Safe and Helpful

Chapter One: Falling Glory

Kit’s POV

I stretched out on the giant quartz crystal by the pond. My cat, Simon, settled next to me, glaring at the world with his tongue stuck out. I chuckled and admired the rippling foamy water. The smell of the grove was just comforting, being outside and fresh. The colors were breathtaking, the greens and blues and golden hues all fading along the scenery. The giant purple and navy blue and peridot green crystals that circled the pond made the water look like a multi-colored rainbow.

I stared at the pond, waiting for her to pop up.

“C’mon,” I muttered. I saw a flash of pink, and smiled when Cassie jumped up and out of the small pond, her scarlet hair matching her fading shades of red that colored her tail.

“There you are!” I called.

“I have no legs, and this pond is about ten feet in diameter - where else would I be?” Cassie replied dryly.

“I… uh, well… for, eh...that amount of sass is just unnecessary,” I said defensively.

Cassie snickered. “It’s fine.” She flicked her tail, splashing me and Simon. Simon screeched and hissed, sliding over the slick rocks in a desperate attempt to escape more water.

“Damn cat…” I muttered. “Cassie, stop torturing Simon.”

She did a fake pout. “Aw! It’s fun!”

Suddenly, a something pushed me from the crystal, sending me tumbling down the crags and rough rock into the cool water.

I heard maniacal giggling as i swam up from the pond. The water was perfect and clear, spiking joy in a weird, friendly way. I saw Camel, one of my best friends sitting where I was, holding my ukulele across her lap.

“Watch out next time!” She called.   

I crawled out of the colorful pond, sitting on the shore, the sandy line decorated with flowers, patches of grass, and the occasional grainy quartz sprouting out of the ground.

“Give me my instrument,” I said, grabbing the neck of the ukulele. Settling in with it, I put my fingers along the frets, ready to play.

Before I could start, there was a small, steady whine that resonated quietly throughout the hollow.

“The hell’s that?” Camel mumbled.

“Wait, you guys hear that? It’s not just me?” I asked.

Slowly, the whine picked up in volume, then quickly progressing into this ear-splitting squeal that pierced the air. I covered my ears, though I felt something warm prick my hands when I did. The world started shaking, everything vibrating out of focus. Out of the corner of my blurry vision, I could see Simon on the hore, clawing at his ears, writhing.

Everything brightened in the hollow, then a light shone so bright i had to shut my eyes. It felt that my eyelids were going to melt  off, my face heating up even when i fell into the pond.

The last thing was this giant boom, shaking everything and sending me flying through the water. I hit my head on the floor of the pond, water clogging my senses. Then it just stopped. Nothing else.

I swam dizzily up to the surface, coughing and shaking. My vision was still blurry, and I could hear a ringing in my ears. Cassie helped me over to the shore, looking as dazed as me. I removed my hands from my ears, my palms covered in watery blood.

Camel limped over to us, looking as bashed and bruised as the rest of us.

“What the hell was that?”