Reflections

by Dustin R. Packwood

The two armies collided over the dried out skeleton of what once had been an energetic stream. In the confusion of battle, it was much too difficult to discern the difference between our friends and our hated foes. Finally, I squared up against a young man whose face and garb marked him as a resident of a neighboring territory - but damned if I could remember whom we were fighting today. He was clearly my better, and in short order had slashed open my stomach; my insides spilled over my clumsy, clutching hands as I hacked up a thick wad of congealed blood. Dying did not hurt as much as I had always imagined it would. As the world darkened, I reflected - with only a small amount of sadness - that my entire life had been a waste.

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Dustin R. Packwood, author of The Stream, has spent all 24 years of his life wishing for a pet dragon. He continues to believe that the world would be a better place with wizards, magic, and kingdoms.