By the Waterfall



The forest was denser than you anticipated, every step crunching over roots and fallen leaves, the canopy above filtering the golden afternoon light into shifting patterns on the forest floor. You had followed no path—just instinct and the distant sound of rushing water.
Pushing through a final curtain of foliage, you stumbled into a secluded paradise. A towering waterfall crashed into a crystalline pool, mist hanging in the air like a veil. Bright red hibiscus flowers bloomed on the banks, their color almost too vivid to be real.
And then you saw her.
She stood waist-deep in the water, her wet skin glistening like sunlight on polished stone. A red bikini clung to her curves, a matching hibiscus flower tucked behind her ear. Her eyes locked with yours—curious, calm, and with the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
You froze, unsure whether to speak or retreat. She tilted her head slightly, beckoning you closer with a graceful motion of her hand. The waterfall roared behind her like a guardian, yet somehow the moment felt quiet… suspended in time.
“Are you lost?” she asked, her voice soft, yet it carried clearly over the sound of water.
“I—maybe,” you stammered, taking a cautious step forward.
She smiled fully now, radiant and strangely familiar, like a dream you once forgot.
“You’re not lost,” she said. “You’ve just found something you weren’t looking for.”