- In
- a
- world
- ravaged
- by
- the
- catastrophic
- effects
- of
- climate
- change,
- Clara
- Reynolds
- finds
- herself
- clinging
- to
- the
- remnants
- of
- her
- once
- idyllic
- life.
- Her
- beloved
- lakefront
- home,
- a
- sanctuary
- of
- cherished
- memories,
- now
- stands
- as
- a
- haunting
- testament
- to
- the
- relentless
- onslaught
- of
- rising
- waters.The
- serene
- waters
- that
- once
- lapped
- gently
- against
- the
- shore
- have
- transformed
- into
- an
- unforgiving
- deluge,
- encroaching
- upon
- every
- inch
- of
- Clara's
- domain.
- With
- a
- heavy
- heart,
- she
- has
- been
- forced
- to
- elevate
- her
- belongings
- on
- makeshift
- stilts,
- a
- futile
- attempt
- to
- preserve
- the
- vestiges
- of
- her
- former
- existence.As
- Clara
- sits
- on
- her
- porch,
- the
- water
- lapping
- at
- her
- knees,
- she
- can't
- help
- but
- reminisce
- about
- the
- halcyon
- days
- when
- the
- lake
- was
- a
- source
- of
- tranquility
- and
- joy.
- The
- gentle
- breezes
- that
- once
- carried
- the
- scent
- of
- wildflowers
- now
- reek
- of
- decay
- and
- despair,
- a
- constant
- reminder
- of
- the
- harsh
- reality
- that
- surrounds
- her.Just
- then,
- a
- loud
- splash
- jolted
- Clara
- out
- of
- her
- reverie.
- Startled,
- she
- turned
- to
- see
- a
- figure
- emerging
- from
- the
- murky
- waters.
- It
- was
- a
- young
- woman,
- her
- long
- hair
- dripping
- wet
- and
- clinging
- to
- her
- face."Are
- you
- okay?"
- Clara
- called
- out,
- concern
- coloring
- her
- voice.The
- woman
- waded
- closer
- to
- the
- porch;
- her
- eyes
- wide
- with
- fear.
- "Please,
- you
- have
- to
- help
- me,"
- she
- pleaded.
- "My
- boat
- capsized,
- and
- I've
- been
- drifting
- for hours."
pro-mbooks3 : libris
