The Lana House

Chapter 6

Opening my eyes was the most exciting part. I had never visited #zD507 before. Looking around, the scenery felt familiar, but there was always a feeling of distance from the current times. The training realm was in a jungle-esque dome. There were so many different domes created for training. I remember my first dome experience featured a circus. The animals wore outfits, and the people were so strange. The Ringmaster led us through riddles in order to find out what our training quest was.   

Here now, it was so humid I practically peeled my shirt off, leaving my tank top on for cover although I would have been perfectly content running around naked in that heat.
I looked to Cliff who also appeared to be uncomfortably hot. He was gazing at the dome, mesmerized by the fact we were standing in a snow globe without snow.
A butterfly landed on his shoulder. A beautiful surprise, its black and blue wings took rest on him..a complete stranger. A man appeared, scaring the life out of me.
"Children, I say. Children! Welcome." The man said, motioning us to come closer. 

"I do believe you have been sent by the lovely Miss Lana, am I correct?"

"Yes sir!" I said, hoping to appear confident by Cliff's standards, even though I didn't know this man.
He was wearing khakis, and a large hat that had a mesh veil pinned onto the back.
"It's very nice to meet you...."
"Charles." He said extending a hand.
"Charles, it's nice to meet you." I shook his hand.
"Let me show you around, I hope you've come prepared to scribe what you see."
We walked through many trees, following a beaten path to a very small, solid shack. Inside there was a wooden table, a basket of fruit next to a journal and a lantern, and on the floor was a flimsy mattress dressed in flimsy linens.
"Is this where you live?" I asked.
"Hmph. Of course not!" Charles said.

"Oh, okay." I said, feeling stupid.

"Here take these." Charles handed us each a rolled up map, a can of bug spray, a notebook with a pen attached, and a small sack.

"You'll need those. Follow the map, and as always, write your observations exactly as you see them. Exactly as you see them." Charles said.

"Yes sir, not a problem." Cliff said.

We set off on the path that led deeper into the jungle. The heat hadn't improved. I assumed the domes didn't have a day/night cycle.

We came up to a large stream. The map indicated there would be no way around. It didn't look much deeper than the knees.

"Go ahead Cliff." I said, nudging him.

"Okay Jackie, I can be brave." He said. He began trudging through the water. I followed. When we reached the other side, we both sat on a big rock. I took out my notebook and he mimicked me.

"Okay, write down what just happened and then let me see." I said.

He wrote a few lines and then handed it to me.

Jackie and I found a river. We had to cross it because there was no way around it. My clothes got all wet. At least the river cooled me down.

Not great. I thought.

"Try again." I laughed, giving my best attempt at appearing patient.

"Read mine." I said, and handed him my notebook.

Charles the quest presenter provided a map that led Clifford and I to a river. The map indicated no other path, our waypoint remained across the river. We decided to cross. The river ran approx. 3 mph. No signs of animals or other life forms inhabiting the area. No wind or direct sunlight. Each river shore is covered in a line of trees. The water was clear enough to see to the bottom, but the pace of the river created a visual distraction when having to watch our steps through the water. Rocks in the water appear smooth and are not moss covered.

"Ah." He said.