A Taddidrake All My Own

Toby ran, his sister behind him. The clouds turned an ugly shade of black, then let out their treacherous downpour. He splashed through the puddles, his heavy schoolbag slowing him down, his sister, Jilly, whining and crying desperately. He continued running, squinting to keep the water from his eyes. Then he heard a thud as his sister fell. The wailing continued as he helped her up. She was a lot smaller than him, so he carried her on his hip. The rain carried on, heavier than before, then Toby heard a deep rumble. Thunder. His sister burrowed her face deeper into his arm and he ran on, blinded by the rain. It bit at him like a thousand tiny bullets. Finally, he could bear it no longer. He collapsed under a tree, the rain still beating at them. He was exhausted. Jilly sobbed as he stared at the sky. There was at least another 2 kilometers to go. They wouldn't get home. Then, the lightning flashed, lighting the whole sky. Jilly snuggled closer, scared by the lightning.

It was their father's fault. He had left them on their own. It was Friday after school and they were left waiting at the school gate for half an hour. Then, Toby decided, it was too long, they would walk home. Their house was 3 kilometers from the school and Jilly was too small to make it all the way. The lightning flashed on and Toby fell into the darkness of sleep.

***

Miraculously, when Toby awoke, he and Jilly were still alive. He looked around. There was no damage from the storm, except for maybe the fallen tree. He shook Jilly awake and stood up, swinging both their bags over his shoulder. He held Jilly's hand and they walked along slowly.
"Why didn't daddy come?" Jilly asked him, "doesn't he love us anymore?"
"He does," Toby replied uneasily, "but he probably had work to do."

Then there was silence. The two walked down the path and down the steep hill. Then, Jilly tugged away from his grasp.

"Look!" she exclaimed excitedly, "Toby, look!" She was pointing to a small river that ran through the rocks. Toby looked up, he saw the river and ran down to her. It was amazing. This tiny river, running through the city. Tiny water droplets fell from the leaves and hung from trees and other plants. The grass looked crisp and well looked after. Almost as though something had been eating it... The water was clear and cool. Jilly knelt beside the river and stared in it. She laughed as a fish flashed past, forgetting all the troubles of getting home. Then she yelled again.
"Toby, I saw something, something was in the water! What was it Toby? Didn't you see it? It was about this long and it was skinny and..." her voice trailed off. She noticed Toby wasn't listening. She stood up and held his hand with both of hers.
"You don't believe me either do you?" she said doubtfully. Toby looked at her sparkling eyes. She was his responsibility now.
"I missed it," he said to her, "would you show me?"

Jilly's face lit up and she led him to the water's edge. She knelt down and gestured for him to too. Jilly looked in the water, but saw nothing. Then Toby pointed to something on the other side of the creek.

"Is that it?" he asked. Jilly looked up, as though he was talking nonsense. Then she saw where he was pointing.

"There it is! Oh no, it's out of the water, Toby we have to save him! Please! You used to have fish! We have to care fore the poor thing!" she cried. Toby knew there was no fighting it. He jumped across the creek and lifted up the tiny creature. It was a bit slippery but he managed to get a grip on it. He took it back over to Jilly who looked at it wide-eyed. 
"We have to go home now," Toby said, handing her the creature.
"Can we take it home?" Jilly said. Toby nodded and led her back up the hill. Then across the bridge and along the paths, into the bush. They walked on for another hour, only the will to save the creature tugging Jilly along, till they reached their street. 
"I know where we are!" Jilly said happily. She began to skip in front of Toby. Finally, they reached the house. When they got inside, Toby dropped the bags on the ground. His parent's weren't home, they had probably forgotten about him. Then he heard the bathroom tap...

***

Toby bolted up the stairs to see his little sister running a bath. It was all cold water though.
"What are you doing?" Toby asked questioningly.
"Running a pond, the worm needs a home and I saw them in the water," Jilly replied innocently. Toby noticed the creature in the water. Finally Jilly stopped the water.
"I think he needs food. What did you do with the fish food Toby?"
"I think I may still have some, I'll go look if you want."
"Yes! And hurry, he looks hungry."
Toby went to his room and scrounged his draws. Then he saw the fish food on the top of his shelf. He grabbed it and went back to the bathroom. 
"Here," he said, handing Jilly the food. She look it and put some in the water. The creature sniffed it, then took some into it's mouth. Toby looked at it closely for the first time.
"It looks like a tadpole," he told Jilly. She squinted at it.
"No, it's a dragon," she said. Then a memory hit Toby. He had learned about such creatures in school. They were said to be a cross between a dragon and a tadpole and could survive on land or water, to spot one was very rare.
"It's a Taddidrake," he finally said.
"What's that?" Jilly asked. Toby told her all the things he knew about them. She looked at the little creature. 
"I think it needs it's family," she said.
"Yes, when it is well, we will release it," Toby reassured her. That night, their parent's didn't return. Toby stayed up, in hope they would, but they did not. Eventually, he went to sleep.

***

The next day, their parents did come back. They gave Toby a lecture on not coming home, until his mother found out that their father did not pick them up. Toby was dismissed and he went up to Jilly's room. She was looking at the fish tank. The Taddidrake was swimming around inside. Toby leant over her.
"He needs his home," Jilly said without looking up.
"Tomorrow," Toby whispered. Jilly looked at him.
"What?"
"Tomorrow we'll set him free."
Toby left the room and went to his room. He might never see another Taddidrake, but it was for the best.

***

It was 3 in the morning and Toby got up. He put on jeans, a t-shirt and his jacket. Then he went to his sister's room. She was also putting on her jacket. The two crept down the stairs, Toby holding the fish tank. He grabbed the house keys and pocketed them, then he took his motorbike keys. Toby had gotten a motorbike for his birthday. He took Jilly into the garage and took the dust cover off his motorbike. It gleamed at him, Jilly yawned. He fixed the tank onto the back and secured the lid on. Then  he put on his helmet and handed one to Jilly. She put it on, then they both climbed onto the bike. Toby started it off slowly, then revved down the street. He took it into the bush and followed the path to the river. When they got there, the sun was beginning to rise. That's what Toby wanted to show Jilly, she had never seen the sunrise before. He took off his helmet and she did the same, then, they carefully went down to the river. It was running slowly and fish plopped at the water's surface. Toby knelt down and Jilly did too. He took the lid off the tank.
"Anything you want to say?" Toby asked. Jilly nodded.
"Goodbye, um, err, what's his name?"
"Let's call him Freewill, since he will soon be free."
"Ok, goodbye Freewill."

They gently tipped the water and Freewill into the river. Then, the young Taddidrake did a few spins, then disappeared into the river. Toby held Jilly's hand. She had learnt something important, to be free.

All creatures should be free.

***

Now Playing Labrynith, from Sweetwater Valley.

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