'The end is near, all those with dragons please advance to the front of the line.'

Takeru was at the Safeguard Center. It was the year of the dragon, as dragons had been created. The world was going to erupt with millions of volcanoes and everyone was evacuating. Takeru waited impatiently in the line. Dragons dragons, always the dragons. He looked at the ticket in his hand. What good would it do if he was to wait around? He sighed and stuffed it back in his pocket. Takeru was 16 and a fine boy. He had lived alone for a week, and out of it all, he was about to die. He stared around looking for something to amuse him. A street man was sitting next to the wall He wore a beanie, old pants and jacket and gloves with the fingers cut out. He had a small beard and was motioning for Takeru to come over. Takeru made his way through the rush of people, screaming and going crazy. Eventually, he got to the man.
'Hmm,' Takeru mumbled.
'I, I have something for you, it get you on jet. Save you. You safe!' said the man. His English wasn't very good. He pulled and egg from his coat and handed it to Takeru.
'It dragon egg, me take care of it. It get you on jet, you go!' he said.
'Err, thanks,' said Takeru, beginning to run off.
'No, you wait, you wait,' said the man, 'exchange for egg, you give me ticket. Ticket for egg. Yeah?'
'But I need the ticket to get on the jet,' Takeru replied.
'Me hear you mumble, you say, if you have egg, you get on jet with no ticket. You say! Me have egg, me get on if me have ticket. You have ticket. Egg for ticket! Deal?'
Takeru sighed. He rummaged in his pocket and pulled out the ticket.
'If I can't get on, it's all your fault,' he said to the man.
'You go, go! Take egg. Me have ticket. Egg you keep!' said the man, running off to join a line. Takeru sighed again and stroked the egg. He went to the line where all the people with eggs were and joined it.

He stroked the egg. It was smooth. Finally it got to his turn. He handed the security man the egg. He put it under a scanner.
'Emana egg,' he said, 'pass through please.'
'Emana egg,' thought Takeru, 'what's that?'
But whatever it was, it was getting him to freedom. Another announcement was made over the speaker.
'19 hours till eruption,' it said calmly. How could the voice be calm? It was about to be exploded into a million pieces. Takeru went to the boarding deck, holding the egg tightly. He reached it and went to one of the ticket collecting ladies. 
'May I have your ticket please sir?' she asked in a sweet voice.
'Err,' Takeru paused,' I lost it, but I have a dragon egg!'
'I'm sorry, but you have to have a ticket,' the lady said again. Takeru cursed under his breath, that man was gonna pay!
'Please, is there any other way I can get on?' he asked.
'Let me see that egg,' the lady said. She glanced at it, then looked at him, shocked. 'It's an Emana egg, you must come aboard!'
Takeru smiled. At last, some good luck! The lady showed him to his seat. He sat back in it, surprised at his luck. First class wasn't bad just for having an egg! He flopped his bag on the floor and sat the egg in his lap. Then he lay back and slept.

-$-$-$-

'This is your captain speaking, we are preparing for launch. Please put your seatbelts on.' Takeru awoke to the announcement. He had been asleep for half an hour and now the jet was full. Takeru sat up and buckled his seatbelt. He put his bag firmly under the seat in front of him and tightly gripped the egg. The engine of the jet started to revolve, setting out a flaming blast from the exhaust pipes. Takeru gulped. It was going to be harsh! The jet started to take off and he was pushed back into his seat. Luckily, they were very comfy. On they burst, breaking through the atmosphere. Takeru's jaw pulled back and his eyes nearly popped. As they evened out, Takeru got used to the gravity shortage. He kept his seatbelt on though. Traveling through space isn't disturbing, but wired. A feeling of emptiness filled Takeru's stomach. He reached over to the food cart and grabbed a bit of slice. He looked at the egg.
'Want some?' he said to it, kidding around. It didn't reply so he gave a small chuckle and stuffed the slice in his mouth.

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