The Squirrel In The Well

"Hello....? Anyone there....? Can you help me?"

I go closer to the well and leaning on its wall, I ask back to the voice inside the well.

"Hello. Anything I can help you with?"

"Oh! Thank Goodness! Finally there is a person who arrived here. Man.... It felt like a century have passed since I am trapped in here. Nah, forget the exaggeration. Can you help me get out of here? Just throw that bucket down and pull the rope after I say so."

"Just the bucket? Are you sure you can fit in? It is very small after all."

"Sir, I am just a squirrel. So of course I can fit inside it. Quick, less talk do more. I am getting very cold down here."

(So it is a talking squirrel? I think it's a little girl. Her voice is very cute, like that of a girl in kindergarten. But, how the hell did she go down to the well in the first place? Did she want to take a drink but then fallen down inside?) I am thinking of such a useless thing a I throw the basket and pull the rope, getting the little squirrel out of the well.

"Oh, Finally, thank you for the help. I am getting very cold here."

Looking at the sorry state of the squirrel as she is drenced all over and her squishy body shivering in cold, I pity her a bit and give her a passionfruit from my basket.

"Here, eat a lot. You will need the calories to burn to make body heat."

"Oh, thank you, Sir. You are so kind."

Okay, lets set aside the dialogue that sounds like an uncle who is giving a candy to an underage little girl.... Anyway, as I am in a rush, I prepared to run again to find the magical spring that is my last hope to go home.

"Want to go so soon, Sir?"

"Yeah, I need to get back to where I am, fast."

"Oh, you want to go to the Spring? I can lead you there, just put me in my pocket and I can point you the way. That Spring is magically warded, unless you are getting lucky or you have a guide to show you the way, you will just getting enchanted and will go in circles for multiple times before you can found the spring."

"Oh.... The Innkeeper never said that.... I don't know. Thank you then." I said that while gently putting the squirrel in my pocket.

"You are welcome, Sir. You have helped me in the first place, anyway. You even give me this fruit."

Chuckling happily, she munch on the fruit while pointing the way to the Spring. After 2 hours of walking while chatting, finally I arrived on the Spring. It's a clear spring in the middle of the forest, beautiful flowers surrounded it, and a pathway made of stones are laid out to the middle part of the Spring. I put off the squirrel from my pocket and give her another fruit from my basket as my thanks.

"So I quess this is goodbye." "Uhum.... Just wish you want to return back and then scoop the spring water and drink it. The magic will do the rest."

I nod my head and give a gentle pat to the squirrel. That little cutie chucckling happily in bliss. Then I go to the Spring, state my wish, scoop the water, and then drink it.

The water taste fresh and a little sweet, making me closed my eyes to indulge in its sensation.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the Hallway, this time a bright one at night, with a picnic basket complete with all its content in my left hand and my right hand on the doorknob leading to the Ballroom with the party obviously still ongoing. Am I returned to the time the party still go on? I moved my right hand from the door and instead taking out my smartphone to check the time. 7th July 2020 in 20:20..... I quess I really go back to the time the party still ongoing. Better left quickly, though. There is no way I will enter the ballroom with the tuxedo that have gone a bit dirtied on my adventure through running in the forest, nor when I am also holding a picnic basket on my left hand. That is a sure way to get unwanted attention.

So I go back to my dorm, put the basket on the table, take a quick bath and then go to bed. Not before I appraise myself though, and I get a pleasant surprise. My level jumped to from Level 9 to Level 13. I smiled before going to sleep, to the dreamland and to welcome tomorrow, my first day learning on the Seven Star Academy.