Mantis

7. The memories from the lake

In silence, I watched the route we were taking, having no clue where we were headed. At one point, Victor slowed down and veered off the main road onto a forest path.

- Where exactly are we going? - I finally asked, a question I probably should have asked much earlier.

- You'll see, - he replied with a mysterious expression. - Don't worry. I won't harm you. And after it's all over, I'll take you home safely.

- After what?

- You'll see.

Not getting a satisfying answer, I began to observe the surroundings more carefully through the car window. After less than five minutes, the trees thinned out, giving way to bushes where I could discern something like a marshland, with flashes of water peeking through the trunks of individual trees. After about ten minutes, Victor stopped the car, his face breaking into a wide smile.

- We're here, - he announced, switching off the engine. Without waiting for him to do it, I opened the door and stepped outside.

I already knew where we were. A single glance was enough. I recognized this lake, where we used to go so often in the summers when we were teenagers, but which I hadn't approached since that last time.

I wondered if he remembered it as vividly as I did...

I was sitting on a thick branch of a spreading tree while Victor lay on the grass next to the trunk, his hands behind his head. In the background, the sun-gilded surface of the lake shimmered. I closed my eyes, enjoying the cool shade, but opened them when the scent of tobacco smoke tickled my nose.

- Don't smoke that cra - I said, looking down at Victor, who was releasing a puff of smoke from his mouth with a blissful expression on his face. He opened his eyes and just grinned broadly at me, then took another drag.

- I'm chillin - he replied, exhaling another puff.

I got up from my seated position and jumped off the branch.

- But that's no reason to poison yourself - I said disapprovingly, leaning over him and reaching for the unfortunate cigarette to take it out of his hand.

He hesitated for a moment and tightened his grip on it, but quickly relented, giving me a lazy smile. I tossed the butt on the ground and crushed it under my shoe.

- Nor to break your neck jumping from a tree -he sneered, flashing his teeth in a smile as he got up from his lying position. - But actually, you can do that as often as you want. Your boobs bounce nicely then.

He smiled at me, very pleased with himself, then pulled out a pack of Marlboros from his pocket and lit another cigarette. Wanting to wipe that smile off his face, I grabbed the pack before he could stash it away, swung, and threw it into the bushes.

Wiktor immediately stopped smiling.

- Hey! - he called out, outraged. - What are you doing?!

- I can't stand watching you poison yourself - I muttered indifferently, though inside I was jumping for joy that I managed to unsettle him. - You're fifteen and smoking half a pack a day. At this rate, you won't make it to thirty.

- But you can't just throw away my stuff like that. I paid for it.

- And what are you going to do? - I scoffed dismissively, throwing him a challenging look. - Tell mommy on me? What are you looking at? - I asked because his gaze suddenly became absent.

Victor blinked a few times, clearing his hazy gaze to reveal his usual Victor look, where the intensity of a hunter lurked, and he placed his hands on my shoulders. I unconsciously followed his hands with my eyes, slightly dazed by this sudden and unexpected touch.