An underground lake lay in a dark cave beneath an intricate tunnel system. the tunnels were so widespread, it seemed as though they could lead you anywhere- which was pretty close to the truth. Looking at it, you might almost believe it had never been seen by human eyes- unless your eyes had adjusted to the dark, in which case you’d notice the lake shore’s only inhabitant- a young girl in clearly in her early teens, staring at her reflection in the water

She’d lived down here long enough that she could see everything as clearly as if it was light, so she could clearly see the contours of her reflection. It seemed to be the same- same braided brown hair the color of the rich earth, same pallor in her freckled skin, same pale blue eyes that might be called the color of ice if not for the kindness they revealed- whatever had changed, it’d happened on the inside.

Had it been that girl, whoever she was, who had changed things? That touch of pure human warmth and kindness? That was why the girl in the cave loved children- those pure and kind hearts so clearly shining through. That other girl- her heart had been just as clear- was that why she had changed her. “Is that why I can say this,” the girl said, her voice, barely a whisper, yet sounding loud to her own ears, “Is that why I can speak now, when I haven’t since before I can remember?” The girl hadn’t even known that she could speak, that words were for other people, not those like her. “Just who are you, Lesha,” said the girl who stood alone on the lake shore of the cave, ” And what have you changed?”