What Happened At The Lake

A birthday party and an axe to grind

Vera didn't know when she slept or that she slept at all but she knew she found herself waking up. Her bed was wet, warm and seemed a lot cosier than usual albeit a little swampy. Internally, she felt like she had been run over by a school full of children, a thousand galloping horses and a big black choo choo train.

The events of the night remained vivid in her head and so was the memory she had kept buried. The beginnings of teardrops formed in her eyes as everything played back. It was then that Vera singlemindedly decided to get rid of- No, kill meanster roach

Perhaps it was her sudden resolve or maybe it was something else but it suddenly seemed like her brain opened and suddenly she could see everything that she had been blinded to. The gates of memories and the gates of wisdom opened simultaneously and from within each gate a different solution came out

"Insecticide," Vera said in the tone of a mad scientist making a big discovery, her heart started to beat fast in excitement "it qualifies as an insect after all"

The excitement of this discovery soon died down as Vera made a second discovery; Save for the clothes on her back and perhaps a few measly cents, she was dead ass broke.

"Credit" the voice in her head said "purchase on credit, senhorita"

Vera showered for the second time in eight hours, although this time she showered hurriedly. The wall above the bathroom sink where the mirror used to be stared at her blankly, somehow creeping her out with its emptiness. It seemed to cry "where is my mirror, you freak"

She remembered her glass hurling episode and strode to her window to check it out. She knew that while she was going to be in quite a bit of trouble for this when her mum came back; the best she could do was damage control

Vera looked outside the window, expecting to see glass shards peppering the entire yard but her expectations remained expectations. Through the window's glass, Vera could see nothing but slightly overgrown grasses staring back at her with blank expressions.

Convinced that she only needed a better look, She opened her window and was going to stick her head outside when suddenly her head seemed to slam into an invincible wall of nothing, knocking her back.

Vera tried to stick an arm out as slowly and carefully as she could but just when her farthest fingers started to cross the windows, it was knocked back again.

She jumped back from the windows, feeling the walls close in on her and the room get smaller as she realised with clear certainty that she was trapped in her own home. She turned round and round, expecting it to show up, first in front of her then behind her but it didn't. A silent voice seemed to howl from the morning air

You locked me out now I will lock you in, HAPPYYY DEATH DAY

A persistent knocking broke the spell and the walls seemed to go back to their natural position. Vera opened the door, fearing the worst but also wanting to see what will happen

She was positively disappointed when she saw that it was her little sister, dressed in a red hoodie, jeans and wearing on her head a silly hat that said happy birthday Vera in golden letters.

"Happy Birthday big sis" Erha screamed

The smell of something wonderful filled her nostrils, something so pleasantly amazing that she thoughtlessly followed the smell to its source. She didn't notice the red and white balloons that hung from just about everywhere or the birthday tunes emitting softly from a music player

Under a big white "Happy Birthday banner" and On the dining table was an irresistible mix of flour, sugar, love and something more that made her stomach grumble in anticipation as she got closer to it, pulled closer by the overpowering web of need; One rule had always governed her stomach "Eat first and ask questions later"

If she thought it smelled good, she was about to realise it tasted even better; Each bite was an explosive symphony of the best of tastes that set her taste buds on fire and made her brain dance an ecstatic Irish sailor's jig.

"Is it good? " Erha asked from somewhere close and yet so far away "did you taste my secret ingredient?"

"Where did you get the money," Vera asked the moment she could form words, icing decorated her lips "have you become an armed robber"

"Which money" Erha replied

"This money," Vera said

Erha shrugged as if to say "how else would a 13-year-old get money"

"Talk" Vera interrogated

"Mehh... Maybe I'm a witch who turns little kids into money" Erha said

"Seriously," Vera said sternly, summoning the mom voice from the deepest corners of her soul. The leftover cake seemed to wink at her from its place on the table

"Mehh... I just know how to save money" Erha said "Unlike some people"

Vera kept her narrowed eyes locked on Erha in a deadly mom stare while Erha just grinned sheepishly.

"Okay, okay I'll confess to it all"

"You'd better"

"Well, let's just say people are dumb and so I help them do things they can't do for a fair price "

"Like what...." Vera said

"write their assignments... Talk to their crushes...kill whoever needs to be killed...Teach them stuff... Fix stuff...hack stuff... And any other stuff"

Vera had stopped listening the moment she realized fate has just smiled really widely upon her head. At that moment, Vera couldn't have loved her sister more.

"Why are you smiling," Erha asked

"I think you might be an angel, Erha," Vera said suddenly, the unexpected words startling her sister. While she knew Vera was cheesy, she wasn't expecting her to be so cheesy.

"Stop flattering me or I'll call the police," Erha said "do you need money or what"

"Do you have up to twenty dollars?" Vera asked

"Yes, why not"

"Give me," she said, causing erha to shake her head in refusal

"Money has to be earned," Erha said in a false all business tone

"Okay boss, what should I do for you," Vera said, realising at that moment that it had been a long time since they really talked.

"Give me back my freedom of movement," Erha said "And don't come looking for me if I'm late "

"Done," Vera said much to Erha's surprise "Now why don't you use your freedom of movement to run a quick errand for me"

Authors note : This is my longest chapter yet, how was it

Tbh, It didn't suck as much as I thought it would