I entered the cage painfully, my heart heavy with shame. They hadn't yet placed the collar and chains on me, but I had obediently, or rather cowardly, entered. It was another mark of humiliation for a dragon.

Then, a man in a dark blue suit with a dark red tie entered. He spoke with a certain air of authority and malice.

"I see, as a dangerous animal, you at least are obedient. If you are obedient, we'll maybe let you a chance to live. Be feral and non-cooperative, and you'll end up in a lab in little pieces to study. I am sure you understand us perfectly, but forget all hopes of human rights or animal rights. You are a chimera, an experiment escaped from a lab somewhere; you are less than an animal. You are a pile of meat and shit."

His words cut deep, but he continued with a sinister tone.

"Ah, there is a journal in the cage; I am sure you can read, and it will make our lab researchers very happy. They are certainly dreaming of all the crazy nonsense experiments to do with a toy like you."

I felt a growing rage within me, but it was swiftly suppressed by a sense of overwhelming fear.

"Ah, I forget, look a last time at the sun and the park, because the place you go, there is no sun."

As he spoke those words, the cage was lifted onto a truck, and I could see the familiar faces of the zoo employees on the other side of the glass. They were giving me salutes like a fallen soldier.

Then, a muscular soldier approached me, addressing me with a sense of familiarity.

"You have kept your little secrets well, DRAGON, or BEAST, as they say in the journal. Did you like my small article about your exploits in the newspaper? In these times, we cannot trust the news anymore. All they say is bullshit. Do you agree? I am sure you agree."

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

My anger boiled within me, but I remained silent.

"YES, this is it, let your anger out so all people will see the real face of the BEAST. SHOW THEM WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE. A FERAL BEAST, WHO WILL PREY AND DRINK THE BLOOD OF THEIR CHILDREN, WHO WILL INSTIGATE FEAR WHEN IN THE GARDEN. SO EACH TIME A HUMAN IS GOING TO MAKE A BBQ OR A PARTY OUTSIDE, THEY WILL LOOK FIRST IN THE SKY IF A WYRM IS NOT GOING TO ROB THEM AT BEST AND KILL THE FAMILY A GRUESOME DEATH."

I felt frozen, chilled to my very core. I was in shock, unable to comprehend the nightmare that was unfolding before me.

"HEY, look at the newspaper, they speak about you. Do you need me to read it for you? Ah yes, last time you feigned those puppy eyes. I have no heart for a cry-baby. I hate them and they make me vomit."

I couldn't bear to listen any longer. I was drowning in a sea of fear and despair.

"NOW, good reading."

The man proceeded to read an article about the tribunal's decision regarding me. The news was far from favorable. It seemed that the public sentiment had turned against me.

"DECISION OF JUSTICE AT THE TRIBUNAL OF BERLIN:"

The words that followed painted a grim picture. I was seen as a menace, a danger to society.

"The director of the zoo, M. McGyvor, and his staff have been removed from their functions."

The article went on to describe various incidents, painting me as a ruthless predator.

"Children missing in wasteland."

"A scientist in Belgium reported missing, probably dead."

"The church says it's the end of time because this animal is the Beast of the apocalypse."

I couldn't believe the words I was hearing. I was being portrayed as a monster, a threat to humanity.

"The judge has declared: the dragons live in books and myth and must stay in books and myths. We cannot accept a flying T-Rex destroying our way of life for some fanatic protectors of wildlife. The safety and well-being of the people are prior to the animals."

The article ended with applause and approval of the tribunal's decision.

I was overwhelmed by a maelstrom of emotions—rage, fear, sadness, and an overwhelming sense of injustice. It was a profound reminder of the suffering of others throughout history, from black slaves to exploited animals.

"Now, I have a bitter taste of slavery, and it is only the beginning. I am done this time. All people hate me."

I realized that I was truly alone, despised by the world, and I questioned what I should do next. I was still a dragon, but now, I was a dragon without a place in the world.

NORMAL,

I AM DRAGON

WHAT TO DO NOW???