Chapter 1: The Discovery

"No way! This can't be real!" Emily exclaims, her disbelief evident.

"It certainly appears…unlikely," Tony chuckles, rubbing his chin while peering at the pond's dark, greenish surface.

Kay, arms flailing in frustration, interjects, "It had to exist before! Are you seriously suggesting this pond just appeared during our short trip to the cemetery?"

Feeling a twinge of anxiety about how her emotions may be perceived by Tony, Kay tries to contain her fervor. Yet, she cannot hold back as the situation is indeed bizarre, compounded by Emily's insistence that the pond materialized from thin air.

Kay speculates that perhaps their route was slightly off. After leaving the cemetery, they traversed a peculiar, abandoned road for about a hundred yards to reach the spot Tony had marked with a taped asterisk. They re-entered the woods between two trees, the only ones near that mark, and shortly after veered from the path, leading them directly to this unexpected sight.

The pond is remarkably round, appearing to have been perfectly shaped, with smooth, reddish clay walls descending about two feet to the water's surface. Despite being murky, the water looks surprisingly clean and devoid of any visible life. Curiosity piqued, Tony grabs a stick to poke the surface. After pulling it out, he confirms that the stick is merely wet with clear water.

Then, against the protests of the girls, Tony lies down to touch the water. With a mix of horror and fascination, they watch as he dips his hand into the pond, retrieving a small cup of clear water without incident. He sniffs it but decides against tasting, shaking his hand dry afterward.

The surroundings are undisturbed, covered in a blanket of orange-brown pine needles. Kay concludes that there must be a logical explanation for the pond's existence. Whether it’s a prank or simply a missed landmark, they can't be sure.

As they argue about the pond's origins, Tony captures what looks like professional footage while the others mimic him with their phones. The walk back home is swift and satisfying, with no one needing to check their phones for directions. In about fifteen minutes, they catch sight of the Druckers' cabin and the brick schoolhouse.

Upon arrival, they notice Liam's office is lit, with him seated at his desk alongside others who appear to be Grace and Clay. They decide to join them, eager to share notes.

Chapter 2: A Gathering of Ideas

Emily bursts in, her excitement palpable. "Did you find anything interesting?"

"Not much," Clay shrugs, while Grace counters, "We spotted an almost completely destroyed bridge over the creek!"

"What about your findings?" Clay asks, glancing towards the usually uninterested Liam, who now looks intrigued.

"Definitely!" Emily squeals, her enthusiasm infectious. "We saw something wild!"

Kay interjects, "It's not as extraordinary as she makes it sound, trust me."

"Really?" Liam asks, raising an eyebrow. "And what’s your take, Mister…?"

"Mister Bender," Tony introduces himself, a nervous smile on his face. "I think they both have a point. There’s likely a rational explanation, but this pond… it's intriguing."

As they recount the bizarre sight, Liam leans in, his chin resting on his hands, nodding attentively. After they finish, he shares, "There's actually a well-known song about this very phenomenon. Have you heard Fleetwood Mac's 'Hypnotized'? Bob Welch references ponds in it."

Tom, sketching in a chair, chimes in with a smirk, "I thought he was singing about strange palms, not ponds."

"No, it’s definitely about ponds," Liam clarifies, explaining that it relates to an experience near Winston-Salem.

"That must have been odd for you!" Grace giggles, rubbing her arms as if cold. "Maybe even creepier than the swamp and the bridge!"

Tony reflects, "Did your group capture any footage? This pond is more bizarre than we’re making it sound."

Liam considers this, jotting something down on a sticky note.

Grace admits, "Unfortunately, we didn’t get any photos."

"Does your camera have a projector?" Kay asks Tony, excitedly. When he nods, she adds, "These classrooms might still have a pull-down screen."

"That’s true," he agrees. "But I can always project onto a wall."

Emily, growing impatient, wonders aloud where Jeremy and Denise could be. She calls Jeremy, leaving a voicemail, and texts both him and her sister.

The group moves to a vacant classroom to set up for Tony's footage screening. They arrange the furniture, turning desks and chairs toward a bare wall.

"I'm thinking of working in the back classroom," Tom mentions to Liam, indicating the room behind them. "It has a better vibe with the original hardwood floors."

"Sounds good," Liam replies, nodding. "We'll see how it goes. My main focus this week is understanding what Kidwell expects for the tours."

As Grace dims the lights, Tony begins to play his footage, fast-forwarding until he finds the right clip. He plays it multiple times, though most seem unimpressed.

"You know, Charlie Daniels mentioned these ponds too," Blodgett recalls, noting that he’s from the eastern part of Carolina. "He said they inspired 'The Legend of Wooley Swamp.'"

"Wooley Swamp mentions ponds?" Tom asks, trying to recall the lyrics.

"Not directly, but he brought it up while discussing the song," Blodgett replies.

"Great," Tony chuckles dryly, "we've got a Welch Pond and a Wooley Swamp. What have we stumbled into?"

Emily feels frustrated; they need to uncover who’s behind these strange occurrences. She vows to focus on her work tomorrow, wishing Jeremy and Denise were present. Lowering herself into her chair, she finds comfort in her phone's glow as she sends another text.

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