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schedule,” smiled Rider. “But we cannot linger. Let’s chat in the ARC and
get everyone caught up.” He again put his right arm around my waist and flew us
out of the Airbus and onto a cobblestone pathway.
         Once we
landed, I looked up and saw that we were outside of an abandoned church. Sacra
and Glinda landed by us and began walking around the side of the building. Dead
weeds, thorny branches and rusted iron poles obstructed our path, yet Rider, Sacra
and Glinda navigated the mess with ease and familiarity. We reached the wooden
doors of an underground shed connected to the building. Sacra pointed her sword
at the door handles, and the doors swung open on their accord. She hopped down,
followed by Glinda.
         “After
you,” smiled Rider.
         I peeked
over the edge of the door frame, and could see a stone landing far below. “But
we’re very high. That’s a good thirty feet drop,” I said, concerned that Rider
was joking about jumping down.
         “Just
jump,” he whispered, nodding toward the drop. “Here, I’ll count to three.”
         “Alright,”
I replied as I turned to face the drop.
         “1, 2,” and
on the count of 2, Rider pushed me from behind and I fell into the hole.
         I screamed
all the way down. As I approached the ground, I closed my eyes and bent my legs
slightly to brace for impact. When I landed, my eyes opened and I realized that
I had landed straight up, no harm done. Rider floated down next to me.
         “I made
it.” I spoke breathily, shocked that I had made the landing without injury.
         “You have
more in you than you realize,” he suggested, patting my head.
         Behind him,
light bounced off of stone walls. The air had an unfamiliar smell and a few
droplets of water fell onto my head. I looked up to see water dripping from the
stone ceiling. A drop landed on my lips and when I tasted it, it was salty. We
were in a rocky cavern of some sort. I turned to my right and was immediately
struck by what I saw. Crystal clear blue water greeted my eyes in a pool about
one hundred yards in diameter. The short beach between me and the pool was
rocky, yet the pebbled surface glistened like diamonds. I walked over to where
the water lapped up onto the beach and tried to see the bottom of the pool. It was
so deep that it appeared to have no end. Across from us on the opposite beach
were several passageways, one of which was lit with torches.
         “Where are
we?” I asked in awe.
         “The ARC
Grotto,” replied Sacra. “The church above us used to be near a body of water
known as the Hudson River. During the Great World War, buildings and earth
formations were destroyed. And when the nuclear reactor detonated, the entire
river dried. Over the years, this grotto naturally formed and has housed the
ARC’s home base.”
         I looked
closer on the ground and noticed there were familiar-looking shells lying
between the pebbles and rocks, reflecting rainbows. I bent down and reached out
for one. It magically flew into the palm of my hand. Rubbing it in between my
fingers, I tried to place where I had seen those shells before.
         “Your
blouse,” said Glinda, smiling down at me.
         Still
crouched, I held the shell up to my blouse and realized that it matched the
buttons on the shirt my mother had given to me earlier that day. Was it
still the same day that all of this had happened?
         “My
mother’s been here before?” I asked, searching Rider’s face for answers.
         “Yes. When
we spoke to her prior to your Oculation, she met us here. She’s been here a few
times before as well. Simply to update us on your livelihood.”
         I nodded
and stood, pocketing the seashell that rested in my hand.
         “Let’s keep
moving,” said Rider, offering his arm.
         Sacra and
Glinda lifted up and flew across the pool, landing on the opposite beach in the
grotto. Rider again