text: Speculative Fiction  Authors The English Pond A  Line Story 
   
   
   English Pond 
     
   It's Sunday afternoon.  I know she’ll be there seeking solace from the chaos in her mind while staring at the slight ripples in the Willard's pond. 
   Indeed, Amina Abbasi stared into the mirage, pretending that it really was her British friend's pool. 
   "I miss home," she whispered in  her soft little voice with a depressive tone. 
   This led to the next question in the bedlam of questions that always filled her mind, the answer to which had eluded her for days - how could everything go so suddenly and completely wrong? 
   One second he was here... now he's disappeared... vanished. How can that be? 
   I didn't go with you, but saw you from the distance, thinking  about those younger days..if only you could know how much I wanted to go with you. 
   It was a complicated situation we were in after all.  My parents had always been against you, always. 
   The Arabian beauty turned her back on the false pool and stared into the red sand at her feet. 
   "Samuel is gone now, Amina," I told my best friend,  appearing next to her side, "your family is to blame for this you know." 
   Amina just stared off into nothing for a brief moment before collapsing. 
     She hit the ground with a loud thump. “AMINA!” I cried in terror. 
   Quickly, I rushed to her side. I held her hand, trying to decide whether to rush her to a healer, my home, or her home. I was reluctant to leave her side, but I gently put her hand down to stand to find the healer. I had just turned to go get help when she spoke. 
   "No, wait," Amina said hoarsely. 
   "Amina?" I asked, confused by her words 
   "Let me explain," she said, standing. She brushed  the red sand off her tunic, while I just kept my eyes on her every move. I watched and listened  in awe as she spoke words I never thought I’ll hear. 
   “I saw Samuel in a vision,” she said, smiling, “ he's calling to me!” 
   “ But… how could you have seen Samuel?” 
   Amina smiled again. “I don’t know, but he waits for me at his English pond.” 
   
   
   Publication Date: January 21st 2014 https://www.bookrix.com/-vb3b367848da425