Baby Discord

The Basket in the Park

I had been walking down the block, casually humming to the music from my Flips Audio headphones when an outside sound managed to slip in.

I paused the music and lowered my headphones. All was quiet.

"Hello?" The sound came again, soft and barely heard, it was coming from the park. I stepped over the line of bushes and walked into the shaded area.

"Is anyone there?" The sound came again, muffled but closer. Just as I took another step, I tripped over something and landed on my face. A muffled wail began ringing out.

I sat up, and saw a basket. There was a note attached to the lid that said; Please take care of my baby boy, his name is Discord.

Baby? Oh no... I crawled over and opened to lid. The color instantly drained from my face.

For laying on a worn blue blanket was a tiny cartoon creature that looked like several different animals mashed together. His yellow and red eyes saw me and he stopped crying. He observed me for a moment before smiling and reaching up to me with happy wiggling arms.

My jaw promptly hit the ground.

"No no no no...I don't know a thing about child care. I can play with kids but care for them..." I trailed off, nervously staring at the tiny creature.

"Well...since you want up so bad..." I carefully reached in and scooped him up under his arms.

He gurgled and reached for me, I stared at him unamused.

"You're kinda strange looking aren't you?" But he only blinked before prompting sticking his lion paw hand into his mouth.

I rolled my eyes before switching to a one arm hold to see what else was in the basket. There wasn't anything other then the blanket but there was more to the note.

P.S. He does have special powers that will present themselves as he grows up. P.S.S. He loves candy.

"Candy?" I glanced at him. "Really?" He gurgled and grabbed ahold of my brown hair, yanking sharply.

"Ow!" I prided him off and plopped him back in the basket, standing quickly. "Well I'm too young to have a kid and you're not my problem." I turned and began walking away.

But I only got two steps before the crying started.

I stopped, listened to it for a few seconds, before I sighed, groaned, and snatching him up from the basket to hold at eye level.

"WHAT?!?!"

He looked at me for a silent moment before clapping his hand with a baby giggle and reaching for my face again.

In that moment, something softened inside me and I loosened up as a smile tugged at my lips.

Carefully, I pulled him towards me and held him against my side. He gurgled before grabbing onto my shirt and closing his eyes. I smiled as I picked up the basket and tucked the note in my pocket, lightly patting his short black mane.

"Discord..." I whispered. "What a nice name for such a sweet baby."