It was quite well known in the village that I kept a bearded dragon in the Valencia Barn
During the colder months it would hibernate in the deep seas of straw that I had prepared
This was unusual as bearded dragons tended to migrate to warmer countries as the months withdrew
I had named the dragon Vienna Blue but did not disclose this to anybody for fear of ridicule
The barn had been built over eighty years ago but had been badly damaged during the war
My grandfather had helped to rebuild the barn with materials from the beach fortifications
This gave the barn a sturdy appearance and I could still find traces of bullet holes in the deep concrete
As a child this pleased me greatly but less so as I grew older and understood the carnage
Quite frequently my wife and I would cycle to the beach and rest on the massive fortifications
Above us the bearded dragons would drift on the sea winds unaware of the histories beneath their wings
It was not uncommon to see the fragile ghosts of those who did not return even on the brightest of days
This was something that we both got used to but could never ever fully accept