McGregor, Iowa / October 25th / 4:15 P.M.


Khloe Quince stood in silent contemplation as she observed the landscape’s scenic beauty. From atop this hill, the opossum could see the Mississippi River run its relentless course unabated all the while dominating the vista altogether with glistening, antediluvian waters and unnamed islands of mystery. Khloe clutched at the decorative wooden box she was cradling, cautious not to unsettle the contents inside, and leaned into the sturdy oak tree which overlooked her breathtaking vantage point. The branches overhead had yet to lose their leaves, so they shielded and shrouded her from the autumnal sun. Today was among the last pleasant days left to expect through year’s end, but even with this incredible view and comfortable clime, it still wasn’t enough for her to fully enjoy. She realized that no matter how inviting the conditions, her experience here would never be wholly worthwhile unless she were joined by a familiar face. Having waited for nearly a half-hour, the young woman sighed as suspicions seeped into her mind, but despite the long wait, she shook off these thoughts all the same. Her optimism only wavering momentarily as one hand subconsciously drifted down towards her front right pants pocket.

“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting for long.”

The opossum’s ears perked, and with a relieved grin, she turned to face the young man who addressed her. His was a face she’d known for most her life, and he was truthfully speaking, the sole reason she’d come out here today. If it weren’t for him, the box she now held would have no real value.

“You had me worried there, Lance,” she said with that same cheery grin. “You typically being so punctual, I figured there must’ve been some trouble on campus.”

“If I’m being honest, I’ve had my fill of trouble lately,” he said, checking the time on his high-priced wrist watch. “But yes, there were a few problems on campus. I’m sorry for being late. It wasn’t anything I could help, but I still didn’t want to keep you waiting here by yourself.”

Emerging from the pristine forest, Lance Scholz strode toward Khloe with purposeful intent. Standing a couple inches over six feet, the gray-furred mink was the stately portrait of refinement. Bedecked in the semi-formal wear of a well-mannered, highborn scion, Lance adjusted his dark blue blazer and maroon sweater vest as he joined Khloe under the branches.

“Unless you told anybody where you were going, I think this spot will stay our little secret.”

“It’s our secret for now, thankfully. To be honest, Khloe,” he said with slight discomfiture, “I wouldn’t have held it against you if you were gone by the time I arrived.”

“It’s no big deal, really. I know you’ve been busy with work lately. I remember that’s why we couldn’t meet up over the summer. If you couldn’t make it this time around, I’d assume you were out saving the world or whatever it is you guys do in that top-secret clubhouse.”

The mink let loose a small laugh and asked, “I guess I shouldn’t feel bad, huh? The wait mustn’t have been too bad if it didn’t drive you away.”

“I held my breath, didn’t I?”

“Lucky for me you didn’t pass out before I came.”

“Just be glad I can hold my breath for a long time. I feel like I’ve always had a good memory, too” said the opossum, crossing into the clearing, “but after seeing this box again, I wonder if maybe I’m just deluding myself.”

“What makes you say that? If I’m not mistaken,” the young man said, glancing over his shoulder, “it’s as you described it. I remember the box being the same, too. Design and everything. Didn’t it belong to your grandparents?”

“It was my grandma’s, yes,” the opossum attested, her eyes set on the ornate, mahogany jewelry box she held. “I remember thinking that we needed a proper box for our time capsule. Anything less would never measure up. That’s what I remember. It had to be good enough.”

A faint trace of a wry smile played at his lips as the mink asked, “I’m assuming the reason she let you keep it in the first place was that you never planned on burying it, am I right? I’m sure that’s what you must’ve told your grandparents. Thankfully for them, you were telling the truth. Either way, saying as much would’ve likely gotten you your way regardless. Especially if they thought you’d take good care of it.”

“No,” she said softly, stopping completely. “I never said what I’d do with it, and she never asked.” The young girl traced a hand over the smooth, ornamental lid in disbelief. “At least, I don’t remember. My grandma let me empty out the jewelry and walk off with it. The box was perfect. Maybe that’s why I’m having a hard time trusting my memories here. It still looks as perfect as I remember back then. There’s no dust on it. No dirt either. It’s almost like this box has been left untouched for ten years.”

Upon saying this, the young man turned around to face the forest as he came to a complete stop beside his friend. Although the sound had faded considerably, the mink could still hear the soft yet distinct peal of wind chimes clanging in the distance. As always, the eerie sound of wind chimes was accompanied by the presence of ethereal lights softly emanating tinges of bluish-purple hues from within the forest interior. Illuminating only a small swath of forest at once, these lights came together to form a path directing all those inside toward numerous points across Iowa. The path the two followed this day took them from Iowa City to a secluded locale some two hours north outside McGregor in Pikes Peak State Park. What should’ve been a day’s worth of travel on foot never took more than roughly fifteen minutes to complete. Now that the lights were dissipating into the arboreal ambience like a pale aura, this inexplicable occurrence became nearly impossible for the young man to ignore.

“No one’s been there since then,” he said, watching the bluish-purple light weaken into nothingness. “That’s the conclusion I’ve reached. That room we found, Khloe, the one inside that small station, hasn’t seen any visitors since the day we left it.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I’ve tried to find it on my own since then. I’ve even taken others with me up here to search for it, too, but each time I couldn’t find that building for the life of me. I only ever heard the sound or saw those lights either when I was by myself or when I was with you. While that doesn’t mean nobody else has been there since then. I doubt anyone else has stumbled upon it the same way we did that first time.”

Untroubled, Khloe calmly sat on the grass and said, “Like I said, it’s our little secret.”

“Khloe,” he sighed with unease, “we need to talk about what happened last week. It’s not the sole reason I’m out here, but while we’re together, we might as well deliberate. ”

Untroubled, Khloe calmly sat on the grass and said, “Oh, I know. She was right. Ollie said that’d be the first topic you’d want to discuss. More than the time capsule. More than really anything else. We were catching up while you were away doing your thing, and while we didn’t go into too much detail, she said plenty. I get it. I really do. I get why you’re concerned.”

“I still don’t think you understand,” he argued, taking a seat beside the opossum. “What you’re doing isn’t safe. What happened at Villisca won’t be an isolated incident. I don’t know what’s expected of interns at Native Altars, but I doubt they’d put you in harm’s way for the sake of field research.”

“It’s okay, Lance. Don’t worry. We’ll be fine,” she said with modest, cheerful confidence. “The five of us can handle whatever comes our way. Don’t ask me how I know this, but I’ve got this strange feeling that everything will be okay; and that’s enough for me.”

“I don’t care about them. I care about you,” he emphatically emphasized. “I don’t know my sister told you, but it’s a dangerous world out there, Piper, and I don’t want to see you get hurt over a scavenger hunt.

For the moment, unsure of what to say in return, Khloe could only stare at the wooden box balanced in her lap. As she contemplated her next move, the young woman came to a sudden realization. With her hand drifting back toward her pocket, she then understood what action would speak louder than any word ever could.

“Close your eyes,” she said with hushed excitement. “I’ve got a present for you.”

“Oh, okay,” he muttered with bemusement before submitting.

“Good! Now hold out your arm.”

With his left arm outstretched, he felt pressure on his wrist and asked, “What is it?”

“You’ll see,” she chuckled, finishing the task at hand. “Okay, you can open your eyes now.”

When the mink opened his eyes, the young man was taken aback by the kindness he’d received. Upon his left wrist was a handmade, macramé bracelet. The embroidery floss showcased two colors. One was indigo and the other color caught Lance’s eye as he examined the bracelet in full.

“Ultramarine,” he murmured in astonishment. “You remembered.”

“It’s been a little over ten years since we moved, but I’ll never forget your favorite color. I don’t know if I’m deluding myself half the time or what, but when the color’s that specific, it’s hard to forget.”

“Piper,” he said with atypical warmth, “thank you. I really mean it.”

“It was a lot like the one you made for me back in the day,” she declared, exhibiting her own bracelet.” The old one fell apart not too long after we moved to Ames, but I did my best to recreate it. You took such great pains to make indigo—the best color ever—stand out the most. I couldn’t make a bracelet for you before we left, but I’m glad you’re here with me, Lance. With you here, I can make up for past mistakes.”

The mink maintained a warm grin as he asked, “So when do you want to open the time capsule?”

“In a little bit for sure,” she coolly returned, setting aside the jewelry box, “but for now, we’ve got some catching up to do ourselves.”

---

I want to take this time to thank the fabulous  Xypress for this spectacular piece! Honestly, when I first saw the end result of all his hard work and effort, I was left absolutely speechless. It was so incredibly satisfying to see both Khloe and Lance come to life through the aid of his immense talent, and I can't thank him enough for all the time he devoted to making this special scene look as warm and inviting as it did in my imagination. I am so very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him, and I hope that plenty of people see this piece and decide to commission him for themselves!


art is ©  Xypress

Khloe Quince and Lance Scholz are ©  nazcapilot