Chapter 3 – Whispering Waters (Book One)

 

 

 

            Queen Desdemona stood in her favorite steeple in Zatar Palace, staring at the snowy Jaspian Mountain peaks. The snow never melted completely from the highest peak, Mount Solaha. The snow melt formed seasonal streams which helped farmers through dry summers. Even, she thought bitterly, farmers that fought against her sovereignty. 

            She could not stop the snow melt, perhaps, but precipitation could be controlled. She stroked the pendants that hung on a chain around her neck. A gold and obsidian bee. A golden tree frog with emerald spots.

            She turned to the chalk board that stood against one wall and wiped it clean. Then she wrote, “Where is the dragonfly charm now?”

            Lines of white chalk formed, showing the answer for the first time ever. A smile spread across her face. The image showed the entire Land of Zatar. On the map, two hills appeared and then a building. It looked like Agnof Keep in the Sunken Valley, where a stream disappeared into a sink hole. The karst terrain spread through much of that region, forming hidden caves, tunnels and underground waterways.

            The picture of a waterfall appeared southward of Agnof Keep, along the fringe of Hallam Woods. The amulet must be there, she thought. Queen Desdemona headed for the palace courtyard, laughing in excitement.

 

* * *

 

            The waterfall splattered against the pool in front of her. The cascade of water looked like something from a fairy tale, with its moss covered rocks and flowers blooming out of every nook and cranny.

            And the water. It looks so clean. She ran over to it and took a sip without even thinking. She instantly regretted it. Her dad warned her, lectured her repeatedly about Giardia. He would tell a lengthy tale of how he caught the protozoan parasite one time while hiking the Appalachian Trial for a month with his buddies. They became so sick they had to end their trip early.

            How could she forget? But, maybe the clear blue water was as pure as it appeared. She’d know by tomorrow.

            The water seemed to be calling to her, making her decide to postpone her return home. It would only take a couple minutes, and then she would run all the way back. Besides, she would be a little late no matter what.

            She slipped off her running shoes and socks and dipped her feet in the water, admiring the moss-covered rocks all around the pool. On the opposite side a steep, slanted cliff jutted out of the earth, reaching thirty feet at its highest point. She could walk to the top of the waterfall by climbing around the pool up a gentle, grassy slope that became the steep cliff.

            The sparkling water continued to taunt her and she couldn’t pull herself away. She thought she felt someone’s eyes on her, but she often had that eerie feeling when alone in the woods. “Hello?”

            No one answered.

            She took off her t-shirt and then her khaki shorts, leaving only her necklace and swim suit. Her father had given the necklace to her and made her promise to always wear it close to her heart. She kept it hidden under a t-shirt so it would not be stolen. The golden chain held a large golden dragonfly. An emerald gem stone shone from the center of its thorax and two small ones glittered from each eye. In order to please him, she heeded his words as best she could by almost never removing it.

            She took a deep breath and dove in. Ahh. It feels so cool. So nice. She practiced her strokes. Butterfly became her favorite stroke last year when she finally perfected the technique well enough to go for an entire lap. It still wore her out since it required more strength than any of the other strokes.

            She stood up on the rock in the middle of the pool, under the waterfall. It showered onto her gently, unlike what she expected from the loud noise the water made. She felt the weight of her long wet hair on her back.

            After some time, she swam back to a large rock on the edge, knowing she needed to head home. She meant to dress immediately, truly, she did. But she caught sight of an enormous, yellow flower growing close to the edge of the pool. It looked cute, but flowers can’t be cute.

            The floppy, colorful petals held her in a trance, drawing her closer. She walked toward the flower while dressing. The round center of the flower turned into a face as she came closer. Yes, it looked like two large, round eyes were there and a little mouth and nose. She laughed at herself, knowing how the forest inflamed her imagination as it dampened her reasoning. Awww . . . How adorable.

            What looked like eyes opened, and the deep blue discs stared at her. Then, the flower moved forward, revealing an infant-like body. The large, yellow petals flopped as the creature stood up. I must be dreaming. She had fallen asleep on the moss by the spring many times before. Normally she’d dream strange dreams of winged people and wake up surrounded by birds chirping.

            “Aww . . .” she said out loud. “Hello. You’re a cute little fellow, aren’t you?” Jessica bent down to see if the petals were real just as the baby grew large, sharp teeth. And two of its thorny leaves stretched out like hands. It growled and snapped its sharp teeth and she felt thorns scratch across her skin.

            She screamed and jumped onto the mossy rock by the water. More flower babies joined the first. She hoped her parents or a neighbor would hear her. The flower babies surrounded her on three sides and started crawling up the rock.

            At first, she didn’t want to hurt the babies. But that was silly. These weren’t babies, these were little monsters. She began knocking them off the rock with her t-shirt. When more and more kept coming, she became ruthless. She kicked them with her running shoes right in their big, round faces. But, there were too many of them. Once she knocked one off, it would be replaced. She was surrounded.

            She needed to escape into the water since surely they could not swim. But, as she turned to dive, bamboo-like plants sprouted all around her on top of the mossy rock. She kept kicking the babies to get them on the other side of the strange plants. Unfortunately, one pink flower baby dove through the plants aiming for her left calf. She swung her shirt at it, but the fabric whizzed by. She had swung a second too late. The creature sunk its pointy canines into her left calf.

            “YOW!” She tried repeatedly to pry the baby’s jaw from her leg, but to no avail. She became desperate. She felt tears of rage and pain running down her face as Jessica looked up into the sky. “Help! Help!”

            And then, all at once, all the flower babies fled back to the bushes in unison. All except for the one on her leg. The baby monster loosened its grip and stared ahead, its eyes growing wide in fear.