Baby

stretched heartily.
    “Oh.” Shocked to feel something hard and cold in bed with her, she reached under her covers, pulling out the bowl she left at Baby’s bedside. Ripping off the covers, she discovered Baby curled up and looking up at her wide eyed. Baby’s eyelashes were now quite pronounced with thick shimmering golden hairs. Golden fur sprouted all over her head tapering to uniform fuzz, covering her entire body. Her leathery extremities were now soft and supple having filled out. Even her concave abdomen plumped up, giving her a little tummy. As Netty watched, Baby solemnly picked up the bowl and placed it back on her head atop her crown of antlers. Then Baby smiled. Netty, sat stunned. Charmed and enchanted, she gathered Baby into her arms as tears rolled down her cheeks. Baby’s long fingers traced the path of a tear, the bowl falling off her head. A flash of rainbow light and a pressure in her head shattered the moment. The pressure lessened, leaving a golden aura and a whispered word, seemingly from inside her head.
    “Sister?” Netty, confused, whipped her head around, finally resting her eyes on Baby. It cannot be. Was she going mad?
    They sat, just staring at one another. Netty finally reached out to stroke Baby again, with wonder and amazement. She sensed the pressure in her mind recede, leaving a softer presence. Timidly, she tried to relax her mind. As Baby continued to stare intently, she felt a whisper.
    “I am Brother . ” Brother? Baby is a little boy?
    “Yes, my Sister.” Was the presence reading her thoughts? The aura faded. Netty’s mind felt empty as she searched its corners, frantic to find the golden aura. Nothing . Baby just stared, his golden rainbow eyes unblinking.
    Well, Netty thought, this is a puzzle . Can my debilitated condition allow my mind to play tricks on me? Warily, she decided to be patient, the answers would come. At least she realized she didn’t need to worry about healing Baby. He seems to have done just fine on his own.
    Time to put the kettle on the fire, she thought, leaving Baby on her bed and wondering if she just imagined the words in her head. She wrapped her robe tightly around her as the morning chill depressed her with the memory of the overwhelming work she still faced.
    The cabin warmed as her breakfast kettle simmered. She wondered what Baby might need to eat. Ruefully, she realized she was ill equipped to take care of this magnificent creature, so different from all the other woodland creatures she ever tended. How did she miss this one, she wondered? Perhaps he was just rare. Oh well, he belonged with her now, unless he decided to return to the woods . Netty dismissed the discovery of the giant cavern as none of her business.
    She returned to the bedroom to wash up and change into her work clothes. Glancing toward the bed, she saw that Baby had moved to her pillow, perching on it with his golden legs crossed, just like a little man. Oh–-maybe Baby is not an infant . She went to him, picking him up to kiss his face. He made a chuffing sound but sent no more whisperers. With a last kiss and cuddle, Netty set Baby back on the bed. She moved to a simple cupboard in the corner of the room to remove another pair of her papa’s overalls that had been overlooked by the looters. Slipping off her nightgown, she observed a slightly trimmer waist than she was used to seeing. Not surprised, she considered her flight from her husband’s clutches, her hard work and the meager meals she now afforded herself. Moving over to her washstand, she dipped her cloth into the water warmed from the fire. She loved the feeling of the cloth suffusing the water’s warmth into her skin. As she dawdled at the washstand, she felt thrown off by the unfamiliar feeling of her nose through the wash cloth. Something felt wrong.
    Dropping the cloth from her hands, she peered into the mirror over the wash bowl, speechless. Her nose looked as straight as it had been on the day of her birth, the bump nonexistent. It was the old Netty looking back at her, albeit older and plumper. Suddenly, remembering part of her previous night’s activities, she looked down at her feet. They were devoid of any scabs or sores, not to mention the pain that disappeared last night. She whirled to her bed and stared at Baby. Could it be? She sat down, picking up Baby’s tail remembering the pressure in the chamber and the strange smell. She sniffed Baby’s tail fur, not seeing the strange