Chapter 2

I looked at Dr. Sandison thinking he was probably crazy, but I played along, replaying.

"You've lost me."

The doctor stated at me for a few seconds.

"Answer me honestly please. Would you...If offered...Give up your life as a human?"

"Honestly?" I said, the doctor nodded.  I thought about for a minute, If it were possible yeah I guess I would. Sure I'd miss my family, but if it meant a simpler life; No need to worry about money, getting a job, paying bills... then sure, I'd gladly trade it all in for something better hopefully. I looked Dr. Sandison straight in the eye and replied "Yeah I guess I would."

Dr. Sandison looked back at me, studying me. He then got out of his chair went over to the door and locked it before sitting back down behind his desk. He picked up his briefcase, opened it and pulled out a document.

"Mr. Tracey... Sean. You Should cancel that flu jab next week, if you want my trial vaccine. Before I can tell you any more though, your required to sign this confidentiality form." Dr. Sandison pushed the document towards me.

I pulled the form towards me and I briefly skimmed through it. The form basically outlined that anything I'm told I was to keep to myself and not repeat to anyone or face prosecution. Sighing and wondering what type of vaccine this was that required strict confidentiality, I signed the document. My curiosity getting the better of me more than anything.

"You understand that by signing that, everything I'm about to tell you, you're not permitted to repeat to anyone without my expressed permission." Dr. Sandison said as I signed the document

"Yeah, I got the gist of that." I handed him the signed form.

"Thank you" the doctor said as he put the signed form back into his briefcase. "Sean, now I can talk to you with a bit of freedom. I want you to answer one last question. How do you feel about a mythical creature called Dragons?"

"What the hell? Dragons!?" I was slightly taken back by the question, as I thought about my answer. "Personally...I think they're magnificent creatures, weather they were real or not, they were the ultimate predator. Their intelligence pretty much made them rulers of the land and the air."

As I looked up at the doctor he wore a slight smile on his face.

Dr. Sandison thought for a bit before saying, "I'll be honest, I was expecting you to start ridiculing me for the question..."

"The thought had crossed my mind. I don't like to sound rude but are you going to tell me what this is all about? Whats with all the secrecy with that form I Signed?"

"Okay, what I'm about to tell you is highly confidential..." he hesitated for a minute looking at me with a look on his face that suggested that he was daring himself to carry on.
"It is, I should point out also highly illegal. I could be locked up for the rest of my life and the world I've created destroyed if this is ever discovered."

I was concerned at what I've let myself in for, but since I had already signed the form, I felt I should now just see this out.

"Why do I get the feeling this is no experimental flu jab?"

The doctor sighed and again was silent for a minute.

"That's because I'm not offering you the flu jab Sean. I'm offering you something better, but it's a big decision and I must receive an answer by tonight."

"I'm listening" I replied.

"What if I told you there are Dragons in this world and each and every one of them was once human. They have given up everything that they were and embraced a new life. Away from all the stresses and rules that humanity have to live by each and every day."

My jaw dropped, as I was shaking my head in dis-belief. I wanted to believe it, but I knew better than to live on a pipe dream that myself and so many people that I have regularly chatted to online would love to happen to them.

"Feel free to leave now if you don't want to know any more. Just remember, your still tied to that form you signed"

I Stayed where I was.

"My curiosity is getting the better of me. Since I've signed that form of yours, I may as well see it out."

Dr. Sandison just nodded gently.

"About twenty-five years ago, myself and a few of my closest colleagues all shared a dream of bringing dragons into reality. You see, we found a DNA Strand that matched nothing on any of our records, not even our dinosaur database came up with match."

He paused, watching my body language. I just sat there in silence taking it all in.

"I know what your thinking. Yes we were mapping DNA years before the rest of the world, Its when we discovered dragons actually existed one time or another, and don't worry I won't bore you with all the science, needless to say our experiments failed. At first we tried cloning a dragon from stem cells but there was too many complications and the dragon kept dying after a couple of weeks. We went back to the drawing board, our research lead us on to a progressive transformation to a dragon. Our experiment needed a pre-existing form upon which we could craft the DNA piece by piece, unfortunately the only creature that could withstand this process would be humans due to complicated physiological similarities. We created a serum or vaccine that had the ability to transform a human being into a dragon, over a time period of between 24hrs and week. Mainly down to the volunteer."

My mouth was hanging open, I didn't know what to say, I was stunned, speechless. I snapped out of my stupor to ask, "So you've changed a person into a dragon? Are they still themselves or is their mind dragon?"

Dr. Sandison sat there with a smile on his face, "Your taking this well. Anyway to put your mind at ease, yes. I have built a colony of dragons, Population of about a hundred including the hatching's, and everyone who has given up their humanity retained their minds. They're all living simple life's on an isolated island, in a close-nit dragon society. Away from all the stresses humanity has to offer in terms of life."

I wanted it, but I kept thinking it's almost too good to be true, and that this was a huge undertaking.

"You have no idea how tempting your offer is and I so wish I could just yes right here, right now. But I really need to think about what I'm gonna give up. Friends, Family etc."

"I totally understand, I can give you till the end of the week to make a decision. I have your details on record so I can contact you at the end of the week to get your decision. Oh, I need to remind you, you can't tell a soul a word at what you've learned. If word got out Humanity at it's best will want to destroy my work, lock me up, and then destroy my little paradise and imprison my dragons or worse."

I stood up and offered my hand.

"You have my word doc. I won't tell a soul, and I'll have a decision for you by Friday"

Dr. Sandison took my hand and shook it.

"It's a pleasure to know you Sean. I hope you make a decision that's right for you. I'll hear from you on Friday."

He handed me his business card, unlocked the office and showed me out.

"Thank you" I said before headed up to the reception desk, cancelled my flu jab for next week and started to go home. I was just crossing the main road when a car came speeding round the corner at a near-by junction. I didn't react in time to get out of it's way as everything went Black....