"Are you sure?"
The officer sat with both hands on his knees, one of his legs bouncing with anxiety. Desmond refused to meet the man's gaze. He couldn't throw Kindling under the bus, not yet. Desmond wanted to know why Kindling attacked him. Unable to wrap his head around it, Desmond would lie. For now.
"I'm sure. Kindling was protecting me," Desmond said. He'd given this story at least four times already. Stating, Mr. Richardson was the one who attacked them and Kindling had protected the kids but failed. At least that's how he told it.
His mother rolled her fingers through Desmond's shaggy hair.
"I don't think Kindling would ever hurt my baby," She insisted, "Now if you'll excuse us, my son needs to sleep."
Desmond laid his head back down on the pillow, staring up at the ceiling. He played the night over and over in his mind, tuning out the sounds of talking and beep of the heart monitor. Falling into an uncomfortable sleep.
***
"Awaken."
Desmond's eyes shot opened, he was laying in a pitch black room and as he moved he felt water under him. Sitting up, he spotted the keeper of the voice, a massive, seven-headed dragon. Desmond scrambled backwards but didn't run, instead, curiosity sparked within the depths of his gaze.
"What are you?" He asked.
The largest of the heads bent down to him, its bright yellow eyes stood out against its black scales, "I am all. I am what the people desire and the world wants. A true god. Yahweh."
Reaching forward, Desmond raced his hand over the sharp, thick scales, "What do you want with me?" Desmond asked. Yahweh blinked slowly at Desmond, giving a toothy, thin grin. The rest of Yahweh's heads came down to inspect the boy.
"You, are my chosen one."
"Chosen one? Wait, isn't Yahweh the name of God?" Desmond asked, growing uncomfortable as the heads of the beast started to surround him, cutting him off from any possible exits. The water under his feet was growing, lapping at his knees.
"I am God. At least, I will be, with your help."
"My help? How can I help?"
"Yes, my boy. Your help. Like a hero, like your big brother was."
Desmond could feel the scales against his body, hear the movement of the necks within the water.
"Like Ignite? Is he here?" Desmond asked, joy sparked through him at the thought of seeing his older sibling.
"Not here, but I can bring him back to you, and you both can be true heroes, the best Earth has ever seen."
"Really?" Desmond grinned wide at the thought, despite the discomfort he felt with the beast, Desmond couldn't keep the delight down.
"Yes," Yahweh said with a soft chuckle, "All I need, is your permission. Then we can start saving the world together."
The elation in Desmond faltered, "I'm sorry Mr. Yahweh, I don't have a click. I won't be able to help you."
"That's not a problem," The beast said without skipping a beat, "I can give you your very own click."
"Really? Then I'll be like everyone else?"
"Exactly like everyone else."
"How do we do it?"
The beast shuttered with enthusiasm as the water started to reach Desmond's chest.
"Well, my boy, all you need to do is eat one of my beautiful scales. Then you will be stronger than anyone who's ever existed."
***
Desmond leapt up in bed, looking around himself in shock and awe. It was a dream. Except one thing. Even in the pitch blackness of the night, he could make out sometime. A tiny, thin, ink colored scale.
Was it a dream? He picked up the scale, inspected it for a few heartbeats before his eyes laid upon his mother. Desmond wondered if he had been stronger, could he have stopped Kindling? Would the other children be alive now? Was Kindling really a hero?
"You're my favorite"
The words bitter as he stuffed the scale into his book bag beside the bed.