Deadly Goddess

It was the biggest discovery in botany in over a century. Perhaps of all time. And Lilac had been the one to find the Goddess, and reveal her to the world!

"She is a dream come true. How on Earth did I get so lucky!" Wondered Lilac.

Lilac chose to keep the exact location of the discovery a secret, to protect the wild population. Perhaps it only grew in one spot on Earth - this flower needed very specific conditions if it was to thrive.

Deep in the jungles of South America, very few people, perhaps none at all, had ever laid eyes on the Goddess. Certainly, none realized it's significance. There weren't even any legends told locally about it, and the elders of the nearest village had never seen it.

The flowers grew in a shimmering cave behind a magnificent waterfall. The sun would shine into it brightly for several hours each day, reflecting off of the crystals.

From the second Lilac saw it, she knew the place was special, perhaps even supernatural. It felt like a sacred spot.

"I wish I could stay here forever.", she thought one day, watching the sunshine dance around the cave, the prism effect creating countless rainbows.

The Goddess, scientific name Quod Dea... Lilac chose the name because it seemed impossible that this incredible flower came from anywhere except Heaven.

With its unique effect on the human anatomy, it was sought after at any price by researchers, those praying for a miracle, and drug addicts.

Equally enthusiastic were the collectors of rare plants. Not only did The Goddess have almost magical properties, she looked like something right out of a fairy tale!

Once the news was spread about her beauty, wealthy collectors had begun offering outrageous amounts. Lilac could have sold two of them and it would have funded her research for a lifetime.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Rewon, they aren't for sale. Yes of course, I will let you know when that changes, you will have the first chance. Thank you."

Quod Dea could cure countless illnesses. Every inch of her could potentially save a life.

From almost all forms of cancer to the common cold and flu, most diseases and viruses were quickly cured. And so far the results in the fight on harmful bacteria were very promising as well.

But the Goddess also had a dangerous side. One short inhalation of her perfume would send a person into ecstasy for over 24 hours. Anything more and one was at risk of being left in a blissful but catatonic state permanently. There was speculation that prolonged inhalation would result in death, but as of yet that had not been confirmed.

Lilac had taken a small number of the flowers with her on her first trip out of the jungle. Once the healing properties had been discovered, she had flown back to collect more, as well as some of the soil.

This second trip was inconvenient because of the secrecy involved. The same people from the first expedition had been employed, but this time they landed twenty miles from the actual site.

After everything had been unloaded, and camp set up, she ordered the entire crew to leave. "Please return for me in ten days." Lilac said to the helicopter pilot.

The head guide looked at her in disbelief. "But Lilac, this is some of the most dangerous country on Earth! There are more ways to die out here than a bird has feathers!"

"I will be fine, Mike. I know how to survive in the wild, and have been in jungles for most of my adult life. But I do thank you for your concern!"

At this she spontaneously threw her arms around her friend. They had spent many months together out in this very same area on her first trip.

He had proven to be both dependable and willing to go the extra mile. She was tempted to let him stay, but dismissed the idea. How could she explain it to the rest of the crew? And she admitted with regret, it was for the best if nobody else suspected the actual location where the Goddess grew.

Reluctantly, Mike and the others left in the helicopter. But not before the pilot had his say. "I don't like this! I've known you for over a decade, and you have never tried anything this foolish! Why start now?"

Lilac also gave him a hug, he was like the brother she never had as a kid. They had shared many adventures over the years.

"Trust me Bruce, I will be fine. I just need some time alone. We were just out here a few months ago, I know the area like the back of my hand."

Bruce tried to argue with her, but she firmly held her ground. Grumbling, he got into the chopper, and in seconds Lilac was alone.

It was still early, so she grabbed her smaller travel tent and day pack, leaving the nicely arranged camp behind. The hike would require almost two days.

Once there Lilac began looking for the Goddess in other likely spots, without success. It had been her hope that it was more common than it seemed.

She stayed several days to determine the amount of sunlight that they received, and to record the air and soil temperature.

On the last day of her time at the waterfall, she collected more samples, and cleaned up all fallen leaves and petals. Those would be given for healing.

With everything packed up, Lilac began the long hike back to the main camp. On her first evening back in the comfort of the big canvas tent, she enjoyed a huge meal from the numerous cans left for her.

"I'll have to hide some of these, to make it look like I was here to use them... Maybe I can find a place where they won't rust."

She explored the nearby area, and found a decent sized crevice under an overhanging cliff that was fairly dry, and hauled out about how much she should have eaten, covering the cases with a tarp. She then camouflaged it with rotten logs and brush.

Tired, Lilac returned to her tent, ready for a good night's sleep on the comfortable cot. "What the - " Lilac cut off, speechless. All of her samples, her travel tent, and her day pack were gone...

Header Image created by the extremely talented Not Penderis

Waterfall Photo by Oliver Sjöström from Pexels

Originally posted here

Part Two