by Kieran Scott
“You ready?” Jacob asked, looking her fiercely in the eye. He was scared, and trying very hard not to show it.
Hannah nodded. “Ready.”
They placed the paddles in the water.
“And, pull!” Jacob said.
They started to row, and Hannah instantly felt the relief of doing something active—something to help. The boat moved slowly at first, but as she and Jacob got into a rhythm, it started to fly over the water, the breeze hitting the cold droplets on her neck and cooling her adrenaline. Her eyes focused on the spot where the boat had been at the moment Katie had gone over, searching for anything out of the ordinary, but there was nothing, so she lifted her gaze. Instead, she watched the far shoreline grow more and more distant, and, with every yank of the oar, felt a little bit freer of the terror.
Whatever was out there, they were escaping it now. Katie was fine. It hadn’t won.
“We’re almost there,” Katie called.
Hannah glanced over her shoulder. She could see both Colin and Alessandra at the shoreline now. Alessandra wore a bathing suit and her hair was wet from swimming. Colin shaded his eyes with one hand. Hannah was surprised at the sudden desperation she felt at the sight of him, and she rowed even faster. It didn’t matter what Katie had told her. All that mattered right then was how she felt in this moment of total panic. And in this moment, all she wanted to do was get back to the shore, explain to Colin everything that had happened, and let him tell her everything was going to be all right.
* * *
Half an hour later, after the story had been rehashed twenty times and Alessandra and Jacob had insisted that the whole lake monster thing was just a myth, while Colin sat mostly quiet and eyed Hannah concernedly, Hannah and Katie went upstairs to shower and change. The second they got to their room, Katie closed the door behind them and grabbed Hannah’s arm.
“I don’t care what they say. There’s totally something out there,” she whispered.
“I know!” Hannah whispered back.
They sat down next to each other on the springy mattress and Hannah drew one leg up to turn sideways. Katie did the same, so that they were mirror images of each other. Katie’s hair had half dried into knotted clumps on her shoulders, and her eyeliner was smeared down her face but she didn’t reach for a mirror or her phone to check her reflection or fix anything—which told Hannah that she was legitimately freaked out.
“It felt like a cold, hard hand,” Katie said, and shuddered. “And it was strong. Is that what you felt?”
“Sort of,” Hannah replied. “It felt like a hand, but it felt soft—almost … rubbery?” Katie made a grossed-out face. “I didn’t feel anything hard until I kicked out, and then my foot hit a rock or something,” Hannah finished.
“Or maybe a skull,” Katie replied.
Hannah let out a nervous laugh. “I thought that, too. But … come on … what are we saying here? There are skeletons in the lake? Zombies?”
“I have no idea, but I know I felt something,” Katie said, glancing over her shoulder at the wide stretch of water outside the window. “And I know the whole idea of a lake monster sounds certifiable, but aren’t those sorts of rumors usually based on some kind of fact? Like, someone must have seen something at some point.”
Hannah hesitated half a second, chewing on her lip. “I wasn’t going to tell you this, but …”
Katie’s face was pale, but her eyes were bright with interest when she refocused on Hannah. “Tell me what?”
Hannah stood up and walked to the window, pushing the curtain aside slightly to look out. The lake looked beautiful just then, the afternoon sunlight glinting off the ripples in the deeper water—nothing but cerulean blue as far as the eye could see.
“I saw something out there this morning,” Hannah said quietly. “After my swim, when you guys were down by the dock and I was up here alone.”
“What do you mean something?” Katie asked. “What was it?”
“I don’t know. It was … I think it was some kind of animal, but it wasn’t like any animal I’d ever seen before.” She shivered at the memory and turned her back on the lake, hugging her suddenly goose-bump-covered arms. “It was all gray and grotesque and malformed.”
“Oh my God!” Katie whispered, standing as well and hugging her elbows tightly. She looked younger suddenly, like a little girl who had been playing in her mother’s makeup case. “Do you think it was the monster? Do you think that was what tipped the boat?”
“I honestly have no idea. But it was definitely big enough,” Hannah said, lifting her shoulders tight near her ears. “It sounds insane, I know, and I thought I imagined it. Like maybe all that stuff Colin and Alessandra told us was just messing with my brain, or that maybe it was a trick of the light. But now …”
Katie walked up next to her and they both gazed out at the water. Hannah could feel an electric charge running between them, and realized it felt kind of nice to agree with Katie on something. To be in it together for once. Even though it was something impossible and fairly terrifying. Couldn’t they have bonded over the last season of The Bachelor or something?
“Okay, there’s no way,” Katie said finally, throwing up her hands. “I mean, a lake monster? Come on. We’re losing our minds here.”
Hannah laughed uncomfortably. “You’re right. You’re so right. We’re just imagining things.”
“Exactly. I probably only thought I felt something because you thought you felt something,” Katie said.
Hannah nodded. “I mean, Jacob and his family have been coming here for years and no one has ever mentioned a legendary lake monster before. It has to be a joke … right?”
“Exactly! So there’s nothing out there. It’s just your average, run-of-the-mill lake,” Katie said. “Right?”
Hannah nodded once, resolutely. “Right.”
“Those guys just made up the whole lake monster thing to mess with us.”
“Sure,” Hannah said.
“So let’s not bring this up again.” Katie grabbed a towel and some clothes, holding them in a ball against her chest. “We don’t want them to think they got to us—that we’re believing their crazy story, right?”
Hannah nodded, and they held each other’s gaze in a silent promise. Then Katie walked out, headed for the bathroom and what Hannah assumed would be a long, hot, mind-erasing shower. As soon as Katie was gone, Hannah grabbed the blind and pulled it down over the window, casting the room in relative darkness.
“Right.”
* * *
“You guys! Nick and Raj are here!” Jacob called up the stairs just as Katie walked back into the room fully clothed, with a towel wrapped around her hair.
Hannah’s heart sank. She’d been hoping to take some time for herself to read and calm her nerves. But now, more socializing. Fan. Tas. Tic.
“Cool! We’ll be right down,” Katie called out.
“Actually, I think I’m gonna take a shower, too,” Hannah said, grabbing a towel and some clothes.
“Okay. I’m gonna go downstairs and tell Nick and Raj about my epic home run.” Katie grinned and tossed her wet towel on the chair, turning to the window to start combing through her hair. “Just come down when you’re done.”
Wow. That shower really was mind-erasing, Hannah thought. Apparently, the trauma of a near-death experience was easy to shake off.
Hannah sighed. Laughter wafted into the house from the front yard and Hannah could hear a motor revving—probably a Jet Ski or small boat. Maybe if she took a long enough shower, everyone would forget about her, and she could hide out with her book until Nick and Raj went home.
She walked to the bathroom, which was full of steam, and turned the water back on. She unbuttoned her shorts and they fell to the floor with a thwap, heavier than they should have been. It wasn’t until that moment that she remembered the diary. She crouched down and fished it out of her shorts pocket, glancing over her shoulder as if someone was about to walk in on her. With a flick
of her wrist, she locked the door.
Using a washcloth, Hannah cleared a section of the mirror of condensation and looked herself in the eye. Was she really going to do this? She swallowed hard and turned away. Yes, in fact, she was. Just a couple of pages. Just to see what sort of person would hide their diary in a lockbox on an island in the middle of a lake.
She sat down on top of the toilet seat, opened the diary, and began to read.
Dear Future Me,
N and I have gone out on three real dates now. Three! He asked me to Slices and then I asked him to the Star Wars movie marathon at the theater and tonight we went water-skiing on the lake. True, P and R came with us to water-ski. But it still ended up being the best time ever.
You remember that high drop-off on the northwest side of Dreardon Lake? Well, after we went water-skiing, N got P to drop us off at the bottom of the hill alone together so we could hike up there and explore. He said he’s been there a few times and he really likes it because it’s so peaceful and you can see all the stars. He called it his “special place” and he was so sweet about the fact that he was sharing it with me, like it was a big deal to him. We walked along the cliffs as far as we could go—there’s one point that’s too rocky and there are all these trees, so we had to double back. And then we sat out on the rocky outcropping and looked at the sky. And then, well, he kissed me. Again. It was amazing.
On the way back down, he showed me this little clearing where he’d left a fire pit behind from a night he came camping out there all by himself. He got a little misty-eyed when he talked about getting out of his house to be alone and it made me wonder if maybe there’s something going on there. Maybe with his parents or something? I don’t know. I didn’t want to ask because it felt too personal or too forward or something. But maybe one day he’ll tell me on his own.
I feel really close to him now—closer than I’ve ever felt to any other guy. Is that cheesy to say? I don’t care. I hope he takes me out to his special place again. Maybe one night we could camp out there together, just the two of us, and he’ll tell me everything about him. I want to know it all.
Hannah ended up reading more than a couple of pages—a lot more. She probably would have stayed up there all night, reading the entire diary, if Jacob hadn’t called her down for dinner. Reluctantly, she stashed the book away in her bag, took a quick shower, and came downstairs, her thoughts swirling.
The story about the girl committing suicide in the lake had been super disturbing to read. As if Hannah needed to be more creeped out by the water just outside the front door.
One thing was clear, though—whoever had written the journal lived in town. And Hannah had a feeling that the girl was friends with Alessandra and Prandya. It was the description of the surprise slumber party that had started her thinking about it—the details about the sick house owned by “P.” There was no way that was a coincidence. And if P was Prandya, then there was a good chance that the writer’s friend A was Alessandra. It wasn’t foolproof, but Hannah had a feeling she was right.
She considered asking Alessandra about it, but then Hannah would have to admit she’d stolen the journal—and that she’d read it—which was not going to happen. She’d just have to figure out a way to get the book back out to the island before the writer realized it was gone.
But clearly, that wasn’t going to happen tonight—not with all these people around.
For dinner, Jacob and Colin had put together a pretty decent meal of grilled chicken and vegetables, which would be chased by a dessert of s’mores roasted over the outdoor fire pit. Hannah scarfed down the meal, starving from the long and full day. The conversation around the dinner table was upbeat and shallow. Raj started telling stories about the worst teachers he’d ever had, and others joined in to share, as if it was a competition.
Hannah thought about chiming in, but whenever she looked up, she caught Nick staring at her, which made it hard to focus. Plus, Nick and Colin definitely didn’t like each other. Every time one of them spoke, the other one either laughed mockingly or said something derisive. The tension was thick enough that it felt like a heavy blanket set to suffocate them all. At least, that was how it felt to Hannah. No one else seemed to notice.
“You guys ready for dessert?” Jacob asked, pushing back from the table.
“So ready,” Colin replied.
And Nick rolled his eyes.
Hannah stifled a yawn as she stood up. She was exhausted and kind of just wanted to crawl into bed, but s’mores also sounded pretty good.
Colin and Alessandra gathered the chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers from the kitchen while Jacob, Katie, and Raj went outside to find some sticks to use as skewers. Hannah took a blanket off the couch and slowly followed the others, trying to ignore the fact that Nick was hovering behind her.
The night air out on the lake was cool. Hannah wrapped the worn, red blanket around her shoulders, craving not just warmth but comfort.
“You cold?” Nick asked as he trailed her outside. “You can borrow my hoodie.”
He made as if to take off his black sweatshirt and Hannah held up a hand. “No. That’s okay. I like the blanket. Thanks, though,” she added, when his face sort of fell.
Nick jogged down the steps ahead of her, head down as if in a sulk. Hannah stepped onto the grass. The light of the half-moon shone on the water’s surface and stars sprinkled the night sky. All the beauty of it was lost on Hannah, though. The breadth of the lake confronted her, and she physically itched to escape it all.
I should steal Jacob’s phone, call my dad, and tell him to come get me, she thought. I just want to go home.
But down the hill the others were laughing and tearing open bags of marshmallows while Alessandra got the fire going. Hannah blew out a sigh and reluctantly joined them, pulling over one of the wood benches Jacob’s dad had apparently fashioned out of fallen tree trunks. They weren’t super comfortable—or super level—but it was all part of the ambiance.
“I’ll just have a marshmallow,” Katie volunteered as Jacob started to push the marshmallows onto skinny sticks. “I’m not really a big fan of chocolate.”
“Okay, weirdo,” Jacob teased her, knocking her knee with his own. “One toasted marshmallow coming up.”
“I like mine burnt,” Raj said, pulling up another bench, and Nick sat down next to him.
“The key to a good s’more is getting the hot marshmallow onto the chocolate right away,” Colin instructed, laying graham crackers out on a plastic plate and then carefully positioning chocolate bars on top of them. “It’s all about the melt.”
“Who’re you, Bobby Flay?” Nick snapped.
“I agree,” Hannah said, shooting Colin a smile as she gamely tried to join in on the fun. “There’s nothing worse than hard chocolate inside a s’more.”
Nick grumbled something under his breath and pulled out his phone, facing away from the fire. Hannah and Katie exchanged a look. What’s up with this guy?
Soon, they all had their skewers and Alessandra managed to get the fire roaring. They sat around the fire pit in a circle, Hannah between Katie and Colin, and let their marshmallows get nice and toasty. As soon as Hannah withdrew hers from the fire, Colin was ready with the graham crackers and chocolate. She mushed her sandwich together and then took a big bite.
Perfection.
Okay, so maybe she didn’t need to go home just yet.
“So have you guys told Katie and Hannah about the ghost?” Raj asked, licking some melted chocolate off his fingers.
Jacob and Colin both groaned, and Nick looked up with interest.
“Can we not?” Alessandra said.
“What?” Raj was all wide-eyed innocence. “Isn’t that what you do around a campfire? Tell ghost stories? We’re just lucky enough to have stories that are actually true.”
“What do you mean, true?” Hannah asked, glancing at Katie, who looked like she was bracing herself for some really bad news. “Have you ever seen a ghost up he
re?”
“I haven’t seen any,” Raj said. “But I mean, with all the drownings, this lake has to have some serious ghost stuff happening.”
The drownings. All the drownings. Hannah’s throat was dry. Unbidden, the creepy diary entry about the girl who had drowned herself sprang to mind.
“Um, who drowned?” Katie asked. Her eyes were enormous. Hannah knew she had to be remembering her own close call earlier that day.
“Okay, I just want to go on record as saying I did not want to talk about this.” Jacob grabbed another three marshmallows, stabbed through them with his skewer, and scowled as he roasted them. His curls danced in the glow from the fire.
Hannah glanced toward the lake. She saw something bubble up, but then the bubbles popped. Just one of the amphibians coming up for air, she was sure.
“Back in the early two thousands, there were a bunch of random drownings up here,” Alessandra said, leaning close to the fire to toast her marshmallow. “All these people, some of them even really experienced swimmers, drowned in the lake for no apparent reason. It was almost like … a pattern. A trend.”
“A drowning trend?” Hannah said.
“Yeah,” Jacob said, his eyes flashing. “It’s why my dad got this house for so cheap. No one wanted to buy on Drowning Lake.”
Hannah’s dinner hardened in her stomach and she immediately regretted the s’more. “Drowning Lake? That’s an awful nickname.”
“I know. It wasn’t something I came up with,” Jacob said. “It’s just something people say.”
Hannah’s skin crawled. She glanced up from the fire and saw Nick glaring right at her, and she quickly looked away. No wonder this whole place gave her the creeps. There was actually a dark history here. She thought of Alessandra’s friend Claudia—the one who’d gone missing without a trace.
“How many people … died?” Katie asked in a whisper.
