued to the creature. “I’m gonna try to grab it,” she whispered.
    “Be careful!” whispered Maya loudly. “What if it bites?” The lizard was no more than eight-inches long, from head to tip of tail.
    “It won’t,” Chelsea said quietly, turning her head towards Maya to shush her with a finger to the lips. “It’s just a baby.”
    The lizard clung to the tree like a baby to its mother’s breast. Its skin folds were spread wide, appearing like tiny dragon wings, pressed close to the bark. 
    Buster moved past her to sniff at the strange critter and spooked it. It leapt off the tree and glided ten feet to land firmly on another.
    “Did you see that?” Chelsea squealed. “It flew! It IS a baby dragon!”
    Maya’s face registered real fear. “What if there are bigger ones around?” She scanned the trees and the sky overhead. Chelsea was too entranced by the creature to even hear.
    Creeping slowly towards the Cypress where the lizard now clung, Chelsea whispered, “Grab Buster before he spooks it again!” Her heart beat wildly as she inched forward.
    All of a sudden the lizard leapt again, but this time it didn’t jump to another tree but came directly at her, landing on her shirt. Chelsea’s scream was so loud Maya jerked backwards and tripped over Buster, landing hard on her butt.
    Completely frozen, Chelsea stared down at the lizard that quietly observed her. She clamped her mouth shut, afraid it would try to climb inside. Gaping at it with uncertainty, she tried not to take a breath.
    Maya got slowly back to her feet and wiped dirt off her butt with her hand. “What is WRONG with you?” she said loudly behind Chelsea. Chelsea didn’t budge. Staring at her in confusion, Maya hesitantly approached. Maya’s head moved slowly around Chelsea’s body until her eyes fixed on the lizard planted squarely on Chelsea’s chest. The lizard moved its head towards Maya and tingles ran down her spine. She peed a little as its head snapped back to stare up at Chelsea.
    “What do we do?” whispered Maya.
    Chelsea was still afraid to open her mouth. “Mmm, mmm,” she said between clenched teeth, lips still firmly shut.
    The lizard cocked its head, then quickly scampered around her body to stare down at Buster, who moved towards it and sniffed it with interest. It suddenly leapt again, soaring up and around them for a few intervals before it swooped back, heading for Chelsea again. The tiny claws on its feet clamped onto Chelsea’s hair as it landed clumsily on her head. Chelsea’s eyes bulged like saucers as she focused on Maya, who in turn gawked at the baby dragon.
    “I don’t know what to do,” Chelsea said mechanically, still refusing to budge a muscle. She slowly reached her hands up and clasped them over the lizard-dragon. It squirmed in her hands but she was able to get one hand firmly around it.
    Bringing it down to stare at it, she couldn’t believe her eyes. “I can’t believe we found it!” she said joyfully. Its head twitched back in