Egg Shells

Write at the Merge, Week 13
The prompt from Cam: Week 13 (my lucky number!)

So, today, we took our son to Boston’s Museum of Science. His favorite part of the museum is the audiokinetic sculpture (or as my son calls it, the ball tower) on the lower level of the atrium, a piece called Archimedean Excogitation, by George Rhoads.

For this week, take your inspiration from this video of the sculpture in motion and from the word WONDER:

Seven year old Bree was shooed outside after she'd completed the simple chores assigned to her.

 "Go play a while, child, enjoy your days now.  In another year it will be time to teach you to weave. Then your time will be less your own."  Mama's smile held a hint of regret. Her fingers cramped and her back ached from long hours sitting at the loom.  "Be home for  midday meal."

With a hug for Mama and a promise to be home on time, Bree scampered outside. Her home nestled within a corner of the King's forest.  The day was breezily warm, as spring days often are.  Wild flowers beckoned butterflies and bees.  And Bree.

She gathered the prettiest and sweetest smelling for Mama as she
made her way to her favorite place. A small glade, not too far from home, where the tallest tree Bree had ever seen stood proudly in the center.

She lay on her back at the edge of the clearing watching the antics of three squirrels as they raced up, down, and around the old trunk.  From her vantage point, she could see a nest near the top.  Occasional flashes of red could be seen coming and going.

One squirrel chose to investigate. Bree saw its bushy tail over the nest's edge, twitching impishly.  An angry squawk and belligerent chitter erupted from the canopy. The squirrel popped out, a shiny egg captured in his little paws.

As he scurried along the limbs, Bree saw the red flash careen across the squirrel's path. Unbalanced, he fumbled his loot.

Bree watched the egg spin unsteadily on the limb a few moments before it dropped over the side. It fell a short distance to a leafy branch that broke its fall.  The leaves quivered under the weight, bowing to shed the interloper.

The squirrel's playmates, having intently watched the altercation, raced for the egg.  The quicker of the pair snatched it from the shaking fronds.  The slower snatched at her partner's tail as he spiralled down the trunk.

Red wings spread wide, the hostile parent confronted the new possessor, who wheeled back, and slammed into his partner. The egg began a free fall to the ground below.

Bree jumped up, bouquet forgotten, and ran to the tree. There were no more leafy branches to interrupt the fall. Two squirrels watched the egg's descent with curiosity. The first used the distraction to return to the nest, followed closely by the raging red flash.

Bree held out her hands and willed herself to not clutch too tightly when she caught the fragile orb.  She heard a small crunch as the egg landed in her hands. She waited, eyes tightly shut, afraid to look.

Movement surprised her eyes open as the shell parted with a crack.  She breathed an "oh" of wonder as the tiny scarlet lizard shed the remaining shards and spread its brand new wings in the palm of her hand.