The Lion-Thing

It's a short story I wrote ages ago. It kinda sucks, but I'm bored and if I don't start uploading more, people will think I'm boring. >.<

Anyway, as I say, this is so small, this should only take a couple of pages. I am NOT going to be working on it. Just... read it okay? Post a comment- I'm a bored and lonely person and your comments are the only happy thing in my life XD

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The main street was packed, crowds of people milling around, browsing the brightly coloured tents and stalls that always traded their wares on a Sunday. I poked my head up, but couldn’t see anyone I recognised. My friends Samantha and Madison were supposed to be meeting me outside this cafe. I took a seat, itching to spend the money that was burning a hole in my pocket at the cute little jewellery stall.

Out the corner of my eye, I spotted something near the drain, glinting gold in the midday sun. I bent down to pick it up, thinking it was a dollar coin. As I touched it, I flinched. It was icy cold, so cold that I had to flip it from hand to hand. This confused me. It had been lying in the baking heat, how could it be so cold? It was a small, seemingly solid gold ball, but it was light as paper, I could hardly feel myself holding it. I shoved it in my pocket for close examination later.

My friends had shown up, and, as we shopped and chatted, I couldn’t help wanting it to be over, just so I could look at the ball again. I thumbed it in my pocket. I wasn’t as enthusiastic as I had been before, and Samantha had noticed.

“Amy. Are you okay? Usually you love to shop!"

“I know...um, I’m not feeling too great today. I think I’ve got a cold.” I lied, hoping it sounded convincing. I added in a sneeze for good measure.

Samantha eyed me, clearly suspicious.

When they had gone home, and I was about to call my mum to pick me up, I decided to sit on a picnic bench near me and investigate the ball more closely. It was still freezing cold, like a snowball, but now it was pulsing, vibrating as though there might be something shivering inside. I rolled it around the table gently, tapping it. I nearly jumped out of my skin when it squealed, like a piglet, rocking back and forth violently.

The thought then came to me: perhaps this was not a simple gold ball, as I had first thought. Perhaps it wasn’t even solid, but that it was an egg.

I phoned my mother and she came and picked me up.

“Did you buy something nice sweetie?”

“Only a necklace...and I bought you a pair of earrings!” I piped up.

“Aww, you didn’t have to do that just for your mummy! You are such a lovely little girl, honey.” It seemed like mum was yelling, and the window was open. I blushed and sank lower in my seat, rolling my eyes. I couldn’t wait for next year when I’d finally be sixteen and able to drive. Then I wouldn’t have to put up with mum embarrassing me. I fiddled with the egg, worrying about what to do with it.

*

As soon as I burst into the doorway, I rushed up to my bedroom, kicking my joggers off as I went, leaving them lying haphazardly over the stairs. I sat on my bed, cradling the little gold egg.

I moved my desk lamp onto the windowsill, where sunlight streamed in from outside. I cut a smallish, egg-shaped hole in box full of tissues and nestled the strange egg in it, tucking them around like blankets. I was sure this was an egg, I could definitely feel faint stirrings that could be nothing other than a baby...something. I craned the lamp as far as it would go and switched on so that it beamed directly onto the egg.