An onlooker armed with a camera approaches
After that brazen display the entire lakeside seemed to be a bit more relaxed. Groups of people sifted together and chatted back and forth in whispered tones, often turning to point or motion to the massive winged monstrosity that was causing such commotion by its mere presence. Now they had someone more to gravitate towards beyond the safe looking trio of Angel, Keth, and Charley, the bold teenager and his group of four were suddenly new targets to converge on.
Minutes of pointing and gawking and distant, curious discussions passed before anyone else opted to brave a step closer. The first being an elderly looking woman in a blue vest and gray hair, walking ponderously slow in pink bunny slippers. Dangling from her waist was an out of date camera on thin straps and she had an aged leather purse slung over one shoulder.
Daniel’s head perked up to the cautious yet determined approach, the old woman opening her mouth as if about to say something only to stammer over her words in the awkward silence.
“May I help you?” The sphinx prompted.
“My grandson.” She manages. A nervous gulp, before it’s obvious she’d have to explain further. “I’ve got a little boy back home who’s really, really big into monster movies. Frankenstein, Dracula, the swamp thing or something, he’s obsessed with all things scary and monster-like.”
“That sounds like fun.” The lioness offered diplomatically despite her ears folding back at what was hopefully an unintended insult. She was trying awfully hard to not be scary, or so she thought, and it wouldn’t do to play up the fact a Sphinx in mythology was a man-eating terror.
“I was hoping to ask.” The old woman paused to wet her lips, reaching down to the camera and grasping it firmly in two shaky, withered hands. “Would you be willing to pose for a picture with me? Pretty please? I wish he could be here with me right now but he’d be so disappointed if I didn’t show you to him.”
Daniel closes her eyes. A sharp inhale of breath and once more slowly resigning herself to this strange fate. At least being a fan of her was a lot better than being afraid of her, but then there’s probably a lot to be said for being left alone. Was a swarm of people wanting to take your picture and all demand your attention all at once, really preferable to the vast majority skirting away and trying to keep out of sight? Is that what was going to happen when she makes it back home, celebrity status as people all want to see just a bit more of this new, incredible body?
That would sound a lot nicer if every single person didn’t all seem to find her account of this transformation to be just as incredible, if not more so. You’d think the riddle spouting cat monster would be considered a reliable source of information concerning her own history.
“Go ahead and take a few ma’am, but if he asks then please tell your son I’m not actually a Sphinx. I’m really just some kid who woke up in this entirely new body and have no idea how I got here or why I look like this.”
“Wonderful! Bless you Daniel.” The old woman grinned, twisting around and holding the camera up to her face. Adjusting it slowly to make sure her own face and that of the lioness were both in the shot, a beaming smile on her wrinkled face.
The sphinx had half a moment to wonder how this stranger knew her name before something gave her pause.
“Miss, you have the lens cap on.” She politely informed this elderly woman, who seemed a bit embarrassed to have the towering lioness hold up a single ringer to point this out.
“Oh thank you, thank you.” Moments later came the barrage of blinding flashes, pictures taken seemingly at random and only vaguely having both the woman and Daniel in the same shot. The old lady turned around to snap a few more photos of just the Sphinx, her winged frame a little dazed by this sensory overload.
“This is very different from taking pictures with a phone.” Daniel offered.
“A bit surprised you know about that new stuff the kids are playing with. You must keep very active to have all the best riddles.”
“I erm, actually not at all. As I explained see, I used to be a human and then something changed me into this. I know about cell phones because I still have one back home.”
“Yes, I see, I see.” The old woman nodded. Seeming to think things over a moment. “Before I leave to get these processed, can I ask what your favorite fruit back in Egypt was? I’ve always wondered about the exotic plant life you see.”
“Miss, I’ve never been to Egypt before. Please understand, I’m a human from Longport who’s just having a very unusual day at the moment.”
“Oh pishposh, fine then.” The woman huffed, fiddling to get her camera attached back over her hips. “If you don’t feel like telling me I guess I can’t force you. Do be a good girl while I’m gone okay! Goodbye miss Daniel.”
“Not a gir- … oh nevermind.” The sphinx grumbled, flopping her chin back onto folded paws and trying her best to not look grumpy. Given the way her tail flicks this wasn’t something she could easily accomplish, and all of a sudden her wings felt mildly cramped.
There was no way this could be a coincidence, no possible way. Something was influencing the way others think, forcing them to refuse any notion that he might have been human. There just couldn’t be this many people who all blanket refuted his claims while simultaneously showing blind acceptance to the existence of a Sphinx at all. If something could force her to spout riddles, who knows what else it was making other people think …
Written by Arbon on 05 December 2016