A Giggling Guest Appears

Lily was humming, a happy little tune that bounced around her room like a sunbeam. Pip, her loyal, charcoal-colored puppy, was snoozing at her feet, his tail giving an occasional thump against the floorboards, dreaming, no doubt, of chasing squirrels or perhaps even a particularly juicy squeaky toy. Lily, however, was feeling a different sort of hum. It was the hum of boredom, a quiet little vibration that tickled her fingers and made her glance around her room for something, anything, to do. Her sketchpad was full of Pip, of flowers, of the clouds outside her window that looked suspiciously like grumpy old men. The magical notebook, however, still held a thrilling, yet untapped, potential.

She picked it up, its cover smooth and inviting. What to draw today? She’d already made Pip, a perfect companion, and the thought of another creature, something small and light and full of fun, flitted through her mind. Not a dog, not a cat. Something… different. Something that would make her laugh. She imagined a tiny flutter, a flash of colour, a sound like bells tinkling in a breeze. Her pencil hovered over the page, and a mischievous grin spread across her face.

With a few quick, playful strokes, Lily drew a creature no bigger than her thumb. It had enormous, sparkling eyes, wings like a dragonfly’s, and a pointed hat that bobbed jauntily. It was definitely giggling, even on the page. As she added the final swirl to its tiny, mischievous smile, a faint shimmer rippled across the paper. Pip’s ears twitched. He lifted his head, a low, inquisitive whine rumbling in his chest.