I can barely comprehend what Travis is telling me. He's some sort of weredragon or something? Is that why the gashes on him healed like that?
"Lizzy," his voice sounds slightly fearful. Like he's scared I'm gonna run off or something. "Do you promise not to tell anyone?" I nod, not knowing what else to do.
Even if I did tell. Who would believe me?
"Good," he nods as he takes off his pastel pink sneakers. "You might want to back up a little," we both back up as Olivia sighs. The shorts that were in Travis's hand lay next to a tree now.
He takes a deep breath after taking his tank top off. The scars on his chest make it look like he's a character from a video game or something. Three scars, all different lengths from a wolf's claws.
After a second the sickening sound of bones cracking is heard and Travis's face looks slightly uncomfortable but mostly unbothered by the sound coming from him. His limbs contort and his skin turns into shiny black scales covering him as he moves. After a second of his bones cracking and visibly shifting within him his body is no longer human. He has a tail at least two feet long as he stands on all fours, hands now claws, and his head no longer covered in his soft brown hair. Instead, his head is covered in black scales like the rest of him. His nose now a long snout.
The only thing about him that resembles the boy I met before is the unique way his eyes are colored. One hazel eye while the other is an electric blue. They stand out even more against his skin. Or scales, now.
I don't mean to stumble back but I do out of instinct. In total Travis is at least seven feet long and on all fours, he looks around six feet tall. He has wings now. They look big but I can't see them fully due to him having them resting on his back.
"Wha- how- ha?" I stutter.
"Relax, he's still TJ," I almost forgot Olivia standing a few feet from me. "He's just a big scaly weirdo now," she smiles.
"But- but, how?" I stand up.
"We don't know. It just happened around the time he turned ten. He was yelling like someone was trying to kill him until he changed into a cute little dragon. Just like this but three feet tall," Travis huffs and shakes his head like he's embarrassed that he was ever that small.
Olivia and I can't help but laugh lightly. TJ takes a step forward and I hesitate to stay in my place. Olivia notices and takes my left arm in her hand, guiding me to the big dragon in front of us. I hesitantly let her guide my hand to Travis as he slightly nudges my hand with his snout. As my hand rests he closes his eyes. His scales are smooth like a snake's.
"You're lucky he didn't smile," Olivia chuckles.
"Why?" I ask curiously.
"Because he looks creepy as hell. He did it once while looking at his reflection and never done it since," she explains. Travis swings his tail enough to nudge Olivia's shoulder without hurting her.
"Can you fly?" I look at his wings and he nods, stretching his wings out and examining the one on his right.
It has a gash in it similar to the ones on his chest, back, and left arm. Or now it's his front left leg. Anyway, the gash isn't bleeding and it seems that he's just now noticing it. Olivia goes closer and TJ lowers the wing for her to look at. "Looks like it's healed but this is probably gonna be an issue," she traces the edges of the hole, at least five inches long and two wide, from what I can tell. Give or take an inch or two.
"Try flying," Olivia backs up and nudges me to follow. When we're far enough away Travis flaps his wings and makes it a few feet off the ground before his right wing seems to flinch and he falls back to the ground.
"This is too similar to How To Train Your Dragon," Olivia jokes causing me to chuckle slightly. Travis seems to have enjoyed the joke but I can't be sure.
"Think we can go all out and make something to help?" I suggest.
"Could probably figure something out," Olivia nods and Travis huffs slightly before holding up one of his claws and going behind a tree. I can see some of him poking out until his bones start cracking and shifting again and I look away as I realize what he's doing.
"Shit," I hear him mutter. "Olivia, can you throw my shorts closer?"
I assume she does as he asks when he comes out and puts his shoes on before picking up the shreds of the clothes he was wearing before. He also puts his tank top back on. "You won't tell anyone, right?" He gives me a pleading look.
"Of course not," I answer. "If I hadn't just watched you turn into a dragon I wouldn't believe it myself."
"Well, you better not say anything. I'm not about to let my brother get hurt," Olivia says in a warning tone that makes it clear what she'd do to protect her brother.
"Olivia, chill," TJ tells her. "Let's get back to the house before Dad thinks another wolf tried to kill me."
"So the wolf thing was true?" I ask as we walk.
"Yeah, it was so weird. The thing was bigger than the average wolf and it actually got through the scales. I got it a few times before it ran off but as you can see it got me bad. I couldn't change back for a few days. That's why the only people that could come over were Dani, Jack, and Riley. Besides the people who live here that is," he explains.
"So everyone knew?" I ask.
"Sort of. They all were informed at different times after I knew for sure I could trust them," he replies. "I was debating on telling you before you blatantly saw what happened." I nod as we continue to walk.