We are writing a short story about a stickleback named Cedar who lives at Columbia Springs. Here is the third chapter!
**Chapter 3: The Dam**
The sun climbed higher over the city as the early morning mist dissolved, leaving the waters of West Biddle Lake sparkling in the light. Cedar, now strong and swift, moved purposefully through the familiar currents. She had spent her entire life in the lake, learning to survive among the weeds and hidden corners along the shore. But lately, something was pulling her beyond these familiar waters. The sound of the water spilling over the dam, always present in the distance, now felt like a call she couldn’t resist.
At the far end of the lake, the old wooden boards of the dam stood solid, holding back calm waters. Cedar had often seen water spilling over the top, tumbling down to somewhere unknown. It was a mystery she had never dared explore. But today, the urge to venture beyond the lake was too strong.
The closer she got to the dam, the louder the sound of rushing water became. The familiar shoreline of West Biddle Lake felt far away now, as if she was already entering another world. As she neared the edge, the dam loomed before her, towering like a wall. The water flowed steadily over the top, spilling into the unseen world below. For a moment, Cedar hesitated, feeling the tug of the current pulling her toward the edge. Her heart raced as she looked down. The drop felt enormous, and the roar of the water made her fins tremble.
But something inside her urged her forward. Adventure was calling, and Cedar knew she had to take the leap.
With a sweep of her tail, she let go.
The world seemed to tilt as Cedar was swept over the dam. Time slowed as she tumbled through the air, the rush of water all around her. Her tiny body spun, the cold spray hitting her like pinpricks, the roar of the waterfall filling her senses. For a moment, all she could see was the bright sun above and the glistening mist that surrounded her. She felt weightless, caught between the lake she knew and the unknown world. below.
Then, with a jarring splash, she hit the pool at the bottom.
The force of the fall sent her spinning, disoriented in the swirling current. Cedar struggled to right herself, bubbles clouding her vision. Her heart pounded as she fought to gain control, her instincts kicked in. Slowly, the spinning stopped, and she steadied herself, hovering in the deep, square pool below the dam.
Photos:
West Biddle Dam – Kristine Jacobs
Stickleback – Evan Baldonado, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons