The Pond

An unedited short story I wrote for creative writing club.

I walk to the pond, like I do every morning. Each day I hope that something will be there.

The pond is out of the way. I don’t think anyone else has found it. It is through the forest that starts on the outskirts of town and extends all the way to the nearby cliffs. There’s no path through the forest; I just liked to wander through it looking for flowers or birds. One day I was walking along the cliff when I noticed the pond. It is easy to miss, one side of the cliff juts out, hiding the pond from view.

The pond itself is almost a perfect circle. The water is clean and pure, unlike the water in the town well. It tastes a lot better too. The cliffs block much of the sunlight so that the water is always cool. I can see right to the bed full of rocks in shades of blue and gray, even though it is deeper than I am tall. Lily pads and water lilies float on the surface of the water and cat-tails grow along one bank.

The pond is too idyllic to not be something special. A hidden alcove with a beautiful pond - something has to be up, right? I come back often in the hopes that whatever is special about the pond will have revealed itself since the last time I visited. Maybe it is the home of a fairy who will give me a blessing. Maybe this water will develop healing properties. Maybe there is a sword hidden at the bottom, and once I remove it, I will go on an adventure to save a princess.

But once again, nothing has changed. I cup water in my hands to take a sip. I sit on the edge watching the fish dart around, daydreaming about magic and adventures. After a while, I stand, knowing my mother will be expecting me back soon with water for the house. I lower my pail into the pond, breaking the surface of the water. I turn around and leave the pond behind. Not looking back to give whatever was there lots of time to appear before my next visit.

I trudge back home. After months of waiting for something to appear, I am a little less disappointed after every visit to the pond.

In the afternoon my work feels a little lighter.