Old Leo

Photo Credit: A Mixed Bag 2015

It was the first thing she noticed when the social worker escorted her to the imposing fortress where she would live for the next several years. It scared her…that lion face, ears lurched forward, cold glaring eyes. After her parents died in the car accident everything scared Emily. But with a steel resolve and an extra squeeze of her teddy bear, she marched right past that lion never letting on how terrified she was.

Years came and went. It was a good time of making new friends, learning and growing…and naming “Old Leo” as Emily came to call him. No longer frightened by his austere demeanor, she felt comforted, protected by his presence. Old Leo was her special sentinel against the harsh realities of a world that had left her orphaned. A wise guard, always on post, he allowed her the time and space she needed to heal and to thrive.

Heroes come in all shapes, sizes and types. And it seems that some of the most powerful, like Old Leo, are carved in stone.

~ kat ~ 16 November 2015
(175 Words)

This story is prompted by the photo above for Sunday Photo Fiction. If you’d like to participate or read more stories click HERE.