Werewolf versus Dragon Read Online Free Page A

werewolf.”
    The Inspector’s pencil lead snapped. “A w-w-w-werewolf?”
    â€œHe lives here,” Dr. Fielding added.
    The Inspector’s eye began twitching. He took a step back from Ulf. “Dr. Fielding, is there somewhere we can talk privately?” he asked.
    â€œWe can go to my office.”
    â€œI need you to tell me everything you know—when and where you found this dragon.”
    Dr. Fielding turned to Ulf. “Ulf, could you give the troll its medicine and check the temperature of the incubator, please?”
    â€œNow?” Ulf asked.
    â€œPlease, Ulf,” Dr. Fielding said. “I won’t be long.”
    Dr. Fielding took Inspector Black to her office, leaving Ulf on his own. He was thinking about the dragon. He imagined it screeching and falling from the sky.
    He headed to the feed store, the largest building in the yard. Picking up a bag of frozen rats, he carried them to a large metal shed, the quarantine unit. He stopped at the big metal door.
    Inside, a troll was thumping the walls. It had been suffering from a highly contagious case of cavern fever. Dr. Fielding had brought it in from Troll Crag to keep an eye on it.
    Beside the door, she had left a bottle of antibiotic pills. Ulf pushed a pill into each of the rats’ rears, thenopened a hatch in the door. He saw the troll’s green eyes in the shadows. It grunted, then stamped its foot and banged the walls. It didn’t like the light. Quickly, Ulf threw the rats in and slid the hatch shut.
    As he walked away, he heard loud thumping and chomping sounds. The troll was eating.
    Ulf headed down the line of buildings, wondering what Inspector Black and Dr. Fielding were saying in her office.
    He opened the door to the hatching bay, a square white shed two buildings along. On a table inside stood a fireproof glass incubation tank.
    In the tank, two chicks were sitting on piles of hot ashes. Ulf could hear them chirping. They were newly born fiery phoenixes, just a day old.
    When fiery phoenixes die, they burst into flames and burn away. From their ashes, their chicks are born.
    Ulf checked the thermometer on the side of the incubator. Two hundred and nineteen degrees Fahrenheit. Just right.
    He watched as a third pile of ashes glowed red hot and another phoenix chick burst into life. Three chicks out of four had hatched already. Dr. Fielding would be pleased.
    Ulf stepped out of the hatching bay and looked across the yard. Dr. Fielding was coming out of Farraway Hall with Inspector Black.
    â€œI must warn you, it is quite upsetting to see,” Dr. Fielding was saying.
    The Inspector smiled. “I see all sorts of things in this job,” he replied.
    Dr. Fielding opened the doors to the operating theater. The Inspector peered inside.
    â€œIt’s been cut open!” he said. The Inspector turned away, holding his hand to his mouth.
    â€œWe had to do an autopsy,” Dr. Fielding explained.
    Inspector Black took a deep breath, then reached into his coat pocket for his notepad.
    â€œWhat exactly is it that you do here?” he asked.“I’m afraid I’m not too familiar with your work. Do you mind if I look around?”
    â€œThere’s quite a lot to see,” Dr. Fielding replied, looking at her watch.
    Ulf ran to the Inspector. “I’ll show you, if you like.”
    The Inspector’s eye twitched. “He doesn’t bite, does he, Dr. Fielding?”
    Dr. Fielding smiled. “You’ll be quite safe with Ulf. I’ll be in my office if you need me.”
    She headed back inside. “Oh, Ulf, please could you check on the Roc and feed the jeepers creepers for me?” she called.
    â€œWill do,” Ulf replied. He led the Inspector to the vehicles in the courtyard. “It’s much too big to see everything on foot.”
    The Inspector took his car keys from his pocket and walked toward his shiny black car. “I’ll drive,” he said.