Don't Go

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I was standing still. I didn't know what else to do. I had been standing there for 10 minutes. Maybe more. I was still too deep in thought to keep track of time. Where could I start? There were no clues this time, and honestly, I was too lost to make any assumptions or guesses. I wish December was here. She figured things out way faster than I do. Of course, if she was here I wouldn't have to find clues. I sat down in the same spot she did earlier. The water was awkwardly still and clear. I had my eyes fixed on what seemed like blue-tinted glass. I noticed something, though. Bodies of water should always be moving no matter what, right? There should always be some kind of air current interfering. I reached out and touched it. It was cold and solid. I applied more pressure, and it was still undisturbed. I decided to stand on it, and it was still whole. Somehow, the entire lake was frozen. All of it. And it was at least 70 degrees outside. I walked out a little more, and it felt like I might as well have been walking on concrete. I looked out a little more and noticed a cave. I didn't know where else to go but forward. I kept walking, and trust me, lakes are a lot bigger bigger than you'd think. I spent about an hour getting to the cave. As soon as I walked it, the small of December was so strong it almost knocked me on my feet. Her sweet scent just hit me at once. I looked around and I could see paintings on the walls. Several paintings. Paintings that must've taken hours at a time to even make one. Guilt surged through me because I realized it must've taken me forever to get to the lake. But I noticed the paintings were odd. The first one was obviously a lake. Then to the right of it, there was a long, red splatter. Then the road I used to get to the lake. Then another splatter. Then what looked like a brown, desolate plain of dying grass and trees. Then another splatter. Then a large cave in some mountain range, with large, beautiful statues at the entrance holding torches. It was still a little wet. December didn't paint it that long ago. But why the splatters? I took a closer look and realized, they were messy dotted lines. Then I realized that the paintings were really a map. Then I realized that she showed me how to find her again.

As I said before.

She's a smart girl.

And then I started my journey to the next cave.

And I was determined to get there time this time.