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She was flying. It was beautiful, too. A snowy mountain. She dipped down over the cliff and entered normal weather again. But it was........raining? She felt drops on her face.
"Get off, Tricky," Iola said to her cat, who was tenderly licking her cheek. She realized she had fallen asleep at her computer. Avalon's home page was still on the screen, and her pen still in her hand. She straightened her hair a bit and went to the kitchen.
"One-thirty AM. I work way too hard sometimes."
Still, the coffee was in the pot. She poured some water up and started a new batch.
Avalon's letter was still sitting on her desk. Iola Dawn, researcher for the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, had accepted the suspicious offer very reluctantly. She hadn't taken a vacation in years. She wanted to leave the apartment, job, and various other obligations behind. She wanted to escape. She wanted to travel the world, never looking back....
Iola saw this as her chance. Her chance to get away from it all and be a freelance archaeologist once again. She thought about everything she was leaving behind and wasn't afraid. She was excited.
But the coffee was done. She poured a cup and went back to the computer.
"Avalon, Avalon, Avalon......what do they do?" Like any other company website, Avalon's never gave anyone any useful information. She found it useless to waste more time searching. She looked at the ticket she had just gotten in the mail the day before yesterday. She left today, at 2 PM. But to where? The plane ticket gave no information, except a place and time. Iola flicked off the light switch and collapsed on the bed.
-------------------------------------------------------
It was 10 AM when she awoke. Just enough time to shower and head off to the airport. But first, a visit to her friend's house.
"Thanks for taking care of Tricky for me, Amanda. I really owe you."
"You owe no one nothing. It's about time you took a vacation, working as hard as you do."
"I just hope it's all it seems to be. And I hope I get back in time for your wedding."
"Oh, you will. If not, we can.......always postpone it?"
"As if! Well, it's 3 months from now, I'm sure I won't be gone that long. And speaking of being gone, I'd have better go!"
"You be safe, now." Amanda gave her a hug. "You're my maid of honor, so be back in one piece!"
"You're SO funny," said Iola with a bit of sarcasm. "I'll be fine. Digging in dirt isn't so dangerous."
"Let's just hope not. Have a good trip! Take care of yourself, you hear?"
"I hear ya. I'd have better be going, though," Iola said, and gave her a hug back. She walked to her car, a little sad and a little excited at the same time.
Soon the plane was taking off. It was a small learjet, and she was somehow the only passenger. She wanted to fly it, but the attendants insisted on her staying seated. She'd always been one for flying, having her pilot's license before her driver's license. Iola leaned back in the leather chair and looked out over the terrain. She didn't even know where she was going, and it was exciting.
2 hours later, the plane landed in a small airport. A black Lincoln was waiting for her just outside the plane, and handsome men in suits waited to escort her down the stairs. She felt out of place in her jeans, hiking boots, and baggy button-up shirt. The half-brushed ponytail completed the look.
The car pulled away from the plane, its windows so tinted that one could barely see light. Iola was inspecting her knife when the car suddenly came to a stop near several other black cars. She put on her sunglasses and stepped out of the car, with the help of the driver.
It's beautiful......
A forest. A beautiful forest. She could only wonder where she was.
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