“Penny Harpenshire, you silly girl. Those are not eggs.” Mother scolded my little sister for thinking that everyone on the hill received one large egg from the postal service. I threw my hands up. “Well, what do you think it is then mom?”
Penny ran towards the thing. “Stop!” We both shouted.
“I’m not sure what it is but neither of you need to go near it.”
That night as the sun went down and the clouds rolled in, we prepared for bed. The rain began to pounce off the tin roof. The thunder clapped loudly causing me to pull the covers over my head. I felt a slight tug on the sheets. “Can I sleep in here tonight, Matthew?” Penny was scared too. I pretended to be tough for her.
“Sure. I will protect you.” I told her.
We stayed up most of the night making up stories of what those things really were, finally dozing off right before dawn.
“Get up! Get up!” Mother came running into my room. We both rolled over and sleepily gazed at her. “What is it mom?” I asked while using the back of my hands to wipe my eyes.
“It’s hatched!’ She was so excited. Penny became a little angry. “I told you it was an egg!” She screamed.
“Only bad children yell at their mothers.” Mom pointed her finger in Penny’s face.
“Come on!” She nearly pushed us out the door.
There were large chunks of eggshell everywhere. Our neighbors were cheering but their children in tears. I looked across the meadow and standing there towering above us, appearing to be half robot, half man, was a thing. I had no word for it. Its legs caught when they bent at the knee. When he finally made it over to us, he handed mother a piece of paper.
“Isn’t it great kids? Our government gifted us childcare so we can save money. Santa will bring more this year. Plus, the internet was doing a terrible job at raising you.”
She knew all along what was in there. This was just another one of her lies.
Leesa Writes 