story#11

The Faceoff
(edit of story #2)
He jumped off the playground, his sword slicing through the air. The air was cool and the grass was soft and damp beneath his newly buffed shoes. His armor was flawless, not a smudge was left unpolished. His glistening silver mass reflected its surroundings with such clarity that it would make mirrors jealous. Max could see through the grates in his armored helmet, for miles around; his vision was impeccable. Gazing towards the once tree covered hills, he saw the old recently chopped fir trees reaching for the sun, competing with the younger and quickly growing new sprouts for the warmth and attention from the glowing orb in the sky. Closing his eyes, he could smell the hills that smelled a thousand times stronger of the Christmas trees his father brought home every holiday season. He then focused his gaze to summon the x-ray vision he was infamous for. He observed, through the walls of his house, that his mother was stirring up a meal fit for a victor. He looked through to his neighbors’ houses; some were simply sitting on their couch watching their television set, others cleaning up the house, and some doing their homework; all were utterly unaware that the epic battle was to take place within minutes. It was no matter; they would thank him after he defeated his arc nemesis.
The porch light flickered on. The sky was growing darker and the mist was rolling in so thick that he had to cut through it with his sharpened blade; it was coming for him but Max was ready. There was no turning back now. He danced around the swing set slashing through the air, perfecting on his swordsmanship. The time was right. The Dragon was coming. Max could see beyond the fog, fifteen, no, now ten miles away. It was coming in fast, heading straight for him. Backing up along the side of the playground and turning his head, he hid against the plastic structure breathing softly waiting for the right moment to take the Dragon by surprise.
Flapping sound of thick leathery wings alerted him of the arrival of his foe. Watching with narrowed eyes, Max gazed through the wall as it touched down. Its gigantic body was covered in platter sized blue scales from nose to tail, its fiery red eyes glowing through the darkness. Showing off, it blew fire into the air as if asking for someone to challenge its magnificent self. Max leaped out from his hiding spot and with a hand on his hip he thrust his sword in the air, daring the Dragon to fight him, “Leave now, you wretched beast!”
It looked down and laughed again, little sparks shooting out from his snout, “Who are you to challenge me, little boy?”
Max narrowed his eyes. He did not appreciate being talked down to like that and glared up, “I am Sir Max. I am not little,” he said deliberately. “I’m big for my age. I’m here to send you away! We don’t want you here!” He thrust his sword upward threateningly.
The Dragon threw back its head and cackled, lighting up the night sky. “Give it up little one.”
“Make me,” Max whispered and danced about the Dragon. He dodged its ground shaking steps as it tried to crush him beneath. Max jabbed at him but to no avail. The Dragon’s scales were impenetrable. Max would need to find another way to take this beast down. The Dragon exhaled a fiery breath in his direction, he could feel intense heat blow by his ear. Close one, Max breathed. The lawn was ablaze and the flames were closing in on him, circling him and his opponent in a ring of inferno. He didn’t have much room to maneuver. Max needed a new strategy. He hesitated. This could end badly, Max sprinted to the Dragon’s underbelly resting inches from the ground. Willing himself to defy gravity, Max jumped up just high enough for him to grab hold on one of the Dragon’s scales, just as the Dragon stomped down at the place where he had stood a mere moment ago. Clinging on, the scale swung on started to peel away from the dragon’s soft flesh revealing a fleshy underside. Seizing this opportunity, Max stabbed his sword deep inside and the Dragon roared and thrashed for what felt like eternity before it soon fell to the ground.
“Max!” his mother called from the kitchen, “Dinner’s ready.”
Dusting his hands off, Max stood up and walked back to the house. He waved good-bye to his imaginary dragon foe. They’d have another adventure tomorrow.