Ben the Dragonborn Read Free

idea, a very bad idea.”  Nevertheless he crawled underneath the table with Denzel.
    At the end of the table, Denzel crawled between two bookshelves, then stood and sprinted to the far end of the library.  Ben followed.  At the far end of the library Denzel dropped to the ground and pushed himself underneath a study desk.  Ben stood staring down at him as Denzel gestured in silence for Ben to crawl underneath another desk.  Ben stood undecided.  It was not too late to leave, but he had to make a quick decision.  Someone was coming.  The steps were getting closer and closer.  They were checking to make sure no one was left inside the library.  Finally Ben made up his mind and dropped to the ground.  He pushed himself underneath a second study desk.  The footsteps stopped between the desks where Ben and Denzel lay hidden. It was a trusted grade 12 student appointed to monitor the halls and make sure the rules were not being broken by students.  Ben held his breath until the feet turned and walked away.  After a moment a door closed and the library was silent.
    “This is a bad idea,” Ben repeated as he climbed out from under the desk.  “Very bad idea.”  
    “Yeah, probably, but at least it’s not boring,” Denzel replied.  Being bored seemed to be the one thing in life that Denzel was frightened of, perhaps the only thing, from what Ben could tell. 
    “Nobody gets a chance to be bored around you,” Ben muttered.  “A little boredom would be welcome now and then.”   
    “Let’s go,” Denzel said.  Ben did not need to ask where. 
    Denzel pushed open the door with its “ENTRY FORBIDDEN WITHOUT SPECIAL PERMISSION” sign and Ben followed him in. They both knew it was a mistake as soon as they stepped through the door. There was a loud clang as the door bolted behind them and the lights went out. Since there were no windows in the forbidden section of the library it was very dark.  Ben whirled around and felt for the door handle. It confirmed his suspicion that they were locked in. 
    “O.K. What are we going to do now?”  Ben asked in a squeaky voice.   
    “Look around,” said Denzel, as he dug into his pocket and produced a small flashlight.
    In another part of the castle a bell was ringing.  Three teachers, including Phil Tanner, sprinted back towards the library.  
    Denzel swung the flashlight first this way and then that.  The light rested briefly on a sign: Zargon.  In the middle of the library were several small tables with books open on them.  Denzel walked to the nearest table and ran his flashlight over the books.  He picked up one whose cover read, “The Six Worlds: Their Similarities and Differences.” He turned to the table of contents. Listed in alphabetical order were six worlds:  Earth, Farne, Lushaka, Mellish, Toregan and Zargon.  Denzel turned his flashlight away from the book to the “Zargon” sign. He shone the flashlight around the room and found the other five signs.  He turned back to the book and opened it to the section on Zargon. “The most important difference between Zargon and other worlds,” the book began, “is that dragon’s still live on Zargon, while they have disappeared from the other worlds where they once existed.” 
    That was as far into the book as Denzel, with Ben looking over his shoulder, was able to read.  They heard the library door open and close. Denzel turned off his flashlight and put it away seconds before Phil Tanner opened the door of the darkened room.  Phil Tanner found them standing in the dark and was unaware of the flashlight in Denzel’s pocket.
    “Out! Now!” Phil Tanner thundered.  He hustled the boys out and said, “I will see you tomorrow.  And I would count on a very long detention if I were you.”
    Ben groaned.  Detention meant working in the kitchen - peeling potatoes, loading the dishwasher and washing pots and pans.
    The boys were escorted to the stairs and ushered out of the building.