Looking back into the valley Cynthia hiked from admired the large, dark turquoise lake and scribbled a line in the cardboard next to where she sat with her pen.  Gonna find Harris, I have to.  She thought.  Her lungs burned and her heart was racing, shaking her torso.  I know he’s probably fine, I should be worried but there’s something telling me not to worry.  It feels like a benevolent golf ball in my chest that tells me not to worry.  

 

There was a much better view of the point she had seen in the distance beyond the hill where she was resting.  From the top she could see it was an enormous tan pyramid with a great boxed entrance halfway up it.  It’s good to rest, not sure I can get up anyways.  She started etching another line parallel to the first.  Shit, I’m out of shape.  My heart needs to slow.  I’d love some of that turquoise water around now.

 

The pyramid appeared to be miles away, I hope it’s just an optical illusion, there are no trees or animals for perspective, just brownish tan ground everywhere.  She etched another line in the ground next to her.  I know that’s where he is.  I can do this… Yeah.  I can do this.  The ball in her chest had her excited for what she would see, but it also gave her a feeling that she should be prepared.  

 

She outlined her etching again, pushing harder, leaning her weight into the etching.  She punched down pushing it through the ground on one side.  Then pulled it back up toward her, wiggling it back and forth as the shape she had drawn popped free.  She had made a cardboard sword.  

 

Excited, she held her new weapon to the sky, posing as if she were on a fantasy movie cover.  The sky went dark as she held it in the air and a rumbling sound came from below.  Suddenly, there were flashes of light in the sky of red, yellow, green, and purple.  The sound crescendoed to a deafening chorus of rock guitars, rumbling timpanis, and a cracking horn section.  As she smiled ear to ear Cynthia’s chest felt like it was going to burst with excitement.

She was ready, she was energized.  Fuck yeah!  Let’s go!  Cynthia started to run down the hill toward the pyramid, skipping down the slope.  Waving her new cardboard weapon and frolicking through the landscape.  She had been distracted from looking down the sword shaped hole she carved at the top of the hill.  If she had looked, she would have seen two yellow eyes looking back up at her as she pointed to the sky.  If she could hear past the glorious music she would have heard the faintest “meow.”