http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-of-the-day/kids-reflection-puddle/

All three of them stood stock still at the curb. Each leaned over to get a good view of their reflection. Jess, moving her lips as little as possible, counted down.

“Ok, here goes. Three… Two… One!”

At once, all three hopped to their right. Noticeably late, a good two full seconds, their reflections in the water mirrored the move.

“Well it’s not too far behind,” Matt noted.

“Freaky, though,” Alice said.

“Reflections definitely aren’t supposed to be behind at all.” Jess was considered the authority on the matter. Her dad had installed all the mirrors in their house when they moved in.

“Water isn’t the same as glass,” Alice pointed out. “Maybe glass reflections just move faster?”

“But water reflections used to happen instantly,” Jess countered. “For, like, ever. Something’s definitely funny about this.”

Matt waved down at his reflection. On the street, Puddle Matt waved back only after Matt’s own hand had stopped moving.

“Yeah, that’s definitely not right,” he said with finality. “So what do we do?”

“My parents said that the scientists from the government are already working on it.” Alice’s parents still read the morning paper, so they were the experts on matters of current events.

“Doing what, though?”

“It’s hard to say.”

Matt nodded sagely. “They’re always working on something.”

“What if we move really slowly?” Jess ventured. With as little speed as she could manage, she lifted a leg, moved it out over the street, then pulled it back down. Puddle Jess followed suit, but on an obvious delay.

“Nope.” Alice sighed. “Can we still drink it?”

“Street water? Not a good idea.”

“Water in general, I mean.”

“Probably. I mean, we’re mostly made of water,” Matt said. “My gran told me.”

“My gran said this is water’s revenge,” Jess said, then leaned in conspiratorially. “She said we’ve messed with water for long enough, and now water wants to mess with us.”

“For revenge?”

Jess nodded.

“Maybe we shouldn’t drink it.” Matt looked down at the water with distrust.

“Yeah, just to be safe,” Alice said. “I’m switching to coffee. That’s all my mom drinks anyway.”

“Hang on!” Jess practically shrieked. Matt was so surprised, he slipped off the curb and splashed into the puddle. The girls gasped and grabbed his arms, just in case the puddle tried to swallow him. But in the end, all he got was a pair of wet sandals and feet.

“Phew.”

“I just remembered why this is all familiar,” Jess said.

“It is?”

“From Peter Pan!”

Both Alice and Matt had lightbulbs go off. “Oh yeah! Peter’s shadow goes totally bonkers.”

Jess nodded vigorously. “And I bet the scientists aren’t even thinking of that. They’re all adults, aren’t they?”

“So they would have forgotten about Neverland!” Alice exclaimed, seeing the logic of Jess’ point now.

“Exactly.” Jess jumped away from the curb and took off toward the nearest house. “We gotta tell Alice’s parents so they can tell the scientists!”

Matt and Alice tore after her. And in the still-rippling puddle tucked against the curb, Puddle Jess, Puddle Matt and Puddle Alice looked at each other, shrugged, and eventually followed their tangible counterparts.