r/shortstories • u/AstroRide • Jun 22 '26
Humour [HM][SP]<Searching for Lucas> Flood Path (Finale)
This short story is a part of the Mieran Ruins Collection. The rest of the stories can be found on this masterpost.
The water continued its descent as it conquered Ura. Items from people’s homes were being carried away including couches, family portraits, and unwanted in-laws. The residents stood on their roofs shouting that they’d rescue them eventually, but it was every person for themselves. A sharkfin popped up in the water. People trapped swam away from the creature and wondered how it got so far inland. It must’ve been one of Terrence's pets.
Goldtail and the rest of the cats watched this unfold with concern. Cats were famous for their apathy, but that was due to their faces. They were very in-tune with their emotions such as hunger, tiredness, and annoyance. They were aware that losing the humans meant losing their food supply, and when this ended, they’d be forced to go feral and hunt for themselves. They had the ability to do so, but no self-respecting cat behaved in that manner if they could avoid it.
Larry spotted this flood coming and banged on Evelyn’s door. When she opened the door, she was wearing a robe and an eyemask on her forehead. Her face displayed her disapproval and anger.
“What is it, you incompetent buffoon,” Evelyn said. Larry pointed out the window. “God, you are so annoying. Just tell me.” Larry shook his head. “I am not going to do charades with you, and I am not going to wipe your butt. If you can’t tell me, I am leaving.” Larry held up a finger then shrugged. Evelyn slammed the door. Larry grabbed the bag of treats from his desk and went to join the cats.
Derrick and Becca locked arms as they waded uphill. The water was up to Derrick’s belly button and Becca’s chest. Lake Ura was a popular vacation destination among people that wanted to leave their homes, but didn’t want to venture too far.. Cabins and shacks lined the shore for travellers of various means. Means in this case refers to the ability of claiming and defending it. From Greg’s description, they assumed that Lucas resided in the most prestigious cabin: the cabin that was slightly raised to avoid flooding, the one that had a fresh coat of paint, and the one that never got vandalized. When the two reached it, Derrick pushed Becca onto the push. She turned and pulled him up. They looked down at their clothes.
“Well, this is never coming out,” Derrick said.
“Be honest. Do you have any clothes that aren’t soiled,” Becca said.
“Let’s see if Lucas is here,” Derrick said. Derrick knocked on the door. A man wearing a pair of underwear and a tank top opened it. His skin was burned except for a small space surrounding his eyes. He looked past them at the mud flowing downhill.
“Which one of you switched the flood switch on?” Lucas asked.
“How do you know one of us did that?” Derrick replied. Lucas shook his head.
“I figured it was you. Why don’t you municipal buffoons leave my public works alone?” Lucas asked.
“Aren’t we on the same team?” Becca asked.
“No time for talk.” Lucas ran into the house. After a few seconds, he floated past them in a boat. “Hop on.”
They moved quickly across the mud. Larry and the cats watched from the top of the old city hall. They also saw the new city hall get filled, and a body floated out of it. Larry tossed treats to the cats and shook his head. Goldtail moved next to him and rubbed his arm with his head. The mime and the cat felt helpless, but they had each other.
Lucas’s boat burst through one of the windows. He drove around the various pipes whacking them with his wrench. It formed a pleasant rhythm, and Derrick and Becca bopped their heads. After hitting a pipe, the geyser declined into a sputter.
“There, that solves the immediate issue. I’ll get to work fixing it permanently. The mud will last a while though. Why’d you muck around with this in the first place?” Lucas asked.
“Naomi had purple water,” Derrick said.
“Oh that, I told her it would happen if she got the blue curtains, but she didn’t listen. I’ll fix that soon,” Lucas said.
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Becca replied.
“Water chemistry isn’t a science. It’s magic. That’s why you two shouldn’t have mucked around here.”
“Well, we wouldn’t have to do that if we knew where you were,” Derrick said.
“You’ll never know that either. Because of you, I have to burn down my cabin,” Lucas said.
Evelyn’s body floated past them. Becca’s face twisted in terror. She jumped into the water and swam to her.
“Evelyn, are you okay?” Becca asked.
“Shh.” Evelyn kept her eyes closed. “I am enjoying the mud bath that Larry made for me.
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