"I don't get it. Okay, okay, breathe. Go back over what's happening. Room filling with water, gets to a certain height then it goes back to the beginning. Time, maybe it's time. Think, think. No, not time. Jeremy where are you when I need you?"
The water was up to her waist again, Nicole beginning to panic. "Please, please, I can't do this. I have to do this. There's no one but me. Okay, repeat the riddle...imagine a room with no way out."
No sooner had she said those words when she was back at the start, except now there was no water gushing in. Looking at the wall where the water spout had been, it suddenly dawned on her what was happening. "Oh, oh, I think I've got it. Imagine a room."
Suddenly she was in the room again, except this time there was a door. Clapping her hands together, pulling on the handle she was surprised to find it locked. "Fuck, okay, okay. Let's try this again. Imagine a room which has a way out."
Again, she found herself in the room with the door, trying the handle. It was still locked. "It's no use. I don't know what to do."
Jake's words about quitting stung her again. "Like you always do."
"I'm not quitting, you hear. I'm not quitting. I'll work this out. There's got to be a way out. There's got to be."
Waverly's voice echoed in the room. "Simply clear your mind then the answer you will find."
"It's easy for you to say. I'm the one in trouble here."
"Nicole, my love, what are you thinking about right now?"
"Right now, not drowning."
"What did it feel like the circles on your palm? Did it feel scary, or did it feel calm?"
Nicole's thoughts went to that moment on the porch, the soft touch of Waverly's finger on her hand. As her mind held that in focus the room in which she found herself melted away, leaving her standing in exactly the same position on the bank of the lake, her clothes completely dry, Jeremy beside her, the little girl staring at her with arms folded. "Wait, where's the room?"
The moment her thoughts returned to the room she was back there once more, water gushing in. With a smile on her face she closed her eyes imagining Waverly tracing the pattern on her palm. Opening her eyes she stood once more with her companion, the little girl tapping her foot. "The answer is I stop imagining."
The little girl curtseyed. "That is correct, you've answered three, the name of the flute I will give happily." Removing her cape, handing it to Jeremy, she picked up her basket about to move away.
"Wait," Nicole said, grabbing her arm. "You haven't given us the name of the flute. And, you'll get cold without your cape."
The girl paused, turning her head slightly. "You will need the cape more than me. Good luck with your quest to free Waverly."
"The flute's name. You said, if we answer three questions correctly you would give us the name."
"I did. And, I did."
"No you didn't. And, why do we need its name? And, where is it for that matter?"
The little girl turned, pointing to the island. "The game is done and you have won. And now the lake it must be swum."
Pulling her arm free, the little girl raced off into the woods, disappearing before Nicole could get any more information from her. "Is it me, or was that the most irritating kid you've ever met?" she asked.
"The worst," Jeremy replied. "I think she was hoping you would fail the last question. Proper little psycho."
Nicole paused for a moment, not wanting to ask, needing to know why she had been abandoned. "Could you see what was happening? You know the last riddle."
Jeremy nodded. "I kept shouting the answer, but it's as if you couldn't hear, or see me. And, that psycho kid kept shaking her head, pointing to you to answer."
"Were you in there with me?"
"In where?"
"The...you know, the riddle. I'm afraid to say it again in case it returns. Circles on palm, circles on palm."
"You were right here, you never went anywhere. You were...it was like you were under a spell."
"Oh, oh right. I thought..."
"Is this still about what happened in the forest?"
"No," Nicole said looking out across the water at the island. "We won, yay. Except, that kid didn't come up with the goods. Well, apart from her cape."
"Actually, she did," Jeremy corrected. "She gave us the name."
"No she never. I would have remembered if she had. All she said was, the name of the flute I will give happily. This place sucks. And, it hurts my head."
Jeremy drew near. "Did you think I'd abandoned you?"
Nicole shrugged. "Nope."
Jeremy held up the lantern to illuminate Nicole's face. "I know Robin's your friend, and I know you accept me because I'm with Robin. I would never abandon you. This place likes to play games, mind games mostly. It's making you believe you're without friends. And yet, you're not. I stand with you. Robin would too if he were here with us."
"Thank you. You're right, plus I think this world wants me blue. Remember. Time to be happy, or no time to be sad."
"Exactly. Now, which one of us is going to swim out to that island?"
"Why can't we use the carpet? I mean, what's the point of swimming all that way if we can fly?"
"I have a feeling it doesn't work like that," Jeremy replied. "I think someone has to brave the lake to retrieve the flute. I'll go. I'm quite a strong swimmer, and I need you to know I'm in this with you."
"No, I must go. I appreciate the offer. Look, if anything happens go find Robin and head home."
Jeremy patted her on the arm. "We'll succeed. We've got this far. No going back now."
Nicole smiled, removing her cape, then her thigh length boots and belt with sword. Jeremy turned away as she slipped out of her pants, then her leather waistcoat, lastly her shirt. Dipping a toe in the water, she gasped. "Gosh, that's cold. I can do this, I can do this."
Bracing herself she walked into the lake, shivering as the water hit her skin. For a moment it reminded her of the ordeal she had faced in the locked room, her mind quickly pushing any thought of that place away, repeating her circles on palm mantra. Pushing off she made her way through the water, an overwhelming sense of sadness hitting her, tears welling with each stroke. I'll never find anyone to love me, she lamented. I'll never have anyone to call my own. Even my so-called friends don't really like me. I'm a lousy lawyer, a lousy lover. No wonder Shae gave up on me. No wonder she didn't care I moved out. She never stopped me from leaving. She helped me pack.
Stopping midway, she looked towards the island, it seeming far further than she judged. What's the use? What's the use of getting some stupid flute? I'll never succeed. Jeremy's wrong, we're bound to fail. And, what if I do succeed? What if I get everything to rescue Waverly? What if I set her free? She'll never go with someone like me. Never. It's hopeless.
Waverly's face smiled up from the stilled water. "Is it? How do you know I won't want to be with someone like you?"
"I...but, the mirror. It's in my pocket."
"Reflections. Nicole, why do you believe you don't stand a chance with me?"
"Because."
"That's not an answer."
"Look. You're..."
"Even if you win, you will lose. You need to be the one to choose."
"Why would you ever want someone like me?" Nicole asked, the sadness deepening, expecting Waverly to tell her why she wouldn't be the one.
"Well, for starters, I can see you in the water."
"Oh fuck, sorry. Would you mind not looking?"
"Why? You're better like this. Although, the outfit works too for me."
"So not comfortable with this."
"Let's swim. We have a flute to get and time is ticking on."
Nicole cut through the water, buoyed by Waverly's encouragement, reaching the island in less time than she thought it would take. Resting a little, realising Waverly hadn't joined her, she scoured the area in search of the flute. It was nowhere to be seen, her eyes adjusting to the lack of light, getting on her hands and knees to brush away leaves and sticks. Failing to find it, she sat against the trunk of a tree, frustrated by her efforts.
Waverly's voice called out from the water. "You're not giving up are you?"
"Nope. Thinking, that's all. Are you still staring at my body?"
A giggle told her Waverly was most definitely still staring. "You know, you're really cute when you pout like that."
"Thanks. I do my best."
"Call to it. It will come if you call its name."
"Right, except I don't have its name."
"Really. I thought you did. She told you its name."
"All she said was, the name of the flute I will give happily." At the repeating of the little girl's phrase Nicole heard the faint sound of a flute, her eyes darting left and right in a bid to trace where the sound was coming from. "Did you hear that?"
"I did. What did you say to make it play?"
"All I said was, the name of the flute I will give happily." The sound of the flute could be heard, this time louder, Nicole repeating the phrase. "The name of the flute I will give happily. Oh. My. God. I've got it, I have got it. Happily. The flute's name is Happily. I love this place."
With the mention of its name, the flute began to play, descending from the tallest tree, coming to rest by Nicole's feet. The tune was so uplifting Nicole couldn't help but stand, her body moving to the music coming from the instrument. It carried her away, lifted her spirits, made her forget the sadness she had felt while swimming in the Lamenting Lake.
Waverly was calling to her. "Nicole, don't get carried away. The flute is magic in its play. Block your ears, or here you'll stay."
"But, it's so good. I've never heard music like this." A wall of water hit Nicole bringing her to her senses, the flute ceasing its tune immediately. "Thanks, needed that. Okay, now to make our way back."
Nicole entered the water, the sadness returning, determined to make it to the other side where Jeremy was waiting. It was no use, the more she pushed through the water the harder it became to stay positive, old wounds returning, all the mean things people had said about her hair and her height, all the times the bullies had made fun of her. Stopping once more, the flute in her hand, she found herself sobbing. "I can't go on. Waverly, I can't go on."
"My love, do this for me and I will reward you when I'm free."
"Waverly, I'm sorry. It was never meant to be me. I'm not worthy of your love."
With that she let go of the flute, watching as it disappeared into the murky depths, her heart breaking at the thought she would never be the one. A hand appeared, holding the flute out of the water, Jeremy's hand. "You dropped this," he said, handing it back to her. "Hurry, before the water makes both of us weep again."
Reaching dry land Nicole hugged Jeremy forgetting both of them were wearing very few clothes, glad to have him with her. "Thank you, thank you. I'm sorry. You're right, we need each other. I need you."