Ker plunk

Not what I had expected. I wouldv'e thought a 'splash' to be more appropriate.

The greatly renowned light at the end of the tunnel. Was this comparable? Or perhaps that was it...

But what did it mean if the light was getting smaller?

Ker plunk, the space had said.

Not the sound I was looking for.

Not one I ever wanted to particularly hear.

Especially when the plunking part was me.

Perhaps I'm a bit to calm. After all is this how most people would react? If they were drowning I mean.

But let's rewind a little before we get to that.

----------

"Ever hear what sound a stone makes when it falls in the well?" Jill asked, eyes shining as she skipped up the hill beside me.

"Isn't it something like plop?" Not a very exciting sound. I think it's the double p's.

"Nope!" She said cheerfully, swinging her pail. "Ker plunk!"

"Ker plunk?" I give her a sideways glance, raising an eyebrow. My breath has begun to strain a little. For walking up this hill every day you'd think I wouldn't get winded this easily.

Jill's energy on the other hand....

"Ker plunk." The bucket sung high to punctuate her words, her light blonde curls bouncing with her enthusiasm. "Like a kitty! Keeeeeeeeeeeeer plunk!"

Is endless.

I shook my head, a small laugh escaping me. "Alright Jillian. C'mon now and we'll be there soon. And you shouldn't throw rocks down the well, you can throw the bucket down today if you'd like." I offered, turning to my little sister with a grin.

"But I always do it Jack!" She said, coming to a full stop for once. "Wouldn't you like too? It's rather fun."

"Ah. But you like it so much- I couldn't take it from you." I said with a half nervous chuckle, not really caring to admit that her eighteen year old brother was afraid of the well.

"Nonsense!" She giggled, reaching out to grab my hand and yanking me into a run up the hill. "You'll do it today! You'll see! I wonder if it'll make a different sound then when I toss it!" Jill on the other hand, was entranced by it.

"I don't really feel like that's something we need to test...." Her exhilaration in the idea of the well was something I could not fathom. And yet it also brought us up to her lovely little circle of stones, whispered to run to the very center of the earth- or at least that's where it went in all her fathomed tales.

"Sure it is!" She claimed, shoving the pail into my hands. "Just toss it in!" She said excitedly.

"F-fine." I said, cracking a small smile and edging carefully to the edge.

Let's just say-

It all went downhill from there.

I believe my mistake, quite plainly came in the form summed up pretty well in the next sentence.

My eyes slipped closed as I took a step forward, tossing the bucket wildly for my little sister.

And like the fool I forgot to let go.

I pitched forward stumbling-

But before we get ahead of ourselves I didn't fall down the well.

My flailing tumble carried me straight past it, I hit the ground with an oof, much to what I believe was my sisters laughing delight and tumbled right on down the hill, spinning sky and green.

That was until I stopped.

Then it was just the darkness.

----------------

Dull light surrounds me.

A dull thumping. My heart or my head. Maybe both. It just....hurts.

"Blimey man. You've been asleep an awful long time. You'd best wake up now- else them easles might get cha."

With a small groan I my eyes flicker open, meetin brown in front of me, a siude glance tells me brown around me. A crinkle meets the shifting of my pounding head as I move in conbfusion. The sharp smell of vinegar greeting me. My skull feels as if it's split in half.

"Aye mate! Welcome back." A friendly unwanted slap greets my face, followed by another two in quick succession. "Honestly I'd thought you were a goner. Been muttering for a bit, plus ya just look awful."

My companion hadn't seemed to notice I wasn't paying attention. At least I wasn't paying attention.

Not till I'd managed to sit up, realizing my wrists and ankles are bound. I reach grabbing at the crinkling paper and ripping it from my face, blinking in the startling light, eyes focusing on my attendant through thin bars of a crate. My blue attendant. With a freckle of black spots. Pointy ears.

And a flicking tale.

He casually sat cross legged beside me on the other side of whatever it was that I was in, as if he had nothing else to do. Sky blue skin glistening stretched across his gaunt form. Tousled blue hair, green slitted eyes. Tale like a cat flicking back and forth lazily as he eyed me curiously. Nothing but a loin cloth for cover.

"Quite the bump you got their on that head of yours. Must've felt something awful. Ya from around here? I ain't seen nothing like ye bout these parts." He rattled off, oblivious to my staring. Nor apparently, interested in my response. I sat up more only to meet the top of my cage. "Ain't the sky a bit greener then usual? Mighty pretty ain't it? I'd say..ay ya smell a bit different too. Whatcha name laddie?" He leaned forward sniffing my face and invading any personal space I'd managed to make by schooching back.

"Wait- lemme guess.. Your one of them Ergles!" He claimed cheerfully.

"J-Jack- and w-what? I'm not a- a what did you call me? An Ergle?" I squeaked out.

He rocked back tilting his head but didn't seem too disappointed. "Ay. Not an Ergle? A Sannnco then? You have smooth ears like em." He said, reaching through the bars again to touch them.

"No- I- at least I don't think so. I'm actually a-"

He cut me off swiftly, snapping his fingers."Mawzie!" He claimed excitedly as I resisted the urge to face palm.

"No!" I inserted quickly, trying to get his attention. "For goodness sake I'm just human!"

The effect was almost immediate. He leapt to his feet, wonder and fear flashing through his eyes as he pointed an accusing finger at my chest. "You? Ya a hueman? Like- one hundred percent actual real hueman? Aw man- I've heard some scarry stuff bout you guys!" The initial fear was gone. Smurfy man was bouncing on the heels of his feet excitedly. "I don't believe it! I never seen me a hueman before! Do you really eat those mini tree thingies- what are they called? Brak-oli?"

"Broccoli?" I asked confused, standing to my feet and brushing myself off. "Err... yes. We do eat broccoli."

He stared at me in complete wonder. "Wow..." He breathed. "I don't believe et. You, are a very brave soul."

If only he knew.

"Here! Here- here! Lets go! We've gotta show the others- I don't believe it! You really es a human ain't ya? Ya eat braklee and everything!" He leapt to his feet scrambling over to the side of the room and yanking a bell pull hard. Pleating rings echoed from outside. Joyfully he hoped forward, lifting up my crate as if it didn't way a thing and jaunting to the door. I grabbed the bars, panic rising in my belly.

What the heck was happening? Where was I- where was this?
All I could remember was Jillian, up on the hill. I'd been throwing the bucket....but I fell.

But that didn't explain this.

Bright green blue sky flashed above us, the bell still echoed but slowly as he leapt forward, faster then I could've imagined. Streams of bright color blurred together, slurring with the forms of tidy cottages and greenery.

"W-whats your name? And where are we?!" I managed, trying to keep up with blue man's wild dash. I felt dizzy, confusion swamping me. What was happening?

"Atticus!" He replied, not even bothering to slow his break neck pace. "And your in Anchester of course!"

Just as suddenly as he'd started he stopped, skidding to a halt in a great circle, the color still streaming around us- in the form of people.

People of every hue were looping around us. Red swinging locks, purple tufts out of ears, lime green tales.

Atticus cleared his throat, finally releasing me and clapping his hands, drawing the attention of all the eyes. Bright tones almost glowing in their strange light. What in the world was happening?

Where was I?

A lavender hued girl stepped forward, purple locks swinging. "Atticus- what nonsense is this? Why have you brought your pet from the mountain here? And called a meeting."

Pet?

Atticus grinned jumping forward. "That's because I've finally found one Ames! A real Hueman this time! He even told me!"

The circle immediately expanded, people scrambling a step back in their effort to widen their space. How could they possibly be afraid of him? I glanced down, at my bound wrists, shifting uncomfortably, the motion sending another backwards wave through the people.

The one he called Ames held her ground, eyes flashing. "Then why would you bring it here?" She bit out harshly.

Atticus's face, shoulders caving like a kicked puppy, his tale and ears drooping. "B-but, just.... L-look-" He gestured back, casting eyes towards me. "See- look at his skin. It's all......unpigmented." He commented, pointing at my tanned skin.

Well. In comparison to them I suppose I was unpigmented.

She hissed, in seconds she had a blade in her hand, crouching low a bobbed tale swinging behind her as the people surged backwards, huddling away. "We have rules for a reason Atticus." She snarled, sharp canine like teeth flashing. "We've allowed you to have your pets long enough. This is too far. You know what the law says about huemans."

He stared at the ground dejectedly. "But I like this one. Why can't I keep him?" He asked mournfully.

"Because. You've heard the tales." She responded, eyes flashing as she creapt a step forward, I took an uneasy step back. "He has to go."

Atticus let out a small whimper stepping back. "B-but right now? Can't it be later?"

She rose from her crouch but her weapon was still trained on me. "Before the sun sets." She decided, her words sending a ripple through the crowd.

"Y-yes. B-before the sun sets. " Stuttered the man who had dragged me straight into a mess.

The rainbow crowd stared at the exchange. Now that I was watching I noticed some differences between them.

My eyes go to his arm. The markings burned there on this meek man who'd been so excited just moments before.

"Good. This meeting is over." The last sentence she called out sharply, the murmuring crowd scrambling back in warning. Frightened glances cast to me, disapproving scowls sent to Atticus who seemed broken.

"H-hey Atticus? What did she mean by has to go- that- that just means I leave town right?" I asked nervously, shifting.

But Atticus didn't seem alive any more, he glanced over at my cage staring at me as if he hadn't heard me. He leaned down, picking me up carefully and began walking slowly back up the street, people parting like the red sea, leaving murmuring gossip in his wake.

"Atticus..."

"By the sun's set." He murmured looking down at me. "It's alright little hueman. I'll do it as your kind likes."

I tried to pull myself up, gripping the bars of the crate, cage, what ever it was that I was in, "And h-how is that exactly?" I asked nervously.

"Down the well of course. I'll return you."

My eyes widened. Down the well? I didn't like the well from my home- and now I was to be disposed of through one. How had this even happened? Where was my sister? I gripped the bars, shaking it and having no effect. "Atticus- Atticus am I the only one? Did you find any other humans?" I ask quickly my voice panicked as he'd begun to make his not-so-merry way up a hill.

"No." he said gloomily. "Just you mister hueman, your me first but I've heard bout ya. Everything will be alright though." He assured me, his long stride quickening.

I wasn't so sure. My head still pounded, the world seemed to swim in front of me. I was bound and caged by a man who acted quite childish and thought that me being disposed of was the equivalent of alright.

I peered up through the bars that blocked me from the world. The strange blue green light of this place, this was not home. This was not anywhere near home. Strange people lived here- none of any kind I'd ever heard of. And yet... yet they knew of me.

And feared me.

"Put me down!" I commanded, hoping for the best.

"No." He said his voice stern for the first time. "I must take ye to the well now."

"You're really going to do it?" I asked defeatedly.

"Of course!" He responded brightly. "It is where all humans must go after they wander to this world. I wish I could keep ye- I really do! But alas, the law says we must return you to da well and so I will. No one ever wants ta go though." He mused out thought fully.

"This world? You mean this isn't my world?" He looked down at me, confused by my response.

"Did ya think it was mate? Honestly, everyone else seemed ta tell just fine. Ye sure ya human?"

He asked, pausing at the crest of a hill.

"Yes- yes I'm human- so this well will take me back?" I ask anxiously.

"Et should. Are ye ready?" He asked moving forward and setting me on my feet beside a familiar stone structure.

"A uh- sure. But-" I eye the well, panic surging through me again. "Um, how does this work?"

"That's the easy part mate!" He said cheerfully. "Like this!" Swiftly he shoved me forward, my bound feet taking me tumbling forward.

I pitched forward stumbling-

But before we get ahead of ourselves I didn't fall down the hill.

My flailing tumble carried me straight into the well, my legs slamming into the base, momentum forcing me over the lip, then I was met with the rushing of wind, a hooping holler from above, I felt myself twisting in the air, the light above me shrinking and-

Ker plunk

Not what I had expected. I would've thought a 'splash' to be more appropriate.

The greatly renowned light at the end of the tunnel. Was this comparable? Or perhaps that was it...

But what did it mean if the light was getting smaller?

Ker plunk, the space had said.

Not the sound I was looking for.

Not one I ever wanted to particularly hear.

Especially when the plunking part was me.

-------------------------------------------

Aghhhh this was so rushed. I believe I had way too much going on, my problem was I'd had too many ideas, then trying to cram them in with the word limit and just yah...

Which reminds me- this is for a contest.

Ithildaeforever, GadSul, and BananaBam03

I'm not sure what time zone your in but I'm hoping this isn't too late. My time is around 6:15 pm.

My word count is a little over, even after deleting over two hundred some words, it's at 2, 512- I'm really sorry. Is that alright? Or is that too much?