The Wishing Well

A damsel in distress. Who could ever resist?

It whispered from the wishing well. A soft voice speaking so fast it was difficult to make out what she was saying. My stepping on a twig silenced her and a shiver travelled down my spine. For a brief moment, all was calm, even the brisk windy chill fell away and the once-cloudy grey sky parted revealing a silvery crescent moon. What illumination it offered was little as the wishing well’s depth appeared to go forever into the darkness. 

“Is somebody there? Please help me! I’ve fallen and I think I’ve broken something.” 

I took my mobile from my back pocket and turned on its torch. I tried to get a glimpse of the person but the darkness refused to be penetrated. “I can’t see a way down.”

“Oh god, am I going to die here?”

The wind picked up again at my back as if urging me into the well. “No, I’ll call for help.” 

I turned my back to it, and before I could dial anything. The brisk wind hardened. It pushed me back again. Now off balance, I stumbled over the vegetation tangling around my feet and before I could stop myself I somehow managed to throw my phone over my shoulder and could only watch in slow horror as it fell into that blasted pit. 

“Ow, careful!” 

“Ugh—sorry…” 

I faced the well, cursing myself for being so clumsy. I couldn’t help noticing that the well’s bucket had since been detached from its rope. I wondered if such a frayed thing could even hold my weight. I was fast running out of options and with my only source of contact in the well. It was about the only shot I had left. So I did it, I grabbed the rope and unravelled it so that its length wrapped around me fully. I stood now on a precipice unlike any other. My feet rocked back and forth on the ledge. With the vast forest ahead of me, I grip the rope fearful this may be the last time I see it. I struggled to maintain a solid grip on the slick and grimy stone and caught occasional glimpses of rubble falling into that long abyss. I closed my eyes, counting to three and on three, I began the descent into the deep, dark pit. 

“I’m coming down.”

“Oh, my hero! I’m saved!” 

As I lowered myself further I realised it was more cramped than it looked. It made moving in either direction, a real chore. “Shouldn’t be much longer,” I shouted. 

No response. I crept ever downward. It’s only after a couple of minutes of carefully lowering myself that I end up realising that I’ve lost the light. Only darkness remains. 

And only in the darkness will you belong to me my knight in shining armour. Every Damsel needs one! 

It spoke to my thoughts. I didn’t hear her speak. I froze in place and instinctually tried climbing back up the way I came. 

It’s too late, too futile now. You belong to me. You’ll be my hero in the depths. And when I send you back up there. There will be so many wishes we can fulfil!

“What the hell are you?”

Not in hell for starters. 

I’m dangling now.

At some point, the stone brick of the well ceased to be. I now clung on for dear life with only darkness tempting me below. 

“If I join you, will I die?”

“You wished to be a hero. Why would I let my knight die? Don’t you trust me?”

Her soft demeanour returned, stripped of the malignant edge of her being in my thoughts. 

“That was before I got myself into this mess.” 

“The alternative is falling forever—and ending up who knows where. Only I can save you. Only I have the means and power to.” 

“If I let go, you’ll promise to save me.” 

“Do you want your wish fulfilled?”

“If it means saving me, yes!” 

Then let loose the rope of fate and fall into my arms, my prince. A world of wishes and damsels awaits!