Reena’s Xploration Challenge #242-All but Forgotten

Write whatever the image brings up in you.

There is no restriction on length or format of the piece. There is no last date either, unless you wish to be featured in the Weekly Wrap. 

Cee abruptly stopped in her tracks. The finely detailed map that she held did not depict the glassy pond which obviously lay directly to her right. The sky reflected on the pond’s surface was sharp, but the image was sepia-toned.
A gasp from directly behind her made her jump with fright. She spun around with fists at the ready nearly knocking the youngest survivor into the copper-colored water.

“Zee! You scared the salt out of me! I told you to stay at camp.”

“I got bored, Cee. You get all the fun these days.”

“These days? You call the end of human existence THESE DAYS!”

Cee instantly realized her fright had gotten the better of her. As third in command, she took her role of steady leadership seriously, so she just grabbed the younger woman and hugged her.

“Sorry Zee. I lost my cool for a moment.”

“No worries. What’s wrong with that water?”

“I don’t know. It’s not on the map. Probably minerals or something else in this environment.”

Cee stepped toward the pond and squatted placing her fingers on the still surface. Not one ripple spread from her touch. That odd experience caused her to retrieve her hand in a jolt as if it had been burned only to observe that her fingertips weren’t the slightest bit wet.

“This isn’t good, Zee. Not good at all. I don’t remember much but I know how water in my cup behaves and this is not water.”

Suddenly, two dark pointed shadows crossed the mirrored surface. Both females instantly looked up, but there was nothing between the sun and the reflection. Then their slightly startled eyes met, and the air filled with a deafening roar followed by ear-ringing waves of explosions all around them!
Instinctively they dropped face first to the ground.

As abruptly as it had erupted, the clangor ended.

When Cee and Zee lifted their heads, all was calm, and the sepia pond was gone!

Over the next few months, visits to that area were forbidden to all but Leader Ay, who returned every time pale and visibly rattled.

Forevermore it was hence declared a haunted area, to the 26-member troop, and given a wide berth.

Marked on the map with a bold red ring it was officially labeled The Memory Pond.



https://reinventionsreena.wordpress.com/2022/08/04/reenas-xploration-challenge-242/