Behind the Waterfall — Part 1 (Discovering the Magic) and Part 2 — (Remembering the Magic)
Behind the Waterfall — Part 1 (Discovering the Magic
The rain pounded against the cobblestones, making them slick and slippery. The sand on the beach was damp, brown, and rough, and the rain was whipping the water into a frenzy, frothing, white, and bubbling. Everyone was home today, savoring this downcast day to stay warm at home with their families, sipping hot cocoa, and watching a movie. Smoke billowed from chimneys, indicating the lit fireplaces. It was the beginning of Monsoon Season.
Someone splashed across the slick cobblestones, their black boots gleaming with water. They wore a warm grey poncho, deep blue jeans, and hair tucked into a fancy hat. She skidded across, the rain drenching her, and the wind buffeting her from all sides. She ducked underneath a porch, and looked past the rain, at the modern glass and stone home on the outskirts of the beach. Her green eyes glinted with determination, her brows curving slightly, ready to take on the challenge. After taking a deep breath, she sprinted out, her legs pumping like pistons. She slid across the cobblestones, grabbing the door handle, and yanked it open. She shoved the door shut, breathing heavily, each breath becoming less ragged. The hallway was spacious, with a furry couch, tossed with pillows. The girl took off her poncho, revealing her black jacket underneath, which she hung up. When she removed her hat, straight strawberry blonde hair tumbling to her elbows. Breathing deeply, she headed to the living room. That was her first mistake.
She was blasted by scorching air, the heat breathing down her back. She ran to the living room patting her hair. She soon saw a girl sawing a hole in the ceiling. Even though her back was facing her direction, she knew that Monsoon’s deep blue eyes were glinting with determination. Her eyes were her best trait. They brought to mind drizzly monsoons, warm fireplaces, and storm clouds. Her mother had named her Monsoon, because she was born in the heart of the Monsoon Season. Monsoon always stayed here because of the beauty, and modernity of the house, instead of returning to their old house. In fact, this house was an original, but had been modified.
“Did you hear the news?” Adrian asked, jerking her back to the present. He was Monsoon’s twin brother, named after the Adriatic Sea. She looked at him, baffled. He pulled out his phone.
“This monsoon isn’t normal. The water is making the plants grow three times as faster, and is RESTRAINING the sea from fully crashing into the city. And, someone saw something weird…” He pulled up a picture of a waterfall.
“Yeah, Monsoon Falls. What about it?” She asked, referring to the waterfall near the center of the town. Adrian looked at her in disbelief.
“Isabel… someone saw the waterfall OPEN.”
Everything happened at once. Isabel leaped up, Adrian jerked back, a fresh sheet of rain fell, more white powder drifted from the ceiling, and some of the cables sparked. Adrian and Isabel could hear Monsoon doing some creative cursing in the cable room, as she was zapped.
“Monsoon Fall OPENED?!?” She yelled. Adrian winced, and looked away.
“Well, according to this, the last time it opened, was about… mm, I don’t know…. 200 years ago? DOn’t know why.” Adrian muttered. Isabel and Adrian locked eyes, and both had a silent conversation.
Isabel: You know why I’m surprised.
Adrian : Yes, I know. I know it’s not because it opened.
Isabel : Could the legend be true?
Adrian : Possibly. This Monsoon may be the Monsoon of Magic, from the legend.
Isabel : Then… there really is something behind that waterfall.
Adrian, Monsoon, and Isabel rain over to the window that overlooked their failed plant garden. They watched in wonder, as the rain seeped through the glass protective roof, and fell on the plants. Slowly, the shriveled plants started to grow, and become healthy and lively.
“The Monsoon of Magic…” Monsoon breathed.
“Then… Monsoon Falls… “ Adrian murmured. “It must be open! The legend is true!” Isabel looked at them in amazement. Her mind was having great difficulty with processing the swirling thoughts that soared through her head.
“Well then, we have to go! Let’s go pack!” She exclaimed, and with those words, they all set off to their rooms, preparing for a long journey.
Behind the Waterfall — Part 2 (Remembering the Magic)
Monsoon’s room — Monsoon ruffled through her closet, drawers and cabinets, searching for the right things to pack. At one point, she found a silky, sparkly, and light blue scarf, embroidered with pearls. It still had the faint whiff of jasmine. Monsoon choked back a sob. This was the only remain of her deceased grandmother, Grandmother Myrtle. Myrtle had gone searching for the legend, and never returned. A search party had been sent out, and the only thing they had found was this… her favorite scarf. Monsoon held the scarf close to her heart, and breathed in the familiar scent of jasmine, that always gave her homesickness for Myrtle’s old home, and Monsoon’s childhood home.
“I’ll make you proud, grandma. I’ll avenge your death.” Monsoon whispered, wrapping the scarf around her neck.
Isabel’s room — Isabel was pulling out the most practical clothes from her closet, and shoving them into a duffel bag. Sneakers, jeans, long sleeved shirts, sweaters, and food. Opening her phone, she stared at her most favorite photo — Isabel and Monsoon in front of Monsoon Falls, smiling to the camera, and Adrian, swimming in the falls. That was the happiest moment of her life, the day she KNEW that they would never be torn apart.
“That can never change… “ She murmured, fondly wrapping it in silks, and soft pillows.
“So, If I’m going to die, I’m going to die with my friends close to my heart.” She whispered, stealing one last glance at the picture.
Adrian’s room — Adrian had finished packing, and was sitting on the bed, holding a beautiful necklace. It was made of silver, embroidered with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, garnets, amethyst’s, and every other jewel imaginable. It was sprinkled with golden dust, and joined with a golden clasp. No woman would be able to resist its allure. Not even Myrtle. In fact, she had worn it on journey to unveil the legend. But to every pretty thing, there was a dark side. He turned it over, and fingered the flecks of blood. Crimson, and splattered all over, dried and daunting. No one knew about this necklace. He had even kept it from Monsoon. This was the last piece of her that he had. He remembered the last words she said to him, before leaving… to her death.
“I will come back.” She had promised, tucking a curl of his hair behind his ear. “And protect Monsoon. She has so much potential she does not know about. Keep it safe.” She whispered. Adrian had nodded, and embraced his grandmother. She had flashed him her radiant smile, her golden curls gleaming, the pearls on her scarf glinting. Golden curls… not dark… Adrian wondered. And then that was the last her ever saw of her.
Adrian remembered the day she died. The officer arriving at the doorstep. Telling them that Myrtle Journey had been a brave woman. She was killed, but no one knew how. Remembering when Monsoon had sobbed her heart out, screaming until her throat was raw, her pounding against his chest, and him, only standing there, numbly, the whole world swirling beneath his eyes. He had found the necklace, in a hole. It had been lying in blood, and that night, the world met his anger.
“You promised.” Adrian whispered, clutching the necklace to his chest, blinking back tears, his eyes stinging. One tear rolled down his cheek, leaving a shimmering trail in its wake.
“You promised you would come back. You didn’t… “ He murmured, staring hard. He looked up, a fierce determination glinting in his eye, a spark igniting in his chest.
“So if you won’t come to me… “ He said, clutching the necklace, so the edges bit into his palms.
“Then I will come to you.”
Monsoon
Isabel and Monsoon sat in the living room, with duffel bugs slung on shoulders, with backpacks sitting on their backs. Monsoon nervously fiddled with the edge of the gorgeous scarf, breathing in the cool scent of jasmine to calm her nerves. She watched the magical monsoon pound on the cobblestones, making them slick, and cleansing them of their troubles. The monsoon was cleansing the city, its unspoken whisper reaching into every citizen’s mind, the message loud and clear. No bad memories in this city… no war ground left uncleansed.
“ What’s on your mind?” Isabel asked, interrupting Monsoon’s thoughts. Monsoon jumped, and gave a nervous laugh.
“Nothing… just… old memories. Past memories. This monsoon brings back so many memories…” Monsoon trailed off… everything around her fading slightly. She was thrown back into the past. The last monsoon… the monsoon that had ruined her life.
It was pouring outside, the rain making a thudding sound on the roof. Monsoon was on the couch, in Myrtle’s cottage, watching the rain pour, each droplet like a diamond, sparkling, gleaming, then shattering. Adrian had gone into Myrtle’s bedroom, and they talked in hushed tones. When Myrtle finally came out, Adrian followed behind her, looking at Monsoon strangely, before darting off to his room. Myrtle approached Monsoon, smiling her kindly smile, her honey — gold curls pinned up, the silky light blue scarf wrapped around her neck, and the jasmine scent following her.
“ I’m going out.” She whispered, stroking Monsoon;s dark hair. Monsoon looked up at her, confusion written all over her face.
“But grandma! It’s a sad day outside! Why would you want to go out on such a miserable day?” She protested. Myrtle shook her head, smiling.
“Monsoon… I think this is the one.” She whispered, turning her granddaughter’s head towards the glass, silently watching the gleaming drops slide down the panel. Monsoon’s eyes rounded, and she leaped up.
“The Monsoon of Magic?” She breathed. Myrtle nodded, and hugged her. The last hug she would ever give her. The hug that would end too quickly. The hug that neither of them knew to savor. And then she was gone. Gone too quickly, faster than time should allow.
Weeks passed, and Monsoon became more and more worried. She convinced herself that Myrtle was tough. She could face anything. Only SHE could know when the Monsoon of Magic happened. Then why did the rain stop? Adrian and Monsoon were terrified of the bright sunlight, for it could only mean one thing, which they refused to accept. The hushed conversations of her parents scared her, and then one day, her nightmare became reality.
The doorbell rang, and Monsoon brightened. It must be Myrtle, she told herself. She came back for me, she believed. Her heart lighter than it had been in weeks, she skipped to the door, her dark hair swinging around her. When she opened the door, it was not Myrtle who stood at the doorstep, but a man, dressed in black. He was holding Myrtle’s scarf. Monsoon started trembling, her eyes stinging. Adrian rushed to the door, and saw the man. He froze, and tried to move Monsoon out of the way, but she was as still as a statue, so instead, he took her pale hand, which was trembling. The officer looked at Adrian.
“Myrtle Journey was a brave woman.” He said carefully. Monsoon became very still, which was scarier than her furious trembling. A tear trickled down her cheek, warm on her cold skin.
“She went out, searching for… a story. She believed… she believed that whatever lay at the end… would save the town. “ The officer murmured, taking his cap off, and staring mournfully at Adrian. Monsoon watched Adrian take steady breaths.
“What — where is she?” He said, a tremble in his voice. And when the officer looked down, Monsoon’s heart dropped.
“Myrtle Journey was killed.”
Monsoon felt emotions swirling inside of her. Pain, anger, fear, sadness, misery, confusion. They filled her head, and one emotion left forever. Security. All these horrible feeling swirled inside her head, clogging her thought. She had to unleash these bottled up emotions ; the world needed to meet her rage. She screamed, and fat, grey clouds clogged the sky, choking out the light. They began to pour rain, which made Monsoon scream louder. Rain reminded her of the day, the day when she had lost her grandmother forever. HUge droplets started to pour in buckets. Lightning crackled, and thunder rolled across the sky. Rain dribbled down her face, like large pearls, as she raised her head to the sky and screamed, sinking to her knees. She only remembered flashes after that. Adrian standing numbly, as she wept in his arms, her running away, the rain never stopping, only getting harder. It had been like… the weather was responding to her reaction… so..
“Monsoon! Snap out of it!” Adrian yelled, and Monsoon blinked. She was still in the living room. Adrian and Isabel were at the door, waiting for her. She blinked, and then trotted over, leaving the room with no hesitation. They were off.
Isabel
This whole Monsoon of Magic was a little much to take in… and those siblings were both acting strange. Monsoon… she had just sunk to the floor, screaming and crying. Isabel didn’t like the monsoon… it reminded her too much of the time when she had to comfort Monsoon, consoling her about her dead grandmother. “I’m sorry” doesn’t cover it. Grief cannot be put into words. It’s something else. Isabel was so caught up in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the eight pairs of glaring red eyes staring at her. In fact, she didn’t notice when she walked straight into the arms of a monstrous spider.
“Adrian get out of my way…” Isabel looked up, her voice trailing off. She began to tremble with fear. The hairy monster had her caught in its legs.
“Isabel. Back up… very slowly.” Adrian hissed in a harsh whisper. Isabel slowly began to back up, until she tripped over a rock, and fell over it’s leg, releasing a torrent of spider blood. She screamed, and ran, with Adrian and Monsoon next to her, the spider in hot pursuit. Then, everything got worse. Adrian tripped, Isabel falling over him. They were hanging over a ravine. Adrian’s fingers grasped Isabel’s, his other hand clamped on the slowly breaking piece of rock, while Isabel’s legs dangled over a ravine of sharp rocks, gleaming dully, slick from the rain. Monsoon pulled at Adrian in vain, with no avail.. The spider lumbered towards them, it’s growl filling the whole country, shaking the ground.
This is how I die.
