Easter Eggs Story

I am Geru, an average garden-variety blue bird. I fly over the town of Nowhere and see a lot. I have a very interesting tale to tell.

Darkness was covering the land. It was a strange and eerie night. Snow had fallen profusely from the dark cloud above. I felt the presence of Dameon, the mythical giant of evil, slithering in his dark veil over the land and in the clouds. In the mist I thought I seen a huge bird of prey fly over. I huddled deeper in my nest at the top of the tree and soothed myself with thoughts of morning.

Empatha, the mythical giant of love, broke the darkness with the first rays of color and a breath of warm air. I flew to central park. All was quiet and serene with its blanket of snow. It was encased on opposite sides by Snob Hill in the East and Slob Hill in the West. They were named after the Rich who lived in the East and the Not so rich in the West. At the base of Snob Hill was the Ghetto and across from it the industrial area. South of the park was the country and north was bird lake. A road ran beside a stream that cut the valley and park in two.

The clouds were parting as the sun’s rays painted the westerly hill in yellow hue as the morning got brighter and brighter. Spring was in the air. New buds lied just under the blanket of snow. The little town was waking up. The first to shatter the quiet was the school kids slamming doors on their houses as they were leaving for school. Soon the laughing and screaming would echo in the park as they would make their way down the paths to cross over where the school was in the southern western edge of the park.

From the North , near the town stores, Edgar, a ten year old plodded along looking at every bud or rock that peeked out of the snow. He had a pet ant in his right hand and a pet bee in his left. They were special pets, if he let them crawl or fly they would always come back. Sometimes the bee would fly dangling the ant from his feet. They talked to each other. But Edgar could not hear them, not through his ears. But intuitively he understood their wonderment of the small things around him

Molly walked down Snob Hill holding Macho her alley cat and followed by Cuddles her dog. Just like Edgar she could not understand their conversation but intuitively. People have most of the instincts of most of the animals, but because they have so many they do not know when to use which one. We pets help our humans decipher when and how.

Sue from the South skipped up the road in the snow. She is my human, my pet. George was running down Snob hill with his pet rabbit and his pet turtle in his backpack. The four kids meet in the park to dream of adventure before school. They approached each other near the center. They were the first to disturb the thick layer of icy snow.   Their four paths met in the middle. They laughed with the freedom of being the first and only ones in the park.

George shouts out, “Lets make a big Easter egg and let people wonder what will hatch.”

They all agreed and set about making a five-foot egg. The girls found some flowers under the snow and decorated it. They put a sign next to it stating, ‘Guess What Will Hatch.’

 

By now four other kids, their neighbors were waddling down the paths they had each made, Ragde from the North, Charlotte from the West, Destiny from the South and Larry from Snob Hill.   They came like bullies to tease and make fun of their respective neighbors, who were each very much like them but not bullies.

Regde with his pet spider yells, “Spidie will cover your sign with webs so no one can see it.”

Charlotte with her Pet, Raccoon, contorts, “The egg is ours and if you want it back you must fight for it.”

Destiny yells, “Fate rules, the egg is doomed, we only follow through to destroy it.”

Larry with his pet coyote rushes in and with a stick begins to beat the egg as Coyote runs around wild waiting for something to emerge. George tackles Larry and they wrestle on the ground. They trash around and come close to the egg. Edgar seeing Larry and George maneuvering closer and closer to the egg alerts Molly. Molly seeing the danger to the egg yells, “STOP!”

Sue blurs out, “We all need the egg. Let’s go to the press and tell them about an ominous bird that laid an egg last night in the storm and it is nestled in the snow. It would be an interesting story.”

 

Larry’s three fellow bullies grab him while the other three retrieve George who was on the bottom of the scuffle.

Radge mutters, “Larry, the press will bring us attention.”

Charlotte remarks, “It’s a cute idea, but we need to make it our project.”

Destiny musses, “It has potential but we need our own egg that will compete with theirs. Lets make it a mysterious one.”

Larry jumps up and starts to roll snow. “Let’s make it ugly and put up a sing that what hatches from our egg will destroy their hatchling.”

So the four new kids built a comparable egg and decorated it with dirt and rocks. Ragde stood back to admire it. Spiedie added some webs making it eerie. Charlotte and Raccoon hugged it lovingly. Destiny with her crow said it looked mysterious enough. Crow looked at me like I was his next lunch. Larry posed with Coyote and said it would hatch a fierce creature. Edgar looked it over shaking his head. Molly frowned as Macho cowered near by. Sue called it Evil and the other, pretty egg, Good.   Rabbit jumped around as Turtle slumped into her shell.

The kids went off to school. Edger and Ragde called their fathers who work for the press and told them of the mysterious eggs.

The story hit the morning paper. The news soon spread and people began to visit the eggs and wonder what could be inside. School was dismissed for the morning event. It was quite a pastime. People, with pet ants and bees in their heads such as Edgar’s father, pondered how science would explain the eggs appearing from the snowstorm. People, with Macho fears and Cuddle love in their heads, as Molly’s mother, pondered if the Eggs could be safe for others to be around. Reporters and TV cameramen and even the radio announcers with the deceit of Spiedie wanted to exploit the occasion to sell papers and news stories.

All the concerns spread among the people of the town. Scholars from the school, including Edgar’s father, with Ant and Bee curiosity, looked at both eggs and had suspicions that the kids had made the eggs. They set about looking for clues to prove the origin of the eggs but all the tracks, of the kids who made it, had been trampled by the crowds.

Teachers and school counselors, as is Molly’s mom, with their Macho and Cuddle minds came to look over the eggs to make sure it was safe for children to view. They could make a message for children to look only for the good.

The tavern and Merchant people, like Charlotte’s mother, came. With the raccoons in their minds they ignored the white one and wanted to sell trinkets depicting the black one claiming it was their egg. They set about planning the festival for the evening’s activities.

Soothsayers from the trinket shops of Destiny’s family with their dominant crow minds imagined the eggs came from the stars and wanted to make good luck trinkets, chants, and perhaps worship the eggs, and say the eggs could predict the future, they too set about getting the trinkets ready for the evening festivities.

Church people came from the church, at the base of Snob Hill, in which Sue’s father and mother were pastors. With their Geru, birds eye view, type minds they feared the black egg and wanted to love the white one for what ever was inside. They began to work up sermons to warn people of the danger and possibilities of the eggs.

George’s father, the mayor, came. What was this commotion in the town. What was the danger of too many people amuck. The rabbit in his mind jumped around endlessly. He began to think of security to calm the crowd’s enthusiasm.

Lastly but not least the town tycoon, Larry’s father, arrived in his dark suite to see how he could monopolize the festival. His Coyote mind stocked the situation and he came up with a plan. He would have a huge ceremony to open the eggs. He would charge a fee to come and see the opening. And he would charge a fee for those selling trinkets, and he would manufacture the trinkets for them. His Coyote crotched down for the kill. He would make a killing. He immediately blocked off the area, forbid anyone entrance without paying, and announced the big event.

Noon and then evening came. More and more people began to come to look at the eggs. Those who had already looked at the egg came back to be part of the excitement to come.

With such a commotion and growing crowd the newsmen swarmed the event, counselors and preachers warned about the black egg, speculating to keep Hope and dreams alive and to love purity and not to indulge in mindless pleasures. Scholars and Philosophers speculated on what works in life, what is acceptable, and to avoid thinking dark thoughts.

The trinket sellers worked the crowd selling good luck charms. Larry’s Dad seeing the growing enthusiasm brought in musicians to let people dance to the Dark Egg and to the Mysterious Bird of Prey that must have left it. He then opened up a space by the dark egg and sold tickets to those who wanted to touch it. The crowds huddled in for the touch. As they filled by, the heat of their hands began to melt the egg

This worried Larry’s Dad, as he knew it was fake and would melt to nothing. He added more snow and dirt. But with the heat of so many people the egg continued to melt at a fast rate. He was reluctantly about to shut down the ticket sales and move the crowd back when an amazing thing happened. As the snow melted it revealed a baby dragon.

The scientist said it was a trick, it can’t be, or was it a group delusion. The counselors and preachers said you can get depressed, that they need to return to the white egg as it was more stable. The crowd offered money to get closer to the baby dragon. The mayor said save your money for mom and pop shops and not to waste it on such a hoax, such a gamble. The people ignored him and crowded closer as they paid out their money. Security tried to stop them but the amazement over powered them. As they came and grew in numbers the dragon grew in proportion to their numbers and the amount of money they paid out.

Larry’s father was ecstatic. On the loud speaker he beckoned for more to come and drew more people to the crowd. As more people came and paid money the Dragon grew to be huge. The animal pets of the bullies jumped on his back. Spidie covered his eyes with webs, Raccoon told him the world belongs to him, Crow told him what power he could have, and Coyote put a noose around his head to direct his head. The dragon got huge and more life-like and began to spit fire. Everyone was so frightened they began to panic. Larry’s father announced the protective nature of the trinkets and he began to sell tickets to get closer to the Dragon who now could spit fire. No one wanted to flee as they felt the trinkets would work and they might get burned alive if they ran. The excitement kept them mesmerized. They even paid more money for a closer look.

The animals jumped off the dragon as the Dragon began to spit fire at the white egg burning up the flowers. The egg began to melt. The counselors and preachers reminded the crowd of their warnings and told them to gather around the white egg and prey for a hero to appear to save them from the fury of their excitement that made the Dragon grow.   The crowd approached the white egg out of curiosity.

The crowd stopped to take note of what would be revealed inside the egg. They wondered if it would be something to save them or would it be another dragon. The crowd grew silent and watchful. As the flames melted the snow it revealed the figure of a little girl with odd features and weird proportions. She had huge hands and feet, slender arms and legs. The head was diminutive compared to the huge mouth. And if that was not disappointing enough to the crowd she was also blind, with no feeling, no thought, and did not move.

Silence gripped the crowd, followed by laughter, followed by fear. The Dragon grew huge out of their excitement was throwing flames around the crowd threatening them with extinction. The flames now would not let anyone leave. The merchants smiled telling the crowd their trinkets would protect them. Above dark clouds were forming, the wind was picking up, and a chill was settling around everyone. It did not look promising.

Our little buddies, Edgar, Molly, Sue, and George were huddled together near the little frozen child feeling helpless. They looked at us pets with loving eyes in desperation wondering what to do.

That’s when I got an idea. Maybe we need to do for the frozen child what we do for our human pets. We animal pets put our heads together and came up with a plan. We shook on it and stood straight.

And and Bee positioned themselves on the little ice girl’s head, where her eyes were. Macho and Cuddles got on her chest. I settled on top of her head and Rabbit jumped on her right hand with a sword and Turtle on her left hand to be a shield. With our guidance the icy child turned toward the dragon raising her sword in defiance.

A fireball came again and hit turtle as we all trembled huddling behind Turtle’s torso. The small child rolled into a ball.

The Dragon laughed at his opponent. Dragon inhaled, throwing out a line of fire that again circles the crowd. He paused contemplating another breath that would melt the little frozen figure before him. The evil animals again hopped on the dragon to direct him to melt the ice madden.

Ant and Bee ran and hid in her ears making her deaf again. Macho and Rabbit freaked and began to run in circles around the child. I yelled, “Stop. We must work together.”

I told Turtle to grab Rabbit’s tail to slow him down. I urged Cuddles to lick Macho’s face to calm him. I beckoned Ant and Bee back.

I said to them, “Just as Dragon grew with people coming and believing in him so will this child if they cheer her on. Appeal to the people. Have your human pets talk to everyone.”

We all went our respective human pets to communicate our instinctual strengths.  Ant and Bee acted vigilant.

Edgar watches and then speaks out, “Folks, be aware, look around. As you spend money and attention on the dragon he gets bigger. Do the same for our hero and she too will grow.”

They turned to the Mayor who offered people to stand closer around the cowering ice child. The crowd, not knowing what to do, began to file over to the side the child was on.

Cuddles and Macho rubbed their little bodies against Molly’s legs. She looked at them and then shouted out to the crowd, “Don’t be afraid, be hopeful. Look at all your emotional potential to help this little one grow strong enough to fight the dragon. Support her.”

I circled Sue and began to build a nest from the debris of what was left of the flowers. Sue smiled and said to the crowd in a firm voice, “You do not have to be helpless and hopeless victims. Challenge the trinket seller and their lies, look at the big picture, home values. Support the child. You will see what works.”

Rabbit steadily picks up the sword sitting in the child’s hand. Tuttle follows suit. All the good animals joined her. George in a bold voice says, “You know what works.”

 

The crowd looks at the merchants and Dragon and then back to the child. George in a firm voice again speaks and says, “Don’t hesitate. Don’t look to the dragon. You know what works. Look, feel, think, and act. Support the child. Just do it.”

Everyone nodded. One by one they looked over to the child and began to cheer. The soldier child began to grow larger and larger as they clapped and yelled encouraging things. The Dragon began to shrink back and at last sat down and lowered his head to the ground. The crowd again felt safe.

Now you would think this would be the end of the story, Dragon is under control and everyone goes home. Oh, no. As the soldier girl grew and the Dragon shrunk the child began to get sad. As her Ant and Bee seen the dragon shrinking, her Macho’s fear shrank and her Cuddle’s love grew. She had love, even for the Dragon. She sat on her shield and put her hands on her face.

Rabbit grew weary and went back to the kids. Cuddles followed and fell asleep. Ant and Bee also left and stopped moving. I had dark thought that without battle there is little for the crowd to do. As the crowd all began to calm down they looked to the Dragon for excitement and entertainment. Then the Dragon began to grow and arise again. He snorted a bit of fire out of his nose. The child began to shrink as the dragon again grew. The crowd grew afraid.

What a stale mate. The child or the dragon, only one grows and rules at a time, not both? Everyone was in limbo. Would this be the fate of the little town, forever cheering on the child until the cheers no longer worked on the child. Or letting the dragon grow until the child again responds to cheers. Then she feels sorry for the dragon and the cycle repeats itself. How can anyone get on with life?

But without the dilemma the Merchants would have no crowd to sell trinkets to. The press would have no one to produce stories for, the counselors and trinket sellers would not be able to go to their offices or shops. The preachers and soothsayers would have nothing more to say to their audience. The crowd would be still.

With the on going dilemma the mayor would be stuck forever controlling the crowd and the factories would do nothing but pour out trinkets as the whole story repeats itself?

As I contemplated the dilemma I noticed the clouds above were getting fiercer and fiercer. Dragons were gathering from everywhere. I seen the mysterious bird of prey looking on like a conductor of an orchestra. The little soldier looked up at the sky and its ever darkening brew of trouble. A worried look came over her face. How could she fight them all, even with constant cheering of the crowd there would be no way she could grow big enough to win. The Dragons had the advantage of flight, fight, and retrieval back into the skies. If she grew and fought back one and than another there would always be another to tantalize her while another rested. They would take turns attacking her until she dropped from exhaustion or melted away. What would then become of the crowd? The dragons would then burn and devour the little town. Then the icy Dragon too would melt away. Everyone looked up and felt fear. The icy dragon began to grow even bigger as the crowd lost faith in the child. The people did not know what to do. If they cheered on the Dragon he would grow and scare them.

The dragon looked up into the sky. He could not join them, he would shrink without the peoples attention. He did not know how to fight another dragon. He needed the crowd who was now too afraid to cheer.

 

The soldier girl got a twinkle in her eye and went over to the dragon who was just the right size to ride. She jumped on the dragon’s back and turned to the crowd and with a huge smile declared, “We will protect you all.”

With that she and the dragon, who looked to her guidance, flew off to the dragon wars. The crowd cheered and each day remembered to cheer them on, the child and the Dragon.  To this day the clouds show the Dragon wars mostly in storms and sunsets. But even on a near clear day the wisps of clouds show the battle as the city goes from love to greed, then their fears bring them back again to cheer and love the little hero and her Dragon.

In the distance the sound of the school bells could be heard. All the kids ran off to school.  Our eight kids who made the eggs went off to school together chatting.

The sun came out, the snow melted along with the eggs, and the bird of prey hid behind a small black cloud.