The Dragon in the Driveway by Kate Klimo, John Shroades Page A

understand,” Daisy said. “You didn’t grow up here. Every kid in this town has been told, since we were practically born, to stay away from the old mines. They’re very dangerous places. If Poppy knew we had dug up an old mine … he’d be so mad at us….” She shivered.
    Jesse was silent for a few seconds. Then he said, “Do you think he’d still feel that way if he knew we were going into the mine … with a dragon?”
    Just over Jesse’s shoulder, Emmy nodded her head vigorously in support of his argument.
    Daisy sighed.
    “And that the hole into the mine was dug with a magic shovel?” Jesse said with a sly grin.
    “Listen to Jesse Tiger, Daisy Flower,” said Emmy.
    Daisy folded her arms across her chest and scowled at them.
    “And that we are battling against a man who wants to suck all the magic out of the world and make it his?” Jesse added.
    “All right!” Daisy held up both hands in surrender. “You two wait right here while I go back to the barn and get the backpack. I’m pretty sure there’s a flashlight in it. If I’m going to do this crazy thing, I want to at least be able to see where I’m going.”
    Jesse and Emmy fairly hummed with excitement while they stood at the entrance to the mine and waited for Daisy to come back. She returned a few minutes later with the backpack. While she was gone, she had tied a purple bandanna around her head. Jesse stared at it questioningly.
    “Bats,” she explained. “Aren’t old mines always filled with bats?”
    Jesse shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. This is my first time.”
    Daisy set the backpack down, zipped it open,and poked around inside. “One of the energy bars is squished,” she said.
    “I’ll eat that one,” Jesse volunteered cheerfully.
    “And this cabbage head is starting to stink,” said Daisy, wrinkling her nose.
    “Stinky cabbage is my favorite!” Emmy said.
    Daisy continued to rummage. “We also have the jar of magic earthworms Miss Alodie gave us, plus one big ball of string. How useful.”
    “Are you kidding?” Jesse said. “The string will be perfect!”
    “For what?” Daisy asked.
    “To leave a trail of string behind us. If the tunnel branches out into more tunnels, we’ll be able to find our way back out.”
    “You hope,” said Daisy.
    Jesse forged ahead optimistically. “Look, Daze, what’s the worst thing that can happen to us?”
    “We run into St. George and his band of vicious hobgoblins?” Daisy said grouchily.
    “St. George’s onions,” Emmy said with a sage nod of her head.
    “Minions,” Daisy corrected with a reluctant smile. Finally, she found the flashlight. She shook it, rattling the battery in the cylinder, and then switched it on. “When was the last time wechanged the batteries?” she asked Jesse.
    “Last week,” Jesse replied. “So that means we’re all set to go.”
    “Almost,” said Daisy. She pulled the dog leash out of the backpack. “Emmy, you’re going to have to wear this while we’re in the mine.”
    “Not that old stinker,” said Emmy, rearing back. “Not me. Leashes are for
dogs.
Emmy is a
dragon princess
!”
    Daisy said, “Sure. Fine. Have it your way, Your Majesty. No leash, no mine. It’s your choice. ’Cause we can’t have you gallivanting around loose down here in the dark.”
    “But Daisy Flower has a very bright flashlight, so it will not be dark at all,” Emmy pointed out coyly.
    “Nice try,” said Jesse.
    Emmy pouted. “Oh, all right, I will wear the stinky thing,” she said, lowering her long blue-green neck so Daisy could attach the leash to the collar.
    Emmy set off, straining at the leash. Jesse and Daisy followed, Jesse holding the other end of the leash and Daisy beaming the flashlight ahead into the old mine tunnel.
    They hadn’t gotten very far when a deafening roar filled the air. The ground all around them began to rumble and shake. Up ahead, Emmyimmediately transformed, collapsing into a quivering, whimpering heap of