who's the fool now

 Mannie knew there were some things he had to do alone. At least, they'd found the place to go. Of course, he wasn't even sure what they were looking for, but somewhere in the depth of that water was the treasure he was supposed to bring back.

He looked over at Sadie wondering if she'd really be okay if left alone. Seriously, he hated to leave her. After all, she was on his watch.

"Will we ever get out of here?" Her eyes said it all. She hated this place. He remembered suddenly how she used to be. Funny, it took being lost in a cave to remember how much fun they used to have on these adventures, but both had lost a good bit of those memories. He knew now it was those days that had him hooked. 

He wanted to tell her how thrilled she used to be, but they were young and everything was mystic back then. Now she was a mundane working girl who wore cheap clothes with only a cat to go home to. There was a certain sorrow he felt. 

Of course, he wanted to say, "Sorry, I bothered you." But then again, that wasn't Mannie's nature.

"Hopefully," he barely got out as a lump of emotion seized his throat. He'd missed her. Maybe he'd loved her in their youth. Or was that only a figment of his imagination? His grandfather had told him tales. Obviously, he didn't listen very well.

According to the old man, there was a certain aura about her. She'd come here from a different time. The wise ones had done their best to take her powers away. Of course, now she was practically a shell of a person. Still quirky, but ditzy too. It was amazing she'd survived in the real world. 

"There's also something else I should tell you," Mannie winced, thinking he should go in the clear water and find what was needed, but what if he didn't make it back. 

"What?" She looked at him perturbed with her arms crossed.

"You're pretty spunky, you know that." Mannie smiled with a nod. "I know, you've forgotten me."

She only winked at him as if he was the crazy one, not her.

He sighed then.

"There is something you should know."

"Oh really, that I'm a fool for following you?" She didn't smile.

"There's this very old soul, still living in you." With that, he came close and pressed his index finger in the middle of your chest.

Sadie squinted harder and backed away. Her foot slightly slipped on the rocks, but he caught her before she could fall into the waters surrounding the waterfall.

"It likes to play tricks." He explained. "Or maybe it just evolved."

"Evolved?" She kept even lipped.

"I guess that's what happens when you have no real friends." He let go with a shrug.

"What are you talking about?" She tilted her head, looking at him as if this was no time to play mind games.

He only smiled.

"You've got a lot of life in you, still." He chuckled.

"Well, it doesn't feel like it at the moment," Sadie took a good look at him. "Get the goddamn treasure and let's get out of here!" She pushed him with all her might and he fell back into the calm waters.

"You can make your imaginary friends real!" was that last thing he remembered saying to her.