“Is that a river?” she asked.
He shook his head.
“But it sounds like running water.”
Braxxos just gave her a little “come on” nod and continued on. It was only a few minutes later when she saw the source of the noise. He was right, it wasn’t a river, but rather a smallstream. Far too small for the sound it produced. The waterfall they soon arrived at, however, was another story.
It was a relatively small pool, perhaps three times the size of what you’d find in a backyard. The rocks formed a crescent, the fall’s origin rising up as high as a house in a sprawling hilltop. It was a slick and dangerous climb up, and she wasn’t so sure she could make it without falling. Braxxos saw her looking up and laughed, shaking his head. He gestured for her to follow, then waded into the water up to his knees, sticking to the edges as he made his way to the waterfall.
“Oh, a natural shower,” she realized, enjoying the cool water. “Sounds like a plan.”
But Braxxos didn’t stop when he reached the cascade. He walked up to the stone wall at the edge and slid behind it. A moment later his large hand reached back out, gesturing for her to follow.
“No way. No freaking way. A cave behind a waterfall? That’s totally a beast’s lair if I’ve ever heard of one,” she said, a little surge of fear forcing its way into her gut.
Her newfound alien friend poked his head back out, waving her to follow, leaving his hand extended for her, waiting.
Well, I guess if he didn’t get eaten…
She took a deep breath and followed him, taking his warm hand in hers. He pulled gently, guiding her through the blinding flow of water. This wasn’t like a movie where you just stepped through into a cave. They had to walk for several steps pressed against the stone as the water crashed down over them.
Then, as quickly as it had started, the bombardment stopped. Margot wiped her eyes with her free hand as Braxxos guided her into the dark. But it wasn’t totally dark. Not entirely. In fact, just a few steps in she could see this wasn’t a cave but rather a passageway worn through the rocks by thousands of years of waterflow. Streaks of bright moss clung to the ceiling and walls,the ground at their feet smooth and easy to walk, a path formed by a steady stream over the millennia.
They rounded a corner, the sudden brightness shocking her eyes just as they were becoming accustomed to the dim light. They adjusted quickly, and what she saw took her breath away.
“Oh my God,” she gasped, nearly at a loss for words.
Braxxos smiled wide, pleased at her reaction. He released her hand and waded ahead.
“This is incredible,” she marveled, following him, spinning around in awe.
It wasn’t a cave, but rather a cenote, though she didn’t yet know what it was called in the alien language. The space was perhaps twenty meters across and almost perfectly round in shape, the walls rising up high then curving to make a partial dome. But rather than a cave roof, the center was open, peering up through some branches to the sky, the sun’s light pouring in, reflecting off the crystal-clear pool of water, the illumination from the turquoise rocks on the bottom bouncing back up, making the whole place almost glow with a magical light.
The water flowed gently in this hidden wonderland, fed not by the waterfall outside, but by a hidden spring at the far wall. She could tell by the way the water moved, constantly refreshing itself and heading out the way they came in to join the main body of the stream.
Braxxos stepped into a deeper spot and cupped his hands, nodding to Margot.
“Oblioso,” he said, taking a deep drink.
“Oblioso,” she replied. “Safe. Got it.” She followed suit, drinking a handful of the clear water. It was actually warmer in here, not as cool as the stream. It wasn’t a hot spring, but it was quite pleasant on her skin. And the taste was better than any spring water she’d ever had back on Earth.
She noted that there were woven blankets and towel-looking items neatly hanging from pegs embedded in the far wall. This place was her host’s private spa, it seemed. And she loved it.
He pulled a tightly woven basket from a longer peg on which it was hanging to keep it dry and placed it on a flat rock close to the edge where the water was shallower. The slab was far enough out of the water to remain dry and easy to access, and it made for a perfect table. He opened the basket and called for her to join him. She looked inside and was pleased to find a small but lovely selection of many of the edible items he’d pointed out on the way.
“A picnic?”
He nodded, a happy grin on his face.
“I’d be delighted.”
They sat and ate in silence, comfortable just being. It was refreshing after Margot’s usual experiences back home. People’s need to always fill the space with idle chatter. So many men’s inability to simplybein the moment. But here, with this most unusual alien, it all just fell into place. It felt comfortable. Crazy as it sounded when the thought crossed her mind, this kind of felt like home.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The pair spent a few hours enjoying the relaxing tranquility of the hidden space, the spa-like setting helping Margot let go of the last lingering bits of tension she’d been carrying for days. Of course, she knew that when they stepped back out into the “real world” she would still be facing the same problems as when she arrived, but she also knew that she needed to allow herself to unwind, even if just for a short while, to recharge her batteries for whatever lay ahead when they left this magical moment.
As it turned out, ahead was simply a nice nature stroll with Braxxos leading the way up a loamy-soiled hill, periodically pausing to take her hand to help her up the soft ground. It was only a thirty-minute walk from their spa break, and yet she was fascinated to find that the terrain shifted somewhat dramatically in so short a distance. This region was so incredibly diverse, and rather than rocky ground as closer to the waterfall, here there was dark, wet soil that smelled of growth and vibrant plant life.
