It Followed Me Home
The child ran along the path towards home, leaving the path and darting in and out among the bushes to make the journey shorter. His mother had always told him not to do this but the regular way seemed so long. He risked a look behind. The creature was still following. Long and slender as a serpent, but winged, legged and thrice greater in length than he was tall, the child had never seen such a magnificent creature before.
He reached the door, and banged on it as hard as he could, producing a series of small and rather inadequate booming noises. He looked behind again. The creature had stopped, and was sitting coiled up with its wings folded and its golden eyes watching him. He could hear footsteps inside the house, and his mother opened the door. Her hair was still in curlers, and she peered blearily out at child and monster.
“It followed me home; can I keep it?” the child asked.
“No,” his mother said, pulling him inside by one arm. “I told you before; I won’t have dragons in the house.”