Copyright © 2008 Debbie Mumford
All rights reserved, Wild Child Publishing.
They stood at the edge of the woods where a small clearing ran down to the water's edge. There, on the bank of the stream, reclined a living being. The creature relaxed in a patch of sunlight. Its torso resembled an adult lion with the addition of sleek, leathery wings folded close to its flanks. Tawny gold fur covered the powerfully muscled body, but instead of a feline face, a man's bearded head sat atop the sinewy shoulders. Dark eyes shone from behind a tangled mass of honey-colored hair and beard.
Great, thought Erin, one more reason to doubt my sanity. She fought to stay calm, to think of rational explanations, as she gazed into the dark eyes of a living, breathing sphinx.
"Do you see a sphinx?" she whispered, not daring to look away from the incredible creature.
"Yeah," breathed Matt. "Maybe you were right. Maybe we have lost our marbles."
"No." She gave her head a tiny shake and breathed her whispered response. "Illusions should be individual, unique to our own fears and desires. Besides, this creature doesn't conform to any single mythology. It's like a conglomerate. You were right. This is real."
Matt gave a quiet grunt, half satisfied, half exasperated.
"What do you remember about sphinxes?"
"I don't know," he said. "They ask riddles and kill folks who answer wrong?"
"That's one possibility. " Erin darted a look at Matt's face. "Are you any good with riddles?"
He stared into her eyes for a moment and then shifted his gaze back to the sphinx. "Lousy."