The Reflecting Pool

Opening Chapter

The sun beat down on the cement with an intense, painful warmth that day. No different from any family there, a young woman walked with her two young daughters. They moved through the oppressive heat toward the Washington Monument. It was suffocating, and so, so hot. As they approached the shadow of the monolith, the younger daughter hastened ahead.  The elder daughter followed her through the crowd, guided by instruction.

    The younger daughter, able to move deft through the crowd, dallied for a few moments. Her eyes caught the huge stone then, the shifting sun throwing its shadow over her. It was then she felt the heat, and in the same instant saw the reflecting pool. At first she sat on the small ledge, looking at her reflection. Beside her own image the large monolith stood, in impeccable alignment with the pool. After a moment though, she saw the water for the value it had. She leaned over the side, her hands grasping for the cool relief. 

    At that moment, she saw something glistening beneath the surface. Her eyes grew wide with wonder, and she leaned closer over the ledge toward it. Her hand slipped then, and she fell, face first, into the pool before her. Surprised by its depth, she found she couldn’t pull herself out without being able to find the bottom. It made her wonder for a moment if she would, indeed, die this way; dangling on the precarious ledge of the reflecting pool.

    What would her mother say?

    Just as she had this thought, a hand grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her back to the surface again. She gulped the air back in her lungs, closing her eyes and letting it fill her body. Eventually, she opened her eyes. Her sister was above her, already motioning her mother over. Both laughed at her silliness and how careless she must have been to fall face first into such a small pool. Her sister helped her to her feet, teasing her all the while.

    As she laughed in reply, the young girl looked up again to take in her surroundings. She froze in surprise. She stood horrified to find that the Washington Monument that had stood there moments before had disappeared. In fact, the entire scenery around her was different. Except for the reflecting pool, which had looked the same from when she first fell in. 

    “What’s wrong?” her mother asked with a worried look stretched across her face. She watched the sudden change in her daughter’s expression.

    “Where are we?” the child implored, trying to hide her panic, and keep her illusions to herself.

    Her mother’s concerned look heightened. Had she hit her heard when she fell? Was she suffering from memory loss? “Salt Lake City, dear,” she cooed. Then added, “We’re in Utah, love.” The girl just stared at her mother with a rather blank expression. “I think we better get your sister back to the hotel,” she said, patting her eldest daughter on her back.

    “Alright,” the girl shrugged, grabbing her little sisters shoulder in comfort. She grabbed her younger sister's shoulder, and chaperoned her sister toward home.

    The younger daughter remained silent, too terrified to speak. She knew where she had been, she had seen the monument moments before falling in. She had run towards it in fact, just to get a better look. And it had been so hot, not like the cool breeze that was now blowing against her cheeks. She was determine to say nothing, to anyone ever; she must have lost her senses.

    And so it began.