For this one, you must convince a young peasant to spend the next few days clutching a chicken.
THE BIRDEN (any gender, mid forties through late life)
You are a youth with a burden. And yet this burden is sacred. The keeper of the dragon egg. As long as the egg stays in the possession of the chosen ones, it will never hatch. And it will never be traceable by the dark army.
You... you are the chosen one of your generation. Who is next? You will know when the time comes. I am not the chosen one. I am merely work on a farm, three villages from here, summoned to carry the dragon egg to you.
The last keeper of the dragon egg was from the Northlands... he barely made the journey to Nemus Valley. He was struck with fever and was dying. By the time he came to my village he had crawled some fifty leagues on his hands and knees, and you can imagine the added difficulty, holding an egg in one hand.
He told me where to take the egg... told me that I must we must make supreme effort to keep the egg out of sight. When someone not chosen is in possession of the egg, it gives a glow so brilliant, the dark armies will know. But we need not worry about that so long as YOU keep the egg.
[pause]
I am told you are not fond of birds. That is most unfortunate but cannot be helped.
Before dying, the last chosen one used uncanny surgical skill to enclose the egg in the whom of my largest chicken. Her name is Dolly and she is tied to the post outside your hut. Time may be short. You must not let Dolly lay the dragon egg without being ready to catch the egg at any moment. You will need to hold the chicken every waking and sleeping hour. You will need to bear the potential ridicule, the potential scuffles with the chicken and her inevitable digestive discharges on your person.
But she is your partner in our salvation, my young friend. Will you accept Dolly's assistance in your sacred task?
Copyright 2016 by Matt Haynes.
If you would like to use this piece, please credit: "Courtesy of Matt Haynes and The Pulp Stage"