Last edited by 97cweb at 2026-09-03 19:36:58.520658
“You got the pies?” Lena asks, as I shift in my boots, ready to get going.
“Yes,” I reply.
“You know where you are going?”
“Follow the road out of the village to the northeast, when it curves to the east, keep going northeast. That is to the blue death lake”
“And what are you NOT bringing back?” Lena continues, sternly.
“I am not to bring back any death water, and if I get any on me, I am to thoroughly wash off before coming near here again.”
“Else...”
“Else, you will push me into the river with a broom, and keep me outside for the next day.”
“Good. Now, I have been near there before. It is barren, just...be careful. Both places I saw from a distance, it’s freaky. And don’t try drinking it immediately!”
“Of course,” I reply with a soft smile. It is weird being scolded, but also feels nice to have someone care for me.
“Now, the path is poor, just take your time, and don’t push to get to both today! Yes, you could probably force yourself, but the forest has a way of making sure footing false.”
“Got it.” I reach for the door handle. She weasles her way up between me and the door.
“And do be careful.” She gives me a quick peck on the cheek, I feel my face burn red.
“You’re so cute when you do that!”
I quickly get outside and start walking before something else happens.
Exiting out the village, I find the road heading northeast, and start walking. It is a bit more than a cart path, but at least there are no stumps there, and I don’t have to duck under trees. I keep walking, following the steady path for an hour. There are many plants, and a few footprints cross the paths, but nothing recognizable. To see a maple, that would be nice.
Eventually the road begins to turn, and I see a small hole in the forest wall lining the road up ahead. Peering in, there is a small clearing, about 10 feet, but then it dead ends, with cut trees crossing the path.
“Looks like it was deliberately closed,” I say to no one in particular.
I step around the chopped trees, and continue. The path goes from a cart wide, to little more than a portage trail, with only a few overgrown tree slash marks highlighting the path. Slowly, the path steepens, but within 20 minutes, I am having to use my hands to steady myself on the rocks along the path. One rock breaks loose in my hand. Cleanly broken on one side, and nicely worn on the other, I pocket it without thinking.
The path finally dies, and I end up fighting through the last of the trees, plants and rocks to get to the top of the hill.
Looking down, it looks like the moon. There is no life, no plants, no moss, nothing. A stark divide about halfway up the wall of this pit, with a deep blue lake at the bottom.
Squinting a bit, the pit appears to be perfectly round.
“Crater impact?”
I start the treacherous walk down, thankful that there is no moss or slime to slip on. Getting to the edge of the lake takes a few minutes, with no life and only rocks for distance measuring, everything feels off. Especially how quiet it is.
Once I get to the shore, I sit on a large rock, near the edge, and eat the pies, so if the lake is toxic to me, I won’t be eating after it.
Main thing I notice is that there is no smell. No salty smell, no fish smell, nothing.
I finish the pies in a few minutes, and while looking at the shore, kick some rocks into it, to see if anything occurs. They go splash, but just sit there, in the very clear but blue water, only disappearing from depth rather than any scum.
I lean on another rock and pull the one out of my pocket, feeling its weight in my hand, as I ponder what could make the water so blue. There is no ice, and even glacier water is not crayon blue like this.
While thinking, I drop the rock into the lake. I try to jump backwards to avoid the splash, but get hit by it anyways.
“Great. Guess I am going for a clothes on swim when I get back.”
Leaning against the rock for a minute, enjoying the spring sun, I think about any of the little chemistry I remember to see of anything blue for sodium salts. Nothing.
I doze off on the warm surface of the rock, and only wake when I get cool. The sun is setting!
Remembering what Lena said, I don’t rush, but quickly look around to see where I am and where the path is.
While looking, something bright catches my eye, in the water.
It’s the rock I dropped not that long ago. But instead of being almost black, it is somewhat shiny.
I dip one finger into the lake briefly, with canteen at the ready to wash it off if need be. No burning sensation, no slipperiness, so I quickly grab the rock and rinse it off. Some of the shininess falls off, on to the rocks around my feet, but what remains, rather than being silver of iron, is coppery.
Coppery. Blue water.
I stumble backwards a few steps, while still gripping the rock. The blue death lake is what they fear, but what I need most for my generator.
Copper.