The Cowboy and the Mermaid
Dwight pushes and pushes with no luck. He turns and puts his back into it and slowly the door starts to open. The room is small, the walls covered in hard dirt. There is a well in the back corner.
https://live.staticflickr.com/7907/33691192788_7b295a5fab_b.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/7825/33691192718_e5201333d5_b.jpgLorelei's curiosity got the better of her and she sticks her hand down in a hole in the wall. She did not like the bugs she found!
https://live.staticflickr.com/7899/46844125214_3ca949df4e_b.jpg"Looks like we are at the end of the road so to speak. I will go down first though to see where this comes out."
Dwight is not happy about them separating, but realizes he has no choice at this point. "It is going to be really hard standing here waiting on you to come back. Please be careful!"
https://live.staticflickr.com/7884/33691192538_6ca1946927_b.jpgLorelei gives him a hug and climbs up on the rim of the well. Dwight is so sad, he doesn't even watch her. Lorelei does a very impressive back flip dive into the water.
https://live.staticflickr.com/7897/46844124534_10a020547f_b.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/7902/33691192348_2e14e083e5_b.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/7819/46844124904_f32ba0d80a_b.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/7863/33691192288_3e38af0da1_b.jpgIt only takes a few minutes and Lorelei pops out of the water. She can see the lights of the military base from here. Amazing! This ruin has been hidden on a nearby island all this time. The ancient's must have used magic or some alien technology to keep the island hidden. She hopes she can figure out a way to block it so no one comes wandering in and gets stuck or hurt until it can be explored properly.
https://live.staticflickr.com/7822/46844124784_768ddefe4b_b.jpgShe quickly swims back to Dwight and tells him the good news. She knows he can swim the short distance in the well with no problems.
https://live.staticflickr.com/7812/33691192078_0c5f9e29e1_b.jpgI think Dwight was peeking when Lorelei did her dive and now is showing off a bit too. He quickly climbs on the well and dives in swimming quickly with efficient strokes that lead him out.
https://live.staticflickr.com/7834/33691191868_7cf31cc79b_b.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/7836/46844124374_5604353720_b.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/7883/33691191758_8de19f0729_b.jpgDwight is incredibly happy to see the night sky, the stars, the trees, and feel the earth beneath his feet. He takes a big deep breath of clean fresh air and waits for Lorelei as she follows him back through the well.
https://live.staticflickr.com/7816/46844124274_02d22c4226_b.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/7860/46844124184_be17efd8ac_b.jpgLorelei and Dwight embrace happy to be together again, happy to be out of the ruins and back home....well, almost home.
https://live.staticflickr.com/7882/46844124104_26991ceb34_b.jpgThe island and the ruin is no longer hidden, it poses a danger to the residents who will undoubtedly see it and visit it to satisfy their curiosity. Dwight and Lorelei hastily find fallen limbs and shrubs to hide the well as best they can. They encircle the ruins and if there is a hidden entrance it is beyond their abilities to find it. They've done the best they can as tired as they are. They swim across the bay and walk the beach to their homes.
https://live.staticflickr.com/7887/46844123974_d0da373e05_b.jpg@CravenLestat Thank you for making so many wonderful venues that we can weave into our stories. <3