Devon Royer

The Heart Shaped Locket

The world was different for the survivors. Deep in a forest, once abundant with life, now a petrified and dead land permanently scarred by the war of man. A young woman struggles to grasp a rope leading a bucket down to the bottom of the well for the last of the uncontaminated water in an area abandoned by others, long ago. The sky is fading into darkness and she knows that one of a continuing line of storms will soon be upon them, and with it, the acid rain. She sharpens her focus on the rope and lowers her arm further into the abyss. Finally, the effort pays off as she fills her bucket. Tightening her grip, she begins the retrieval. By now, the rope has twisted into her hand like serrated teeth. She feels a sense of dread as she slips on the uneven ground, fearing that she cannot complete her task. As the weight lessens and she steadies herself, the bucket emerges half full. She thinks, "This will have to do." With little hesitation, she packs her belongings, covers the bucket, and returns to her shelter.