Hatched from the Egg
Sometimes the sky is happy, a deep, rich blue, sometimes it is gloomy with thick grey clouds- and sometimes it could be angry, a lightning bolt would streak out of the sky. The sky was meant to be perfect, but I fear that it is not as perfect as it used to be…
***
It was a cold winter's night. Snow fell thickly from the sky like white confetti, Families locked themselves snuggly up in their houses, huddled next to cheery fires, enjoying a hearty Christmas dinner of turkey or stuffed ham. A huge, elaborately decorated Christmas tree smiled across the almost empty town square. Most people were spending Christmas time with their families.
A young woman stumbled through the thick white snow. Unlike the cheerful, energetic shoppers, she had her head bent and didn't seem to want to speak. A streak of silver hair was visible underneath the long blue traveling cloak that hid most of her face; only her green eyes were visible, shining like emerald fire, the only heat in the icy cold night.
In her slender hand, she carried a small, bamboo basket, a dark cloth concealing the contents. The woman ignored the curious stares from the few people, Christmas shopping, she ignored the colorfully decorated shops. Finally she came to a quieter part of town.
Here, the snow was a lot thicker and less disturbed. The snow was completely unmarked except for some sets of tiny, little footsteps that led up to a small cottage. The snow that lay on the surface of the roof made the cottage look like the gingerbread house from Hansel and Gretel.
The woman reached out her slender, ungloved hand with shaking fingers and pushed the rusty gate. It made a gentle creaking sound as it swung open. Slowly, she made her way up to the doorstep.
***
It was 5pm when there was a knock on the door. An older woman, in her early fifties threw the frilly white apron onto the kitchen bench angrily. She wore a long, navy blue dress that reached her knees, a pair of white stockings and a frown.
'Geoffrey! I told you not to play with your food!' she yelled, as one of the smaller boys was throwing bits of mashed potato around the room, large splotches of it landed on the walls. 'And Amanda, leave poor Daisy's doll alone! You can both share the doll!'
Huffily she hurried to the door.
'Sorry to have kept you waiti-,'she began as she opened the door but was cut of as she saw no one was there. Must have imagined it, she thought. She was about to leave when a small, muffled wail reached her ears.
A small bamboo basket, concealed by a dark cloth sat on the doorstep. Slowly, she bent down and picked it up, it was quite light. She pulled back the cloth, revealing a small, dark-haired baby.
'Mrs. Kay! Jack spilled salad on my homework!' a voice called from the crowded dining room.
'I'm coming!' she called and was just about to go back inside when a gust of wind blew in her face, sending a cascade of pink cherry blossom petals.
Cherry blossoms? In the middle of winter? She thought.
To the right of the snow-filled yard was a cherry tree. It had been there for as long as she could remember but it had never bloomed before, but now a magnificent bush of exotic blossoms bloomed from every branch. The wind stopped abrutedly, sending blossoms, floating onto the white snow like pink confetti.
Strangely, the snow had stopped. But it was snowing just a second ago, Mrs. Kay thought, even the grey clouds had disappeared, revealing a clear, black sky full of large, twinkling stars.