I wake up the next morning with a massive headache and a sluggishness in my limbs I can't shake. With a start, I remember last night. I shake my head, trying to tell myself it was just a bad dream. Right?
I stumble out of bed, throw on the first dress I find, and step into the bathroom. I turn to the mirror and recoil. "Gahh!"
"Are you okay?" Vivia asks through a mouthful of toothpaste.
"Do you have a concealer that I could use?" I lean closer to the mirror and prod at the bruise-like circles around my eyes.
She spits into the sink. "Maybe. Here's one I use in winter, for when I'm paler. It might work for your paper-white skin."
I take it. "Thanks. You're the best," I tell her, somewhat sarcastically. I pat it on, roll on some mascara, and brush my rat's nest and fuzzy-feeling teeth.
Lyra skips into the bathroom. "Esme!" She skids to a stop. "I need help."
I jump up and follow her to where Lyra's cuddling Porklet in her room. I pull the door shut behind me and sit on the floor. "What's up?"
"I don't know what to do with him," Lyra blurts without preamble. "I can't keep him, can I? Mom and Dad would have to find out sometime, right?"
"We could keep it a secret. But I think they should find out."
"Okay." She takes a deep breath. "I think we should tell them."
"Like...now?"
"Yeah. I'm afraid I'll be too scared later." She kisses Porklet on his stubbly nose and he snuggles closer to her. "Besides, he's getting too big for us to feed."
"If you're sure..."
She nods. "I am."
She hefts the pig back into its bed and we walk downstairs, yelling for Mom and Dad.
"What is it, Lyra?" Mom says, emerging from her bedroom, rubbing her eyes. Dad mutes the living room TV and steps into the hall.
"Esme! You're up! We let you sleep all of Saturday - you were out cold."
"Oh," I mumble. "Sorry. Anyways, we have something to show you." I glance at Lyra. A single tear falls from her eye, but she nods.
Mom and Dad follow us up the stairs and into Lyra's room. She pulls open the closed closet door and lifts Porklet back out of his box.
Mom's eyes are wide. "Lyra, how did you get a pig?"
"He climbed up the stairs." She catches my eye and winks. "I wanted to keep him, but...I don't know. I just don't think we're the right kind of family for keeping a pig."
Dad shakes his head, still puzzled. "Why didn't you tell us this earlier, Lyra?"
She faces him. "I thought it was obvious, guys. Wouldn't you make me get rid of him? I wanted to spend some time with Porklet." She hugs the pig around the neck. "But he got so big so fast, and I don't like keeping secrets for too long. So..." She trails off and looks up at Mom and Dad.
Mom nods. "Could you excuse us for a second?"
We trudge out. Once the door closes and we can hear Mom and Dad talking, Lyra grumbles, "Leave it to Mom and Dad to kick me out of my own room."
After a moment, Dad opens the door. "Lyra, we can't keep this pig. You know that, right?"
"Yeah, I know, and by the way, his name is Porklet."
"Okay. We think - " he glances at Mom, who nods - "we should probably call the zoo."
"Do they have pigs at the zoo?"
"We aren't sure, but we can try. That's what the call will be for. Okay?"
Lyra sniffles and hugs Porklet. "Okay."
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GLOW
सामान्य साहित्यWhen Esmerelda Ward moves with her family from Cloudcroft, New Mexico to Columbia, Missouri, she doesn't expect to find even one new friend - after all, she only had one back in the south. But contrary to her expectations, she finds three friends, a...
