When Will I See You Again?

When Will I See You Again?

Daniel, when will I see you again?
After you were gone, Mommy and Daddy told me that I could see you every day if I just looked.
So I looked.
I looked in the trees,
I looked in the flowers,
I looked in the clouds,
I looked in our favorite swimming hole,
I even looked in our secret hiding place.
But Daniel, I couldn’t see you.

I even looked in your bedroom.
I waited for you to jump out from behind the closet doors.
I waited for you to spring forward from behind the big red curtains.
I waited for you to scare me like you always did.
But Daniel, you didn’t jump, or spring, or scare me.
I waited and waited.
I couldn’t hear your loud laugh or hear you yell “Boo.”

The first day I came to visit you in the hospital, your Doctor told me to be strong and brave.
I didn’t want to tell you, but I was scared when I saw you attached to those big, loud, beeping machines.
He said that I could talk to you and tell you stories while you slept.
I knew you would hear me if I only tried.
Daniel, did you hear me?

I told you the story that Mommy and Daddy always told us when we argued.
“The story of Daniel and Dallis,” they would say.
The moment I hatched from Mommy’s egg you were by my side.
Daddy would try and take you outside to play but you refused to leave me in our cave.
When Mommy left to gather food, you would stay and tell me Dragon tales.
You told them over and over again until I knew them by heart.
Daniel, do you remember telling me tales?

As I grew, you taught me how to fly and how to breathe fire.
When I made mistakes you pushed me to try harder.
You didn’t even get mad when I burnt your favorite toy castle.

I would follow you and your friends all through the sky and wish that I could be as big and as strong as you.
You never allowed the boy dragons to make fun of me because I was a girl.
You never allowed them to tease me because I was your little sister.
“That’s my job.” You would say.
I heard you when you didn’t think I was listening.
“Watch out, someday Dallis will breathe fire better than all of you put together.”
You were my brother and my best friend, even if you wouldn’t admit it to me.
But I knew and it was our secret.

The second day at the hospital, I reminded you of our hidden cave.
One afternoon when we didn’t fly straight home from school, we discovered a secret cave filled with shiny treasure.
There was gold and silver everywhere we looked.
Planted in the treasure was a gigantic black flag with the words “PIRATES! KEEP AWAY!” written in bold white letters.

You told me to be brave and to scoop up as much treasure as I could before the Pirates returned.
We carried what seemed an endless amount of gold and silver upon our wings.

As we flew home hidden behind the clouds, we dropped treasure from the sky.
The following morning there it was.
The newspaper headline: Dragonshire’s Stolen Treasure Recovered. Creatures Big and Small Rejoice.

That evening, a huge festival was held in the center of town.
The treasure was returned to all of its’ rightful owners.
We celebrated into the wee hours of the night.
Everyone cheered and wondered who recovered the town’s treasure.
But we knew and it was our secret.

The final day at the hospital, you never woke up, but I told you my favorite story of all.
Daniel, do you remember?
It was that cold snowy morning in Dragonshire.
You and I both had tests at school and asked Mommy if we could stay home and play in the snow.
She was on to us, so off to school we flew.

Along our usual path, we came across our neighbors, Peter and Peggy Polar Bear.
They were trapped underneath a deep snow bank and could not break free.
They were sinking further and further into the snow and losing air to breathe.
With one look, we combined our gusts of fire.

Slowly the snow began to melt.
But something was wrong.
Daniel, your fire ran out.
You began to cough and wheeze.
You said that I would have to melt the snow alone.

I was so frightened and confused.
At that moment I realized that it was more than a cough and a wheeze.
You were sick.
But I had to keep going.
With you cheering me on, I was able to free Mr. and Mrs. Polar Bear.
They were so thankful and climbed right up from the snow to check on you.
When you didn’t think I could hear you said, “That’s my brave little sister.”
I smiled from ear to ear.

Mommy and Daddy told me you went to be with Granny and Granddaddy. They said you will be happy and bigger and stronger than ever.
And Daniel, I can see you everywhere.
I see you in the trees,
I see you in the flowers,

I see you in the clouds,
I see you in our favorite swimming hole,
I even see you in our secret hiding place.
That is my secret.