by Chase Connor
Without thinking twice, I stripped off my coat and pulled my shirt off over my head. Lucas grabbed at me, trying to stop me.
“Rob, don’t be ridiculous!” He pleaded. “There’s no way that you won’t freeze to death before you can save them.”
“Are you kidding?” I scoffed as I started to unbutton my pants. “I can’t just let them drown in front of us.”
Lucas sputtered for a retort as I stripped off my pants and kicked off my shoes, standing there in only my boxer briefs and socks. Without another thought, I leaped from the overlook towards the water below. When I hit the water, my whole body screamed out in pain and terror. The water was so cold it was suffocating. Every breath I had left my body and my instinct was to kick towards the surface, to get out of the water any way that I could. Pins and needles stabbed every inch of my body. It took several moments before I could clear my mind of all instinct to merely survive and I began groping for whoever had fallen into the water.
Seconds ticked by as the iciness of the water stabbed and pricked at my body and made me feel like I’d never be warm or breath again. Finally, after several painful seconds, I felt my hand wrap around another smaller hand. I grasped it tightly and pulled it towards me. Then my other hand had ahold of a forearm, then a bicep, and I was pulling the person towards me. I couldn’t see under the water, even though my eyes were open—I think—but I pulled the body into me and kicked towards the surface. This was a child, not a man or woman. The body I was holding against me was too small to be an adult.
When I breached the surface of the water, I gasped for air, my lungs burning as I did my best to keep mine and the other person’s head above water. I glanced at the person I was holding and could only make out a mop of hair in the darkness. Lucas was screaming from twenty feet above, still up on the overlook. Glancing around in the water, looking for the nearest shore where I could drag the person out, I began to swim, pulling the person with me.
The other person wasn’t moving, at least as far as I could tell, as I pulled us towards shore. When I finally got into shallow enough water, I grabbed the person under the arms and drug them towards shore through the shallow water. My body felt numb and so cold that even laying down in a lit fireplace wouldn’t thaw me out. Shivering violently, I pulled the person up onto shore and laid them down on their back. I fell to my knees beside the person and looked down. My whole body froze, but in a different way, when I saw what I was staring at on the ground before me.
This person was me. The way I looked as a kid.
Then the person’s eyes shot open. I jumped back, falling to my ass in the dirt and sand covered shore. The person jumped to his feet, laughed maniacally, and dashed towards the woods. I began babbling to myself as I watched the person disappear into the woods, wondering if I was going crazy, but also terrified that I wasn’t. Then I heard Lucas shouting in the distance, getting closer. I looked up, my face twisted in horror, icy water dripping off of me, threatening to freeze at any moment against my skin.
Lucas was suddenly next to me, squatting down and pulled me up. He pulled me into his body and I was babbling yet incredibly grateful for the warmth that his body provided against mine. As he began shoving me back into my clothes, haranguing me with questions, I got myself under control and managed to stop babbling.
“What the hell were you thinking, Rob!?!?” He admonished me. “You could have fucking died!”
“I duh-don’t nuh-know.” My teeth chattered as he pulled my shirt on over my head and began pulling my coat on around me. “I juh-just duh-did it.”
“Where is he?”
“Huh-who?” I chattered.
“The guy you pulled out of the water!”
“He ruh-ran into t-the wuh-woods.” I pointed a brittle finger towards the woods near the shore.
Lucas frowned and looked off towards the woods. Then he was putting my shoes on me as I did my best to balance and keep on my feet. I looked off towards the woods, wondering how crazy I could be. Was I going crazy bit by bit the longer I stayed in Point Worth? How was it possible that I had pulled my younger self out of the lake? The nearly frozen lake.
“How the hell did he just run away?” Lucas grumbled as he stood up and pulled me into him again, trying to share his body warmth.
“It was me,” I said.
“What?”
“Th-the puh-person I pulled out of the lake.” I shivered violently against Lucas. “It was me. As a kid.”
I felt Lucas’ body tense against mine.
“What are you talking about, Rob?” He pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes as he held me.
I shivered and shrugged. Then a maniacal cackle sounded from the edge of the woods. Lucas and I both turned our heads violently towards the woods. A pale face peeked out from the tree line, finding the light of the moon perfectly. I gasped at the sight of my younger face staring out at me, an evil grin on his face. Lucas jumped against me at the sight of the face. We held onto each other as the younger me laughed maniacally again, its face twisting up grotesquely, then disappeared into the woods once again.
“What the fuck…”
“I don’t know,” I whispered in fear.
“What is going on, Rob?” Lucas gasped. “Where is…it…going?”
I stared off toward the woods for the space of a few breaths, then my eyes grew wide in terror. It was heading in the direction of Oma’s.
“Come on!” I shouted as I grabbed Lucas’ hand and drug him towards the woods.
Chapter 9
Lucas was one step behind me as I slid across the threshold of the front door to Oma’s house. We had seen the footprints in the snow leading up to the house. The two of us had left the house through the back door to walk down to the lake, so unless Oma had left the house through the front door, only one person could have made the prints. When I burst through the front door, I nearly slipped and fell. Water spotted the floorboards beneath me, which made my head whip back and forth, looking for Oma and signs of an intruder at the same time. Lucas looked down and saw the water on the floor as well and started shouting for Oma.
“Mrs. Wagner!” Lucas bellowed from behind me.
I moved from the foyer and into the living room, frantically looking for younger me while I searched for Oma.
“Mrs. Wagner!” Lucas bellowed again.
The fireplace was still lit and keeping the living room comfy-cozy, the lights were still on, and everything seemed as we had left it before we went on our walk. My heart was racing and I was trying to catch my breath after trudging through the snow in the cold on our run back to the house.
“I’m in here!” Oma hollered from the kitchen.
Lucas and I glanced at each other, relieved to hear her. We both dashed into the kitchen like madmen.
“What are you two bellowing about?” She grumbled from her spot by the stove.
The tea kettle was on the stove and she was waiting for her water to come to a boil.
“Is someone here?” I asked quickly.
“Besides you two assholes?” She put her hands on her hips as she frowned at me. “Why?”
“Did you hear someone come in the front door?” Lucas asked quickly. “Before us, I mean.”
Oma frowned at us a moment longer, looking back and forth between the two of us before finally answering.
“Well, no.” She shrugged. “But I’ve been in here making my tea. What the hell is going on with you two idiots? Robbie, why do you look like you had a bucket of water dumped on ya’?”
“Long story,” I mumbled as I moved to the back door, checking to make sure it was locked.
Oma watched me for a moment, then turned to Lucas, searching for answers to what was wrong with the two of us.
“You two are acting like you’re drunk,” She snorted. “What’s going on with you two?”
“Rob jumped in the lake to—”
“You jumped in the lake?!” Oma bellowed. “It’s a degree shy of icing over ya’ fucking idiot!”
“Someone fell in,” I said, then gave a quick shiver, realizing I was probably going to catch pneumonia if I didn’t warm up quick.
“Well, where the hell are they?” Oma was wide-eyed.
Lucas and I looked at each other.
“Well?” Oma demanded.
“We don’t know.” Lucas sighed.
“I pulled them out of the lake and then they got up and ran into the woods.” I shivered again. “We thought they might be headed this way.”
Oma rolled her eyes.
“That has got to be the dumbest goddamn story I’ve ever heard.” She waggled her head. “If ya’ fell in the lake, ya’ fell in the lake. You ain’t gotta make up some cock-and-bull story about it.”
“I’m not—”
“Lucas,” Oma stopped me, “run upstairs and get this idiot some fresh clothes. Something warm. And get a damn blanket for him.”
“Mrs. Wagner, I—”
“Do as I said.” She waved him off. “He’s gonna catch his death of cold.”
Lucas frowned and turned as if to head off to do what Oma had instructed. Quickly, I leaned into Lucas and whispered in his ear:
“Look out for…that thing.”
Lucas gave me a nod, then a quick kiss on the lips, ignoring that we were in Oma’s presence, and headed off towards the living room. Oma banged around for a minute, then walked over and ushered me towards the living room. I let her nudge me into the living room in front of the fireplace, then at her instruction removed my shoes and socks. I stripped off my coat and handed it over.
“What the hell are you doing falling into the lake?” Oma shook her head as she draped my coat over her forearm. “Ain’t got the sense God gave a goose.”
“I didn’t fall,” I grumbled. “I jumped in to save this person who was on the overlook.”
She rolled her eyes. “Who the fuck is going to be out there this time of night, on a night like this no less, except you two morons?”
“I swear to you, Oma,” I stated firmly. “There was somebody out there on the overlook dancing around like a weirdo, then they fell in the lake, and I jumped in without thinking and…”
“And what?” She asked after a beat.
“Nothing.” I shook my head. “Nothing, ya’ mean old woman. I nearly died trying to save someone’s life and all you do is call me a moron.”
“Well—who the hell else would do such a thing?” She replied firmly. “I don’t give a shit if some idiot wants to fall in the lake acting a fool. They shoulda know’d better anyway.”
There was no point in arguing with Oma. Either she didn’t believe my story or she didn’t care if it was true or not. Obviously, it was more important that I didn’t die than it was to save someone who fell in the lake. Someone who looked like a young teen me. I shivered at the thought, which made Oma frown more deeply.
“Lucas!” She bellowed toward the ceiling.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs and Lucas hurried in to join us in the living room. He had a towel and a pile of clothes in his arms.
“I got clothes,” Lucas announced before glancing at me as though trying to convey something.
“Well, you get him out of those clothes and into fresh ones while I go put these shoes out back.” She instructed. “You’ve seen him naked so it shouldn’t be too embarrassing for you to help him.”
Lucas blushed at that, but Oma ignored it and headed towards the kitchen. Once she was out of sight, Lucas chunked the clothes on the couch and his fingers went to my shirt. I held my arms up and he slid my shirt off of me. I stopped him from reaching for my pants and unbuttoned and pulled them off myself. Then I stripped off my underwear. Lucas’ eyes shone hungrily in the light cast from the fireplace. I gave him an admonishing look, which made him grin sheepishly. He handed me the towel as he gathered up my wet clothes and set them by the fire. I dried off quickly and pulled on the boxer briefs he had brought for me. Then I pulled on the sweatpants and sweater he had gathered. Lucas took the towel from me and reached up to dry my hair better as we stood in front of the fire.
“There was no one up there, Rob.” He whispered softly.
“Any wet footprints?” I asked lowly.
“Nothing.” He shook his head.
I sighed to myself as he finished drying my hair. Then he was pulling my face down to his and his lips were pressing softly against mine. He kissed me gently for several moments before pulling back, his eyes staying closed as he pulled me into a hug.
“I’m not crazy,” I said though I wasn’t sure if I was talking to Lucas or reminding myself.
“I know you’re not,” Lucas replied. “I saw it, too.”
I swallowed hard, grateful that he believed me. It made me care for Lucas more than I wanted.
“What is going on?”
“I don’t know, babe.” He whispered.
That word coming out of his mouth made me pulled back, though not to get away from him, but just in an effort to look him in the eyes.
“Don’t call me that.”
“Why not?” He asked.
“Because it felt right.”
He didn’t respond, but his lips found mine again. I ran my fingers through his hair as my mouth responded to his.
“Okay, you love birds,” Oma announced grandly as she sauntered into the living room. “Break it up long enough for me to get them clothes.”
Lucas cleared his throat and smiled up at me and I relented and gave him a grin back.
“Jeeeezus.” Oma whistled. “Nearly getting’ hypothermia sure can work you two up, can’t it?”
“Oma.”
“Fine.” She waggled her head as she scooped up my clothes and snatched the towel from Lucas. “You two sit down and get warmed up. I’m going to throw this shit in the washing machine. These aren’t them fancy clothes that need to go to the dry cleaner’s are they?”
I just looked at her.
Oma rolled her eyes and headed off towards the kitchen.
“Lucas, you may as well stay the night,” Oma said. “Barkley surely ain’t gonna open the store tomorrow and I’m sure school’s gonna be called off. And there ain’t no point in you drivin’ home in this shit.”
Lucas looked over at her.
“You can take the couch if you’re too uncomfortable sleepin’ in Rob’s room with me being around.” She teased.
“Go away Oma.” I said blandly, my eyes not leaving Lucas’.
“This is my house.”
“Go to another part of it, then.”
Oma muttered something under her breath but did as I requested. Lucas’ fingers went to my hair as he stared into my eyes. He raked my hair into place as I looked down into his eyes.
“I’m not crazy.”
“Who are you trying to convince, Rob?” He asked softly.
“I’m not crazy,” I repeated.
“You’re not crazy.” He nodded.
“How is…is that even possible?” I exhaled. “What we saw?”
Lucas shook his head but his fingers stayed in my hair as his other hand went to my chest.
“I don’t know…babe.”
“Stop it.”
My hips pushed into him of their own accord.
“Babe.” He whispered playfully.
“I’m warning you.” I moved my mouth down to his, my lips brushing against his. “You don’t want to keep doing that. Especially if you’ll be shy about sharing a bed at Oma’s house.”
“I want to go to bed now.” Lucas sighed against my mouth.
We stared into each other’s eyes as I felt something familiar poking against my hip. Lucas moved his hips slightly against me with a wicked smile. I wanted to drag Lucas to bed like a caveman and do very disrespectful things with him, but a sudden thought kept me from it.
“I feel nervous about leaving Oma alone,” I said.
“There’s no one here.”
“I believe you,” I said, shivering again at the thought of the younger me I had dragged out of t
he lake.
Remembering the maniacal look on the younger me’s face and the matching laughter made my blood run colder than the icy lake could have ever managed. Why had there been someone who looked like me dancing on the overlook who then decided to plunge into the icy water of Lake Erie? Most importantly, why the hell was there anybody who looked like me roaming around on the property around Oma’s house?
Something was going on at Oma’s house. Something was going on with me. Something was going on in Point Worth. There were a lot of things going on with a lot of people and places all around. Within the span of two weeks, I’d started acting like a hormonal teenager, I’d found out werewolves were a real thing, Lucas had claimed Oma was a witch, and I’d run into an early teens version of myself. To my credit, though I wasn’t feeling completely stable, I was handling everything admirably. At least, in my opinion.
As Lucas pulled me into a hug, to hold me close against his body, I turned my head to look at the fire. I wanted to know how my life had gotten from point A to point B. Sure, my life had never been normal. Being raised by Oma, running away at sixteen-years-old to be a movie and rock star, none of that was exactly normal. But, how did it all devolve into finding out that there was some world hidden just out of view for my entire life? Lucas’ mouth was on my neck, kissing and nibbling at me gently.
“Okay, you two lovebirds!” Oma announced as she stomped in from the kitchen with her mug of tea. “Either cut it the hell out or go up to bed. I ain’t lookin’ at you two actin’ like two teenagers any longer.”
I did my best to smile as Lucas pulled back with a chuckle.
“Let’s make sure everything is locked up first,” I whispered to him.
He nodded.
“Okay, Oma.” I sighed. “We’re going to lock up for you and head up to bed.”
She scoffed.
“I ain’t had to keep my doors locked until you showed up.” She waggled her head as she flopped down on the couch and kicked her feet up. “You’ve been living out in California too damn long.”
“Just humor me, then,” I said.
