Skeleton Smoke Useless

The dragon came at dusk. We watched from the deck, sails hanging limp in the breezeless tropics, escape useless.

The ship rose and fell on the idling swell. The crew stood their ground, weapons ready, cannon primed.

‘The cannon will get it?’ The sailor let hope into his voice.

‘Only if the bugger flies at ship level.’

The great membraned wings lifted, fell, in mocking tune with the waves. We could sense its black-souled eyes searching us, see the great tongue slide between shark-like teeth, antic...