Teeny Tiny Dragon

By Sruthi Nambiar

"Is that a … That is a dragon. That is a teeny tiny dragon." 

I laugh at my father's bemused expression as he observes the rose and copper-coloured dragon  roaming my room. I choose not to reply, preferring to watch my dragon instead. My twin, on the  other hand, responds.  

"Yes, it is! I have decided that we shall have dragons as our group mascot. Now each of us has a  different coloured dragon." 

She leans down and scratches her dragon under its chin. It closes its eyes and hums. The joy and  approval it radiates at the affectionate gesture fills me with warmth. My sister's dragon did not make  the trip with her, so I need to wait a bit longer to meet him. It is not an issue. I get the chance to  bond with my dragon first. 

"How did I miss a dragon among our things while travelling?" Our dad asks, still extremely  confused. "That is a living, breathing, fire breather. How did nothing we bring get burned?" 

"To be fair, you were distracted by the dress that I bought." my sister stated "Also, the dragon was  an egg while we were travelling." 

"Additionally, you hid it from him," I added, mischievously. 

"Oh yes." She smiles viciously at him, "There is that too." 

Our father's covers his face with his hands. "Sometimes I forget that you kids are not as quiet and  well-behaved as everyone else thinks you are." 

"People's mistaken expectations allow us to cause mischief under everyone's nose," I state  cheerfully.

By Sruthi Nambiar