Secrets of the Underwater Dome

Chapter 11 - The lake's secrets

The sun crept through the gaps in the trees, being the natural light that came through the thin fabric of the tent awakening them all. They escaped the claustrophobic feeling of the tents, to the fresh air which had the crisp morning dew settling over them. They all met up outside the tents and grouped around the dead, unlit fire. "I propose a deal" Flynn started looking up at them all, "As you are on a time limit, we will help you find the evil fairy, but in return, you help us find the murderer of our parents'' Flynn said to the nervous looks, "deal" Waylan said professionally, holding out his hand, "hang on a moment, don't you think we should discuss this?" Annalise contradicted, "what is there to discuss, they help us, we help them" Nate said agreeing with Waylon, "I'm sorry but we just met you, how do we know you are not going to ditch us, or turn sides?" Annalise said. "The fact that you shared tents with us and we had all night to run, or murder you in your sleep kinda helps, '' Flynn said point blank. Annalise's cheeks went lobster red and she looked down embarrassed. Nobody said anything after that. They ate their share of fruit and packed up to head off. Flynn walked upfront with Barney and Waylan, whereas Nate walked at the back with Barry, and Annalise and Icelynn were in the middle. Icelynn was showing her power to Annalise by freezing the leaves and twigs in front of them, but she had to stop when Waylan slipped on the leaf and landed with a loud bump on the ground. Flinching he was helped up by Flynn and an Icelynn who was half laughing half saying apologies every second. They continued to walk on and on, Flynn glancing back at Annalise so often that both Annalise and Icelynn noticed. It took 4 hours when they reached a clearing in the forest. They settled down, getting out the lunch that Barry and Barney had prepared, a cucumber and cheese sandwich which they all gulped down quickly. And then they were off again, following the map Nathalia had given them. As quickly as anything the night had fallen and the forest turned into a misty black gloom again, they had already wasted 2 days, so tomorrow they had to find Fairy Queen Solstice.
Sounds from outside her tent awakened Annalise, nervous and comprehensive as she was on the outside, she was brave on the inside so she slipped out of her makeshift bed and quietly like a ballerina unzipped the tent and creeped out. The crickets chirped loudly in the night, echoing off the tree trunks, but on the dirty, muddy floor were footprints, leading off winding round the trees. Annalise finally concluded that it probably wouldn't hurt, much, to follow those footprints and find out where it was leading. It led to a glittering glass lake, which flowed so smoothly and calmly that it distracted Annalise from why she was there. But sitting at the bank was a silhouette of someone. As she took some apprehensive steps closer, trying not to disturb whoever it was privacy, she realized that it was Flynn. "Hi," Annalise said, sitting down awkwardly next to him. Still not making eye contact Flynn replied "Hey". "What are you doing here?" Annalise said, "Thinking," Flynn said, "and you're distracting me from it' he finished. "Well I'll leave you then," Annlsie said coldly, slightly hurt. She got up to leave when Flynn said, "But I prefer company".

There was silence for some time until they got into conversation, "sorry" Flynn said when Annalise had told him about her mother and sister, and the shocked look on his face when Annalise said "My father died too, I saw him floating in the sea, very much dead" and "you are the first one I've told that I've seen him" Annalise said matter of factly. They chatted for ages, relating to each other, and giving sympathetic answers, Annalise noticed that Flynn tried to act tough and brave most of the time but he was just a troubled teenager who missed his parents. They had finished finally and sat in silence again, the crickets breaking it. Something was bubbling at the back of Annalise's mind, something which had been bothering her. She let him in on what it was. "I saw you kept looking back at me," she said, Flynn went red, annalise guessed that she hadn't been confronted much before, especially by a girl. "I was checking you were still with us," he said, "no you weren't," Annalise said raising an eyebrow, Flynn sighed and said, "are you a parking ticket; because you've got 'fine' written all over you", Annalise laughed "That's the worst pick-up line I've heard," she said smiling, "You've heard others?" Flynn said fiddling with his fingers, "No '' Annalise replied honestly. Annalise's cheeks felt hot like fireflies had flown into her mouth, and her stomach was churning with butterflies because Flynn had leaned in, leaning in for the kiss. His cold, dry lips made contact with her soft, rosy lips and they kissed. After a moment or two, they broke apart, both blushing furiously. Annalise got up and Flynn grabbed her hand, "I have to go, the sun is about to break through the sky" without another word, she slipped out of his grasp and ran back through the now baking forest, but that might have just been her.