Free Lion by Jeff Stone

tongue.
    The trike somehow righted itself, and I scrambled for the brake lever, my helmet still over my eyes. I found the cranks, but the brake lever was no longer attached. I tried to throw myself free of the cycle, but I was solidly strapped in. The driver honked, and I heard tires squeal.
    I was low enough to the ground that I could press my hands against the street, so I did. The padded palms of my riding gloves snagged and skittered over the rough asphalt as I pushed by entire body weight against my arms, but it was no use. In fact, it made matters worse. The cycle began to wobble, and it toppled over again as I reached the bend in the road.
    I hit the low stone wall with a
THUMP
and the world went black.

“Are you alive?” I recognized Hú Dié’s voice.
    I opened my eyes to find her and a stranger staring down at me. I blinked, and Hú Dié smiled.
    “Just a flash knockout,” Hú Dié said. “He’ll be fine.”
    “We don’t know that,” the stranger said. It was a middle-aged woman who looked vaguely familiar.
    “Ms.… Bettis?” I said.
    “That’s right,” Ms. Bettis replied. “Peter told me that you were coming to visit, but I hardly recognize you. You’ve … grown.”
    “Yeah,” I said, shifting my weight so that I could unstrap myself from the custom racing handcycle that I’d just demolished.
    “No, no! Don’t move!” Ms. Bettis said. “I need to call an ambulance.”
    I thought about how dragon bone made me heal
like a mutant
, as Jake had said. I ran my tongue around theinside of my mouth and realized that it wasn’t bleeding anymore. My gloves were shredded and appeared to be bloodstained, but my palms were dry. I balled my fists to hide the stains. The last thing I needed was anyone, especially paramedics, freaking out over my instant healing.
    “I’m okay,” I said, pushing myself up onto one elbow and quickly releasing the strap around my waist with my thumbs. “See?”
    I unstrapped my ankles and rolled away from the trike. I stood, and my abdomen began to cramp. I didn’t want Ms. Bettis to see me in pain, so I bent over and pretended to scratch my stomach.
    “Feels like I’ve got a little road rash on my torso,” I said, trying to make my voice sound normal. “All I need is a shower, and I’ll be good as new.”
    “Are you sure?” Ms. Bettis asked.
    “Positive. You live next door to Peter; come check on me anytime.”
    “I guess—” she said.
    Ms. Bettis was interrupted by Jake and Phoenix hurrying down the street. Peter was ahead of them on a mountain cycle similar to the one Hú Dié was riding. He eased down the steep slope with far more agility and control than Jake and Phoenix, who were jogging in awkward, loping strides.
    “Ryan!” Peter called out. “Are you okay? Why are you hunched over?”
    “I’m fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “Just a little road rash on my stomach.”
    “Whoa,” Jake said, stopping before me. “Look at his brain bucket. It’s toast.”
    “Good thing I’ve got a hard head to go along with a solid helmet,” I said.
    “You don’t look so great,” Peter said. “Kind of pale. Do you have double vision?”
    “Yeah,” Jake said. “How many of me do you see?”
    “Fortunately, only one,” I said.
    Jake laughed.
    “He sounds fine to me,” Phoenix said. “He looks normal, too. Or as normal as an overdeveloped teenager can. The handcycle, not so much.”
    “I don’t care about the cycle,” Peter said. “It can be replaced. Ryan can’t. Do you want me to call an ambulance, Ryan?”
    “No,” I said. “Ms. Bettis already offered. I’m fine.”
    “Let’s get this mess out of the street, then,” Peter said. “Phoenix, Jake—can you drag the handcycle up the street?”
    “Put it in my trunk,” Ms. Bettis said. “I’ll drive it up the hill. I’ll drive Ryan up, too.”
    “That’s very nice of you,” Peter said. “Thank you. Jake and Phoenix, this is my neighbor, Ms. Bettis. You guys load the