Wendy had fallen asleep on the sofa.
Her eyes blinked open to a ray of cold sunlight filtering in through the nearby window. She groaned, sat up, and stretched. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, two things came clear into her vision.
The egg. It was real.
And her youngest brother, Michael, standing over it, staring.
Wendy glanced between him and the egg. "Good morning, Michael."
He gave her a blank look. "Where did it come from?" He asked, simply.
Wendy did not know how to answer. Nano whined from across the room, startling both of them.
"Is It an egg?" Michael prodded.
Wendy leaned over, picking it up. "I think it must be."
"It's big."
Wendy gave him a serious look. "Do you promise not to tell? Where it came from, I mean."
Michael nodded, putting up his little finger. "Pinky swear."
"Pinky swear," Wendy said evenly.
They locked pinkies.
Wendy swallowed. "It came from the computer."
Michael looked over at the computer monitor and smiled. "Can I see?" He said, reaching for it.
"No!" Said Wendy, pulling it out of his reach. "No, it's fragile."
"Aww, come on Wendy. I promise I'll be careful!"
"I'm sorry, Michael."
Just then, John emerged from the hall. "What's all this, then?" He wiped his glasses on his night shirt, and placed them on his face.
"Wendy's got a computer egg!" Exclaimed Michael.
"What's a computer egg?"
"It came out of the computer!"
John rolled his eyes. "Oh come now, Mike. Everyone knows that's quite impossible."
"But it's true," Wendy said quietly.
Her brothers turned to watch her.
John scoffed. "Has everyone lost their marbles this morning?"
"It happened last night," Wendy explained. "I heard...a voice from my bedroom. I followed it out here. And that's when the egg came out."
John looked at her like she'd gone mad. Nonetheless, he crouched in front of the egg, prodding it with a finger. "It's firm. Quite large, as well. Do you think it will hatch?"
"I have no idea," Wendy said.
"One of us should sit on it!" Michael suggested.
John shook his head. "I don't think that's such a good idea. We're all far too heavy. Even you, Mikey-boy." He ruffled his brother's hair. "It's certainly not a cuckoo egg, in any case."
Wendy leaned in to examine the egg. It was a light color, offl-white with a minty green hue. There were speckles all over it's surface. Upon further inspection, Wendy could tell they all had one distinct shape in common.
"Stars."
John looked up. "Huh?"
"They're stars," Wendy said. "Look closer, John."
John adjusted his glasses. "Wow. By Jove, you're right!"
"I want to see!" Michael cried, leaning in.
Wendy sat back as they looked, wondering what this could all mean.
"Maybe we should leave it alone for a while," Wendy suggested.
"But Wendy!"
"I mean it, Michael. What if it's dangerous?"
"It appears to be harmless," observed John.
Michael poked at the egg. "Wendy, look!"
Wendy sat straight up. Nano came over to join the three of them.
"Stay back, Nano," John said, patting the dog.
There was a crack in the egg.
Then another began to form. And another.
The egg was hatching.
The three siblings were rapt as the egg shook, and a golden light began to filter through the cracks.
The egg shattered.
When the light faded, a small round creature with tiny wings was sitting on the table.
"Putti putti!" It said.
The children watched, dumbfounded.
Michael broke into a wide grin. "It's so cute!"
"What is it?" John wondered.
What was essentially a white blob with a face began bouncing around the room with a contented grin. Nano barked, and began to swat with one paw.
"Nano, stop!" Wendy rebuked.
Nano whined, turning with his tail between his legs.
The small creature turned, looking at each of its three new caretakers in turn. An expectant look dawned on its face, like it wanted to speak, but couldn't. Suddenly it looked rather sad.
"Hey," said Wendy gently, scooting over to it. "What's wrong?"
She reached out to it with one slightly-shaking hand, and stroked its side with the back of her fingers. Its fur was baby-soft - part-kitten, part-marshmallow.
"There, there," whispered Wendy.
The creature began to purr.
"I think it likes you," John stated.
Michael cocked his head. "Do you think it's hungry?"
"Get some of Nano's wet food," Wendy said. Then, upon noticing the dog's suspicious ears perk up, she said, "on second thought, how about some porridge?"
The small creature devoured bowl after bowl of porridge.
The three children watched as the ravenous creature looked up at them doe-eyed, passively demanding another helping of food. When they decided porridge was not satisfactory, they brought out the fruit bowl from the kitchen table.
The creature downed an apple in nearly one gulp.
"Where does it put it all?" Wendy wondered aloud.
"I think we should be careful how much we feed it," John suggested, crossing his arms.
"I agree. What else should we do, though?"
"Take it for a walk?" Michael ventured.
"It doesn't exactly have legs," John said. "Besides, what would the neighbors think?"
"That it was some weird hamster?" Wendy shrugged.
"I doubt it."
"Do we play with it?" Michael said, grinning.
John looked to Wendy.
Wendy smiled. "Let's tell it a story."