The Sparks Fly Upward

"How so?" Frederica asked.

"I thought we were going to ride on top of the chest, not in it."

Astra shook her head. "This will be a lot stabler, and easier to control." A bit reluctantly, Paula took hold of a pole and climbed into the chest, and with a shove, they were off.

The chest had gotten only a few feet from shore when the girls heard and felt something.

"What was that?" exclaimed Berenice.

In answer, a shower of multi-colored sparks shot from the floor of the chest.

"Something's wrong," Frederica yelled, quite unnecessarily, as the chest continued to spark and crackle.

"I don't think the chest likes getting wet!" Astra yelled.

"Turn back! Now!"

"We can't turn back, Berenice! It'd take too long to maneuver around!"

"Paula's Right!" Astra yelled. "Hurry! Paddle for the other side as fast as you can go!"

The four girls paddled with all the might in their dwarven arms, which was considerable. But the sparking and vibration of the chest continued to grow in intensity. Finally, about two-thirds of the way across, there was a huge burst of light, similar to the one that reinforced their geiss, but somehow different. The women dropped their poles and covered their faces in an attempt to block the light out, but it proved to be too much for them and they were overwhelmed.

How long they stayed out of the world, they couldn't have said, but finally, the intense light faded, and they regained their senses.

1. They were safe and sound on the other side of the river.
2. They were safe and sound, but back on the side of the river they'd started from.
3. Somehow, the chest had become fused to their bodies. Each girl was a living, walking cornerpiece made of wood and brass.
4. They were back in their human forms - but still felt the geiss to return the chest.
5. They were completely lost, with no idea where they were.
6. They were completely lost, with no idea where they were. Worse yet, they had no idea where the chest was, either!

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