by Matthew Gallagher

Part 4

    Don lay in front of the bars that formed the entrance of the Wish-Bird's mountainside cage.  Smoke trailed out of his nostrils as he sighed through his nose.  His great arms were folded in front of him so that his head could rest on them as he tap-tap-taped his talons on the rock.

    "So, tell me, my little Wish-Bird, when are you going to do this little thing that I ask of you?  Just one of your wish eggs, and I shall release you from your imprisonment."

    In the far back shadows of the cage, something scratched at straw.

    "At least do me the favour of telling me why you will not."

    Two eyes blinked in the darkness.

    The dragon breathed heavily, and the air was filled with a sulfurous smell.

    "Lay -- me -- that -- egg -- now!"

    There was a quiet squeal from inside the cage, and the sound of something dropping to the floor.

    "Dodo," the Dragon commanded.

    "Doh! Doh doh doh, doh!"  The Dodo hopped and flapped twice and then opened the cage and went into its inky darkness.  A moment later it came out kicking a large green object the size of a football.  The sunlight set the emerald ablaze with verdant fire.  "Look, look!  A gem! A jewel!  A ruby!"

    "Another emerald," the Dragon corrected.  He picked it up and tossed it into the mouth of a cave nearby.  It landed with clink! As if it had hit other gems of the same kind.  "Perhaps one more day in this cage will make the Wish-bird a bit more... compliant.  I have work to do."

    Snaking its massive head around toward the brush where the Cassowaries lived, the Dragon nearly knocked the Dodo to the ground.

    "Doh!"

    When the Dragon was gone the Dodo peered through the bars into the cage.  "You should give him what he wants.  You should, you should."

    "I cannot," said a soft voice from the back of the dark cage.

    "The Dragon is good to us, he is.  He takes care of us."

    "This island is a prison, and he is the warden."

    "Our home, our home, this island is our home."

    "This island may be your home, but it's not mine.  The Dragon took me from my home and brought me here against my will."

    "He saved me.  Saved me from the sailorhunters."

    "You're the last of your kind, aren't you?  The only Dodo left."

    "I am, I am, I am, doh!"

    "Then you know what it is like to be unique.  If I do not leave here soon, there won't even be the chance of another one like me."

    This made the Dodo Bird flap its little wings in consternation.  "Doh!  But if you give the Dragon what he wants, then he'll let you go!"

    "No, he'll keep me here afterwards.  Once he gets what he wants he'll want more wish eggs from me.  And more.  He'd never let me go.  You are the last of your kind.  You know how I feel.  I don't want to be the last of my kind.  You could help me.  Open this cage and help me escape the island."

    The Dodo walked around in a circle, its head cocked to one side.  "I doh! don't know... that would make the Dragon awfully mad at me.  Awfully mad!"

    A horrible shriek raked the air around them, followed by an explosive POP!  To the northeast, a small cloud of smoke and flame shot up over the trees.  The sounds of feathers flapping and branches cracking and birds squawking rose from the bush.

    "Awfully mad..." said the Dodo, who walked rapidly in circles several times.

    The blonde thought she looked rather fetching with her new kerchief on her head, in striped shirt and sailor's pants.

    She leaned over the port side of the deck and watched as a pod of dolphins raced the ship.

    Her companion arched her back from where she was bent over, swabbing the deck.

    "I could use some help here."

    "You're doing a fine job."

    "You're turn to swab.  My turn to get sea-sick."

    "Oh, all right."  The blonde picked up the mop that stood next to her and began to wash down the planks.  Footsteps clomped close to them.

    "Seester Solita, Seester Lunita, how are you doing today?"

    "We're simply smashing, Senor Doody," smiled the blonde as she washed the mop over his boots.  He stepped backward twice.  Senor Doody had named the young ladies Solita and Lunita, because he said it was not right that the nuns of a holy order should not have names.  "So tell me more about this treasure for which we are hunting, Senor."

    "We are not hunting for anything.  You are guests on my ship, working off your passage home."  Cap'n. Curly marched up.  "At least one of you is working off your passage."

    Sister Lunita looked at Solita and gasped in exasperation.  She had swabbed the deck the entire morning while Solita had flirted with the "sailors" and watched the ocean "to get their bearings."

    "Fine," she said, "if I'm not working hard enough to pay for the privilege of being on this luxury liner, toss me overboard."

    "Don't tempt me," Curly shot back.

    "We are very thankful for being here, Captain.  If your...salvage ship had not happened by our little raft, I don't know what would have become of us.  Oh, Sister Lunita, would you kindly take over for me now?  My back is simply aching."

    "Of course, Sister," Lunita said through clenched teeth as she caught the mop that Solita tossed to her.

    "Although we are a poor order, Captain," Solita said, with eyes cast downward piously, "I know that the Mother Superior will be very relieved and grateful when we return safely to the convent."

    Curly looked at her, as though he were trying to look through her.  "You know where you came from then?"

    Solita looked to the Heavens.  "Well, I remember a bit more each day.  Most of it is so fuzzy, though."

    Doody clapped his hands together loudly and shouted, "Praise Dio!  I hev hope soon your memory returns to you fully.  Then we will hev the blessings of two holy and pious nuns to guide us on our quest, si!"

    "Two holy and pious nuns... right..." Curly turned sharply on his heal and strode off to inspect the mizzen.

    "He's a ray of sunshine," said Sister Lunita.

    "He ees a man on a mission, Seester.  He ees a good man, deep down in hees corazon."

    "Well, that is a relief to hear!" Solita declared.  "I think I remember that these waters were supposed to be inhabited by pirates.  And how terrible it would be if we had been picked up by pirates, instead of this salvage ship.  Senor Doody, what time is the mid-day meal served?"

    "Soon, Seester Solita, soon!  Would you like to come weeth me to see what the galley is preparing?"

    "Oh, that would be lovely.  Carry on, Sister Lunita.  Remember, by serving man, we serve God!  I shall return presently!"

    Sister Lunita grumbled as she splashed dirty water all over the deck.