Shivers

There's Something In The Water

Sabrina felt the sweltering sun on her back as she reclined on the blanket, her sunglasses perched on her sunburned nose. The oppressive heat had driven her and her friends to the lake. She stretched languorously and glanced at her friends: Brad and Hicks, two college jocks with a penchant for practical jokes, and Kelly, her best friend since grade school. As they laid there, a monstrous shadow cast a brief, chilling moment of relief from the sun's relentless rays. The four friends exchanged glances, each of them uneasy.

Sabrina spoke first. "Guys, you ever heard the stories about something in the water?"

Hicks laughed, his muscular frame shaking with the movement. "You mean the 'Lake Devourer'? That's just a story to keep kids from swimming out too far."

Sabrina shuddered. "I know, but... something feels off today."

"Ah, come on, Sabrina," Brad chimed in, "don't let a little shade spook you."

Kelly nodded in agreement. "It's probably just a cloud. Let's get in the water and cool off."

The group gathered their things, rented a small rowboat, and rowed out into the heart of the lake. They dropped anchor, and their laughter echoed across the still water as they dove in one by one. Sabrina submerged, letting the cool water envelop her body. She swam beneath the surface for a while, her unease momentarily forgotten. Her lungs ached for air, and she broke the surface, gasping. When she wiped the water from her eyes, she saw Brad floating not far away, a wide grin on his face.

"Hey, Sabrina, you were right! There's something in the water!" He threw back his head and laughed, the mirth turning into a choked gurgle.

"Brad!" Kelly shouted, swimming toward him. "Are you alright?"

He bobbed back up, grinning. "Gotcha!" "Seriously, Brad?"

Hicks rolled his eyes, swimming closer to the boat. A sudden tension electrified the water, and Sabrina felt her hairs stand on end. The sun disappeared behind a cloud, casting a somber gloom over the lake.
She exchanged glances with Kelly, who wore a mask of unease.

"Guys, let's get back to the boat," Sabrina said, her voice cracking.

Hicks was already climbing the ladder when the water beneath him erupted, an enormous dark shape surging from the depths. He screamed as rows of razor-sharp teeth closed around him. Blood tainted the water, and his voice was silenced. The remaining three friends panicked, flailing in the crimson-stained water.

Kelly scrambled towards the boat, but the massive creature's tail smashed into her, sending her flying. Her body collided with the boat, and she went limp, sinking beneath the surface.

"Kelly!" Sabrina cried out, her heart pounding in her chest. "We have to get out of the water!"

Brad shouted, swimming towards the boat. As they reached the boat, the creature reared its monstrous head, revealing countless malevolent eyes. Its cavernous maw opened wide, revealing the remains of its previous victims.

Brad froze, terror paralyzing him. "Sabrina, swim!" he yelled, just as the beast lunged forward, swallowing him whole.

Sabrina scrambled onto the boat, shaking violently. Tears blurred her vision as she stared into the depths, where the creature had disappeared with her friends. She knew she was next, but there was nowhere to run.

She sobbed, "Please, please don't let it get me too." As if in response, the water around the boat began to churn, and the massive creature emerged once more, encircling the small vessel. Sabrina's hands gripped the sides of the boat, her knuckles white with fear. The monster's eyes bore into her, the hunger in them palpable. Sabrina's breath came in shallow gasps, her heart hammering against her ribcage. As the creature drew closer, she could see the bits of clothing and flesh stuck between its teeth, remnants of her friends. She knew there was no escape, but her instinct to survive urged her to try.

With trembling hands, she grabbed the oars and began to row, her strokes desperate and uncoordinated. The boat barely moved, and the creature's laughter reverberated through the water, a bone-chilling sound that filled her with dread.

"Please," she whispered, her voice barely audible, "please let me live." But the creature showed no mercy. It lunged at the boat, its massive jaws clamping down on the wooden hull. Sabrina screamed as the boat splintered beneath her, the water rising to meet her. The last thing she felt was the cold embrace of the water and the unforgiving grip of the creature's teeth before everything went dark.

In the following days, search teams scoured the lake, finding only the wreckage of the boat and a few scattered belongings. The locals whispered about the Lake Devourer, their fear of the water renewed. But in the end, life went on, and the terrible fate of Sabrina, Brad, Hicks, and Kelly faded into another tragic story whispered around campfires on the lake's edge. The lake returned to its usual serene state, but beneath the placid surface, the creature lurked, its hunger insatiable, waiting for its next unsuspecting victims.