[PART 1] I?m an archaeologist who located the fountain of youth and drank what was left. Its guardian is now after my life.

I had spent countless years of my career enduring ridicule and bankruptcy for this blasted fountain. Due to my lust for reprisal I have deluded myself. I, like many others, wished that my name would be struck in the record books and known as the archaeologist responsible for the discovery of the fountain of youth. Much more docile than others in the past who have ?discovered? lands already inhabited. Nevertheless, I seem to have fallen under that category now.
Many tales of the fountain of youth link to conquistador Ponce de Le?n, but he was not the only explorer presumably looking. There have been countless variations in many rather ancient civilizations pre-dating the accounts of the conquistador. This prompted me to look in a direction completely different than Florida or Bimini, I will not divulge exactly where until my findings are completed. What I heard from the locals on the neighboring island was that this particular island had only one community before it was completely abandoned. The neighboring island was like any other tourist-y place. Equipped with their own small shops and fortunately some Wi-Fi towers. In regard to the island in question, and that is often with abandoned property, it gave the opportunity for mother nature to try to restore what was. It was beautiful to witness the site, but I could not remain as my boat ride near the shore would not wait long. Our agreement was that I would return by sundown and that if I did not, he would presume me dead and leave. His superstitions did not deter me as much as it intrigued me.
What was he so afraid of on that small island that he would not dare tell me?
I continued while sweating heavily under the sun, practically pirouetting as I swatted mosquitoes away from my exposed skin. I wanted to find this fountain as soon as I could and just leave. Nobody believed me when I said the fountain was truly real. They said to let it go, it was most likely in St. Augustine. I thought maybe I should acquiesce and find some other project if this failed but, in that moment, I experienced a sereneness. It was so relaxing that I felt as if I could fall asleep at any time. I fought the weakness in my knees and pinched my arm. In front of me seemed to be a little onyx pedestal with an equally small bowl on top of it. It did not strike me as a traditional fountain since there was no visual flow of water and it was too weird that this one item was the only thing in this rainforest seemingly pristine ? glowing even.
In the bottom of the bowl there was an inscription. It was a language I had never seen before and when I blinked again it changed to English. It simply said ?youth?. I must have mistaken what I saw before, but this had to be it, it couldn?t be anything else. My mouth watered.
Looking at the fountain elicited one emotion in me?hunger.
I felt it calling to me. No one would know if I just took a sip, would they? I cupped my hands together and slowly put them in the water. My promise to take just a sip was broken once I let the water touch my lips and I looked down. The water was gone, and my hands were now dry again. The fountain?s reservoir lay bare under the sunlight. An overbearing presence settled behind me. I did not want to entertain the risk of turning around if what I was going to receive was certain death. I felt I had to, but I saw nothing behind me. Just then a voice bellowed from within my mind causing me to fall onto my knees.
?You drank from the well. You may choose to spill your blood here, or you will leave to die when it is time.? The cold dancing of nerves coated my body like a shard of ice. It took all of my strength to fight the shooting pain.
?What?? I was too much in agony to say or understand anything else.
?I am the guardian, but I am merciful. I do not force death upon the indisposed.?
?I choose?to leave.? I had to show everyone what I had found. I needed the fountain.
?Know that which remains is perishable.? I looked back at the fountain and it was gone, just like my pain. What lay there was a pig?s head seemingly freshly cut off and a dark figure in my peripheral running away. I stood up and ran to the boat as fast as possible no matter how many stray branches cut me. If this was a prank, I still wasn?t down to stay a second longer. It had just become dark and I was so glad to see my ride was still there.
?You heard it didn?t you.? It was more of an accusatory statement than a question.
?What do you mean?? He didn?t respond until we were a safe distance away from the island.
?You saw the fountain and drank. That is why you can hear it. It is a part of you now.?
?How did you even know in the first place?? The possible consequences of what I did started to sink in.
?It can now see you, but you cannot see it. It is too ancient of a being to be seen by humans. For how I knew, I can see the mark of death in your eyes.?
?Can you at least tell me how to stop it?? My hands were becoming really jittery and fear washed over me faster than the waves crashing the boat.
?No one can. Go to the white house located on the east end of town if you want to live to say goodbye to your loved ones. Bring a live chicken, look for the red snake that lies under the shade nearby, and catch it. Only reach for the snake under the shade. There will be many red venomous snakes lying in the sun and will all go to bite you the moment you reach for one of them. Once you have the snake under the shade that is your approval to see him. Let it guide you to him. You should keep in mind that the more you speak of what happened on that island the more people around you will suffer because of it. If I aid you anymore your fate will follow me too.?
With that he refused to say anything else the entire ride back to the island. I guess for the meantime I will need to update my findings until I can go back to the island. I would rather surrender myself to the guardian if I cannot procure the fountain of youth.


Source.