Egg Hunter

Chapter Two

All around me is a meadow, pulsing with energy. I look around and find myself the middle of the "mountain" and the sky beyond the rim surrounding the oasis. A small waterfall tumbles off the side of the crater and pools into a seemingly endless pit, filled with water. Rising from the middle of the pit is a tower of crystal, no doubt the source of energy that the magic feeds off. All around are flowers and grass with the occasional willow tree. I smelled the sweet air, and low and behold... STRAWBERRIES!!

I follow my nose and find a cluster of bushes next to the pond. Sometimes I love being blind so that I can smell a strawberry from a mile away! I skip over and pluck a succulent berry. I collect so much, that berries start spilling from my hands.

Okay! I tell myself, That's enought berries for you, Tarka! I walk over to the base of a willow nearby the pond, and sit down. I pop a berry into my mouth and tart, juicy flavors greets me. YUMMY!! I chew as fast as I can, so I can get another strawberry into my mouth. I'm not the savory kind of person. I go from one moment of sweet goodness, to the next... no funny buisness! I am just about to toss another berry in my mouth, when the crystal spire flashes a blinding light. It ripples across the meadow and through the mountain walls. Increadible heat rushes at me.

I leap up, startled (and choking on a strawberry) the energy around me is buzzing and blinding me with light. I can't see anything! (no pun intended) I swallow hard and the not-so-delicious-anymore strawberry slowly clears my throat. Panic starts worming its way into my stomach, what if I can't find my way out?

I take a deep breath, "Okay!" I tell myself out loud, "I will get out one way or the other, so I might as well start walking!" I tentatively take a step forward, then a second one, then--nothing.  My stomach is suddenly far behind me, wind whipping my face and flashes of colors and lights all around me. I shriek like a little girl (even though I am a little girl!) I must be falling!  But where am I falling from? The pond? Last I checked, there was water in there!

After what seems like an eternity of falling, my stomach catches up with me and I sence ground rapidly rushing upward.