Courage

The fluorescent lights of the university lecture hall hummed, a familiar, monotonous sound. Professor Davis's voice droned on about European mythology, a subject you’d chosen partly out of a morbid curiosity you refused to acknowledge.

You shifted in your seat, trying to find a comfortable position for the 'lecture pose' you and Linca had perfected – a delicate balance of appearing attentive while actually dozing off. Linca, your best friend, was already comfortably nestled against your shoulder, her soft snores a low counterpoint to the professor's lecture.

Suddenly, a word cut through the academic haze, jolting you awake: "Dragons!" Your heart leaped, a sudden, unpleasant flutter against your ribs. On the screen, an image of a monstrous, scaly creature flashed up, described as a monitor lizard. But the professor's next words – about flying lizards, found across cultures, and Japanese spirits taking dragon form – hit you like a physical blow.

The room began to tilt, the air growing thick and hard to breathe. Unwilling to hear another word, you scrambled from your seat and fled the lecture hall, the professor's voice fading behind you like a bad dream.