Fire's Catching

Chapter 2 - Orchestra

"Joy! Joy, where are you?"

I turn around. There, where the light disappears and the green wall of plants begins, is the source of the voice. Grey falls out into the clearing, Forrest not far behind.

"Jeez, Joy," Grey says as they get up on their feet again. "You really ran far. Did you have to rush away like that?" They begin walking toward me. That's when I feel a rumbling through the ground. I almost lose my balance, but Forrest hurries to catch me.

"Be careful," he says seriously. I look behind me at the previous sight. It's a fountain, made from what looks like white porcelain, with intricate carvings all around. A fountain shouldn't be able to be made of porcelain, the material would break from the water, right? I get closer to get a better look at the carvings. Four symbols are repeated in a pattern across the surface of the fountain. A harp, an acorn, a lion and a salamander. What a strange array of images. I wonder what they all mean? The surface of the water in the fountain is completely still. No ripples, nothing. How strange? I look over the edge. A gasp escapes my lips. The water is as reflective as a mirror. I see myself, but it doesn't sit right. Something is different. I don't know what, but I do know that I like the display. And that scares me for some reason.

The others come over, also gasping at their reflections. They must feel the same thing I did. I reach out to touch the water, but before my finger breaks the surface, Forrest grabs my wrist.

"Are you sure you wanna touch that? We don't know what it is," he comments concerned. I feel certain that this is what I'm supposed to do, so I nod, giving my answer. He releases me, allowing for further movement. Just as I brush the surface, a powerful force propels us backwards onto the grass. My head hits the ground, and I black out.

*

"Ouch," Forrest exclaims. "That really hurt." I open my eyes, the light intensely sharp. I cover my face with my hand, protecting myself from the sun. My entire body aches. Is this what being hung-over feels like? I sit up, rubbing my head. Where am I? I blink a couple of times, letting my eyes get used to the light. I look around, the scenery reminding me of the events that just took place. Forrest is laying on his stomach, his hand on the back of his neck. Grey is to my side; they have only just now started waking up. They groan from the pain and pressure, just as Forrest did. They really are similar, those two.

I glance up at the fountain, but I'm horrified by what I see. It's gone. Completely gone. There's nothing left but an eerie atmosphere. I crawl over to Grey, shaking them awake.

"Wh-what is it?" they moan, squinting at me. I point to the missing fountain, acquiring a yelp from Grey. "What the actual fuck?" They yell, something that gets Forrest's attention too.

"What are you yelling about? Be a little quiet for God's sake," he hushes at Grey. Grey stands up and walks over to Forrest, pushing him with their boot. This makes Forrest rush up in annoyance. They almost look hilarious, like two birds puffing up their chests to assert dominance.

I turn to the spot where the fountain used to be. Could there be a trace of it? I walk over alone, the other two busy with their mating ritual. I lean down to touch the grass, but in the corner of my eye, I see a figure. A shadow quickly passing through the trees. Then it's gone again. Who was that? Is my mind playing tricks on me?

"ARGH!" Forrest screams behind me. I spin around, catching a glimpse of him mid-air, flying across the clearing. He lands with a heavy thud and a grunt. I run over, making sure he's okay.

"What happened?" I ask. It doesn't seem as if he's severely hurt, maybe a couple of bruises, but that's it.

"That bitch, Grey," he snorts. "I don't know what happened, but I just play-pushed them, then they just shoved me across the entire field." What? That shouldn't be humanly possible. The clearing has to be at least five hundred feet. I charge towards Grey, curious out of my wits. They're just standing there, paralyzed in shock.