The Orphans

In the small town of Devonsville, lived a group of orphans. The age range between the orphans varied. The youngest was four while the oldest was twelve. The tragic thing was that they were all very young kids. Many of which never even knew their parents' faces. Each orphan had a different story to tell. Many came from different walks of life but eventually, ended up together. SOme orphans lost their parents in an accident. Some were given up. Some were even abandoned, like the leader of the orphans, Jack.

Jack was twelve years old. And because he was the oldest, he was their unoffical leader. He was in charge of all the other orphans and was to make sure they were taken care of and treated properly by the others.

A kind of code among the orphans was that when one of them leaves, the oldest after the previous leader shall take over and protect and take care of the others. In this case, it was Jack who was to be named the next leader. Ironically, the previous leader was actually the one who found Jack after he was abandoned. No one knew what the last leader's real name was. Everyone called him Jay. Jack and Jay were close and eventually, Jack began to look at Jay as his older brother. The only real family he ever had.

Jay found Jack when he was 14. It was a rainy day and as Jay walked past an alley, he noticed a baby laying on the ground, crying. The baby had no clothes or anything. Jay took the child with him, not wanting to let the baby boy die in the rain. Jay was in fact the one who named Jack. But when Jay turned 22, he left the orphans in Jack's hands. Since then, Jack had never heard from Jay since.

Jack watched the youngest orphans playing together. His attention turned to the other orphans soon after. The youngest orphans were playing space man, while the second youngest(Ranging from seven to nine) were using a single piece of chalk, most likely left behind by another little kid, to draw different pictures. After each child was done with their drawing, they would pass the chalk to the next one. Their drawings ranged from pictures of animals. To superheroes. Some even being of what they thought their parents looked like.

"Jack!" The oldest orphans after Jack shouted.

"What's going on?" Jack asked.

"It's the four to six year olds. They're starting to fight over the chalk!" One of the older orphans explained.

Jack got off of the park table and walked over to the youngest of the group.

"Give me it, stupid!" The five year old boy shouted.

"No! You got your turn! It's my turn to draw!" The four year old girl replied.

The six year old didn't say anything. Even at a very young age, he knew not to get into arguements like this. He watched as his friends and only family argued back and forth, which resulted in the boy pushing the girl down.

The little girl started to cry. "I'm telling Jack!" She shouted.

Jack noticed the youngest of his fellow orphans running towards him, crying. He bent down to get at her level and hugged her.

"What's wrong, Sarah? Why are you crying?" He asked.

Sarah sniffled. "Kenny...he..."

"What did Kenny do?"

Sarah's voice started to become strained. "I wanted to borrow the chalk."

"Okay..." Jack replied, letting her know he was listening.

"But Kenny...he wouldn't let me have it."

"Was it Kenny's turn to use the chalk?" Jack asked.

Sarah sniffed again. "Yeah..." she said, looking at the ground.

"Well you need to wait your turn, Sarah. I know you like to draw and we all really like your drawings. But you need to let other people have a chance. So what happened then?"

"Kenny pushed me and I fell and scrapped my arm!" Sarah exclaimed, crying louder.

Jack wrapped his arms around Sarah and gave her a big hug, hoping to calm her down.

"Sarah, you wait here. I'll talk to Kenny."

"Thanks, big brother." Sarah said, smiling as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Despite that only two of the orphans were related by blood, all of them came to look at each other as siblings. Jack, in particular, was always refered to as "big brother" by the other orphans. Even the orphans that were close in age to him called him their big brother. And to Jack, they were all his little brothers and sisters and he loved them like true siblings.

"Kenny, come here!" Jack commanded.

Kenny and the six year old boy both walked up to Jack.

"Kenny, why did you push Sarah?"

"She wanted to use the chalk and it was my turn!" Kenny exclaimed in a whiny voice.

"That doesn't mean you can push her. I want you to go apologize to her." Jack ordered again.

"But..."

"Now, Kenny!"

Jack watched as Kenny walked towards Sarah and apologized to her. He handed Sarah the piece of chalk, offering to let Sarah draw.

Jack smiled, proud of his little brother. Just then, he felt a drop hit his face. The sky began to grow dark as it started to rain.

"C'mon, guys! Let's get back home!" Jack said.

Jack as well as the other orphans ran for their home, which was actually just a large, rundown factory. It wasn't the greatest place but it was the only home they ever really had.

The youngest orphans ran for their beds and got under the covers, trying to get warm.

"Jack." The eleven year old asked.

"What's up, Cassie?" Jack asked back.

"What're we gonna do for dinner?"

"I'll go talk to Gus and see if he can give us some food."

"Then...can I come too?" Cassie asked, blushing.

"Yeah. Just hold on. Let me give an announcement."

Jack cleared his throat.

"Everyone, listen up! I'm heading over to Gus' place to get us some food! TJ's gonna be in charge till me and Cassie get back!" And with that, the two eldest orphans exited the factory and headed into town. Leaving ten year old TJ in charge.

The rain smacked against Jack and Cassie's bodies, their hair getting more and more damp the longer they were in the rain.

Jack brought his hands to his hair and pushed his brown, greasy hair back. Cassie did the same.

"Jack..." Cassie said.

"What's up, Cass?" He replied.

Cassie looked at the ground, nervous. "...Nothing."

Jack wondered what she wanted to say to him. It didn't bother him much as they made their way to Gus'.

Jack and Cassie walked up to a restaurant, ironically named Gus', after its owner.  The restaurant was vacnt with no people seated at any of the tables. The old man at the register noticed the two little orphans walking towards him. His old eyes lit up and a warm, friendly smile appeared on his face. He walked over to the kids.

"Jack! Cassie, it's so good to see you!" He said, hugging the both of them.

"Hey, Gus." The kids said at the same time.

Gus was a man of African descent. He was also one of the only people in town who welcomed the orphans with open arms. In fact, the orphans considered him their closest friend in the whole town besides themselves.

"So what can I do for you two today?" Gus asked, smiling.

"We were wondering if you could give us some dinner. I have a little bit of money but..."

"Now you put that away, Cassie! You know as long as I see you kids happy then I feel like I'm bring payed." He said.

"Thanks, Gus." Jack said, smiling.

"Anytime." And Gus headed back into the kitchen to prepare some food for the orphans.

After five minutes, Gus came back out with the food.

"Here you go, guys. Hope you like it." Gus said, handing the kids two bags of food.

"Thanks, Gus!" The kids said, walking out of the restaurant.

"Let's hurry home before the food gets cold!" Jack said.

"Good idea!"

Jack and Cassie ran as fast as they could for the factory. Eventually making it home.

"They're back!" The nine year old orphan shouted.

All the orphans ran to Jack as he sat the food down on a table. Each orphan took one box of food from one of the two bags and began eating. The food Gus had prepared for them was burger and fries with the occasional lettuce, tomato slice, and pickle. A half an hour later, the orphans finished eating.

With full stomachs, the orphans slept peacefully. Jack however, awoke to a stinging pain in his stomach. He figured it may have been diarreha so he got up and was about to make his way to the bathroom when the pain began to get worse.

"Oww!" He said, quietly as to not wake up the others. The pain began to move up from his bowls and made its way into his stomach. Jack had no idea what kind of sickness he had but whatever it was, it kept moving upwards, making its way into his esophagus. He felt like he would throw up. His mouth began to burn as he opened his mouth to let it out, unleashing a fire ball from his throat. The fire ball flew a few feet before dying out.

"What...was that?" Jack asked no one in particular.

Even though the pain in his stomach was gone, his fingers began to ache. He looked in shock and horror as his fingernails grew, growing over the tips of his fingers and hardening. Somehow, his fingernails had become claws! But...how?

The same happened with his other hand. His thumbs and pinkies' nails didn't gain claws however. Instead they retracted into his hand, leaving only three fingers on each hand. Each with a claw. His new claws began to change color as they turned a deep blue.

Jack's muscles began to grow. Muscles surrounded his legs as his feet burst from his shoes. He noticed they were bigger now. They were digitigrade. His new feet also began to grow claws as his big toes and little toes retreated into his feet, giving them the same look as his hands.

Jack felt something press against his shorts. He looked behind himself, noticing a big lump in the middle of the back of his shorts. He soon discovered what it was as it tore the back of his shorts, forming a red, lizardlike tail. His new tail had a pointed fin at the end. Sharp spikes grew from him as they ran from the top of his head, down his back, ending at the tip of his tail.

"Geehhh....AAAUUUGAAHH!!" Jack screamed in pain.

The other orphans got up to see what was oging on. They saw Jack, now with bigger feet, claws and a tail. They looked in shock at what was happening to their friend and leader.

Jack's shoulder blades began to sting. He shut his eyes and yelled as twin leathery wings grew from his shoulders. Their red membranes a deep blood red while the rest was piercing blue scales.

"What's HAPPENING to me???!!!" Jack shouted in agonizing pain.

Jack fell over in pain as his transformation continued. Blue scales grew over his feet, giving them a more reptilian look. His body began to expand and grow and his neck felt like it was growing longer. A sharp pain occured in Jack's legs as bones snapped and muscles grew, giving his legs a more animalish look to them. He tried to stand back up but his legs wouldn't allow it. He now had a quadruped posture.

"Jack, what's going on?!" The orphans asked, teary eyed as they watched helplessy and unable to as their big brother was in intense pain.

Jack's head began to ache as it slowly became the head of a dragon. His heart felt like it would rip out of his chest as it became stronger, bigger and more powerful. The heart of a dragon.

Twin horns pushed their way out of Jack's skull as his hair fell out everywhere. His neck expanded a little as his body gained more length. By now, Jack was 6 ft as a human. His body only continued to gain more mass from there.

His ears stetched and grew. They slowly began to grow and lengthen, becoming beautifully finned ears. Like his wings, his ears now had red membranes with blue scales. His face began to push out, becoming a long snout.

His clothing could no longer cover his body as both his shirt and shorts ripped apart. His tail and wings gained more length to support his new body. His eyes stung for a short time. Jack closed his eyes as they became slitted orbs with a blue iris. Hs body grew to eight feet. The final step in his transformation was his tongue. It began to ache badly as Jack felt it pratically cut itself right down the middle. With that, Jack's transformation ceased and he now stood before everyone as an eight foot tall dragon.

He sat down like a dog and raised his left paw. He looked it over, not believeing this dragon's paw was really his. But why did he become a dragon? That's what made no sense to him.

"Jack?" Cassie asked.

"Cassie, what happened to me?" Jack asked, his voice still kind of the same but a tad deeper.

"I don't know. None of us do."

Jack looked at everyone. The youngest children were scared. Only TJ and Cassie weren't scared of Jack as he now was. They noticed the fear in the younger childrens' eyes. They couldn't believe the person they looked up to and depended on became a beast.

"C'mon, guys! Stop being scared! It's still Jack! It'll always be him!" Cassie exclaimed.

"Cassie..."

The youngest of the orphans, Sarah, walked up to the dragon and looked at him. Even as a very small child, she could still tell that this dragon was in fact the person who had cared for her and protected her her whole life. Sarah walked up to the dragon and hugged him. Just as he had done so many times before. Taking note of Sarah's bravery and love of Jack, the other orphans walked up to Jack and gathered around him, each one hugging him.

This surprised Jack. Even as a dragon, they didn't care. He was himself. The person who cared for them and looked over them. Their guardian.

Jack felt a tear stream down his face. He didn't even know dragons could cry. He lowered his head and the younger orphans nuzzled up against him. Jack couldn't cease his tears. He never knew his family. He never got to experience the love of a parent for their child. No. What he had was just as good. It was the love of his siblings. They didn't care if he was a dragon or not. They loved him just the way he was.

Sometime later, after Jack's transformation, a man with dark hair and a blue shirt made his way into the factory. Jack, at the time, was sleeping. He gasped at the sight he saw.

"Jack?" He whispered softly.

The dragon's eyes began to open. His eyes becoming wide eyed upon seeing the man in front of him.

"Jay?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, Lil' Bro. It's me." Jay said. He put his arms on Jack's snout and hugged him as both cried tears of happiness from having not seen each other for three years.

"Jay, I missed you!" Jack said, crying.

The other orphans watched with warm hearts. Cassie had never felt so happy for Jack now that he got to see his big brother again.

"I bet you're wondering what happened to you, right?" Jay asked.

"You're a dragon, Jack. I told you that I found you as a baby, abandoned. I decided I'd take care of you and raise you like a sibling." Jay explained.

"So I was a dragon when you found me? Do you know where my parents are?" Jack asked, sounding hopeful.

Jay looked down. "I'm sorry, Jack. They're dead."

"No..." Jack said to himself, quietly.

"I'm really sorry." Jay said, sympathetically.

"That's okay. I never knew my parents. But I did get to know my other family. The family I've known my whole life. And you, big brother. You don't need to be sorry. I love you. I love all of you." Jack said.

The orphans and Jay walked up to Jack again and hugged him. Jack knew they were his family. A family that would accept him for him. He didn't need to leave them. No. He decided he'd stay with them forever. As their guardian.