Elodia's Dragon by Jerry Skell Read Free Book Online Page A

up and dressed quickly. She braided her hair washed her hands and face; presenting herself at the breakfast table. The canal barge was meant for carrying bulk cargo but it had two small cabins forward for passengers. The small cabin had two main births and two canvas births above the main births. These were kept rolled unless in use. It also had a small iron stove and commode.
    The captain's wife handled the meals. The captain, his wife, their four-year-old son David Michael, two men, a father, and son from the second cabin, two crewmen and Myrtle and Elodia sat for breakfast. They had been on the canal for twelve days. David Michael, as usual, sat next to Elodia talking to her.
    "David Michael, you are talking that poor girl’s ears off," his mother said.
    "I really don't mind at all Patricia," Elodia said. "He reminds me of my little brother." She gently ruffled his hair as he talked.
    After the meal, Myrtle and Elodia helped with the dishes and clean up while the crew left the boat to tether it to the mules that would pull it along the canal. It only took a few minutes and they were off down the canal.
    "It's unusually cold for this time of year," Patricia said as she dried the dishes as Elodia handed them to her. She kept a watchful eye on her son as he fearlessly climbed all over the boat.
    "Will the canal freeze?" Elodia asked.
    "It did a few years ago, but that was unusual. The water is just terribly cold. You are both heading for Bountiful?"
    "I have family there," Myrtle replied.
    "I understand you'll be continuing your studies to be a healer?" Patricia said looking at Elodia.
    "That and hopefully reuniting with my fiancé."
    Their progress halted as they entered a lock. They tied up to the side and waited while another down-bound barge slipped into the lock. David Michael used the event to jump repeated between the boats in spite of his parent's protests. Elodia sat on the cabin top and marveled as the water level dropped lowering the boats to the next canal. The mules were hitched and they continued westward.
    Later in the day the captain and crew were off the boat to exchange the mules. This took place at least three times a day so they always had fresh mules. The mules were owned by the canal company and would hire them out. David Michael had been having a difficult day as he had enormous energy and curiosity. He had been leaning over the gunwales trying to entice ducks to take bread from his hand when he fell into the canal.
    Patricia, witnessing the fall, immediately jumped in after him both disappearing in the muddy water. Elodia pulled off her boots and pulling her dress and petticoat off over her head jumped into the water. The initial shock of hitting the cold nearly freezing water drove the breath from Elodia. She allowed herself to sink and touching a person in the water grasped her in her arms and kicked hard to the surface with Patricia in her arms.
    Patricia gasped and wept protesting as she was lifted on board. Myrtle had her lay on her side as she vomited river water. Elodia then made a series of dives to the bottom and on her third dive, she encountered David Michael. She held him tightly and pulled him to the surface. The child was lifted out of the water and laid on the deck, then Elodia was lifted out. Elodia was shivering and dripping wet as she knelt at his side. She breathed into his mouth as Myrtle felt for a pulse.
    Again and again, she breathed into the child. Myrtle looked into her eyes and shook her head.
    "NOOOO!" Elodia screamed as she reached out to the child. Her hands began to glow as she touched him. Myrtle joined her, her hands also glowing as they combined their skills, healer, and witch. Elodia felt her lungs fill with cold fluid as she realized she was taking the child's injury and accepted more and more until her breathing faltered. Elodia hoped to take all the child's injury, willing to die if need be to save David Michael.
    Then David Michael took a breath, then a second and