SOMETHING IN THE WATER

CHAPTER THREE

The lake house looked almost unchanged, a time capsule from that summer ten years ago. The air was thick with the scent of pine and the earthy musk of the lake. As I stepped out of the car, memories surged back, almost overwhelming me. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what lay ahead.

Inside, the house felt eerily quiet. Dust motes danced in the fading sunlight that filtered through the windows. The furniture was covered with sheets, and an old, familiar painting of the lake hung on the wall, faded but still there, a silent witness to the past.

I spent the evening unpacking and reacquainting myself with the house. It was as if time had stood still - the same creaky floorboards, the same worn carpets. I found myself in the living room, staring at the large family photo. Our smiling faces stared back at me, a painful reminder of happier times.

As night fell, I made my way to the bedroom I used to share with Amelia. I couldn't help but feel her presence there, a lingering ghost of what once was. The bed was made, the covers pristine, as if waiting for her to return.

***

I lay down, the silence of the house pressing in on me. Exhaustion soon took over, and I drifted into a restless sleep.

The lake was eerily silent under the cover of night, its surface smooth as glass, reflecting the pale light of the full moon. A dense fog rolled in from the forest, shrouding the world in an ethereal mist. The air was thick with the scent of pine and the faint, metallic tang of fear. Somewhere in the distance, I heard an owl hoot, its call echoing through the stillness.

I didn't really want to go out but somehow, I found myself standing at the edge of the lake, my heart pounding in my chest. I heard my twin sister Amelia giggle, the sound bright and carefree, a stark contrast to the darkness that surrounded us. We had just snuck out of the cabin for an adventure, a game of tag under the moon and stars.

"Don't be such a chicken, Mandy. Live a little!" Amelia's voice echoed in my ears.

I ran like crazy, my breath coming in short gasps, my eyes wide with a mixture of excitement and unease. I could hear Amelia slowly creeping up behind me, her footsteps quick and light, gaining ground. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Amelia's silhouette emerging from the fog.

But then, there was something else. A shadowy figure stood at the edge of the forest, watching us. My heart raced as I tried to make out the details, but the figure was just a dark blur.

"Got you!" Amelia cried, lunging forward. Her hand brushed my shoulder, a playful shove that sent me stumbling.

I fell hard onto the rocky shore, pain jolting through my body. I looked up just in time to see Amelia's expression change from triumph to terror. Her eyes darted towards the shadowy figure.

"Amanda!" Amelia screamed, her voice high-pitched and panicked.

The figure moved swiftly, and before I could react, it grabbed Amelia, pulling her towards the dark woods. I tried to scramble to my feet, but my legs felt like lead.

"Amelia!" I screamed, my voice breaking. I watched helplessly as she was dragged into the shadows, her terrified eyes meeting mine one last time before she disappeared.

***

I jolted awake, sweat pouring down my face. The room was dimly lit by the early morning sun. I sat up, my heart still racing from the dream. The details were vivid, too vivid. That shadowy figure, the terror in Amelia's eyes - it all felt so real.

Shaking, I got out of bed and pulled on my clothes. The house was silent, save for the creaking of the floorboards as I made my way to the kitchen. I needed to get out, to clear my head. Grabbing a jacket, I stepped outside into the cool morning air.

The woods surrounding the lake house were dense and quiet. Tall, ancient trees loomed overhead, their branches intertwining to form a thick canopy that filtered the sunlight into a soft, green glow. The ground was carpeted with a layer of fallen leaves, their earthy scent mingling with the fresh smell of pine. Moss-covered rocks and twisted roots jutted out from the forest floor, creating a natural maze.

As I walked deeper into the woods, the air grew cooler and damper. The underbrush was thick with ferns and shrubs, making it difficult to navigate. Birds chirped from the treetops, their songs echoing through the stillness. Every now and then, a squirrel darted across my path, its tiny feet barely making a sound on the leaf-strewn ground.

I ventured towards the spot from my dream, the events replaying in my mind. What if someone had been there that night? What if someone had taken Amelia?

I pushed aside branches, my eyes scanning the ground for any sign, any clue. The forest felt alive with secrets, each rustle of leaves and snap of a twig heightening my senses. My heart pounded as I carefully searchedthe area, my thoughts racing.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw it. A small glint of metal caught my attention. Kneeling down, I brushed away the leaves and dirt to reveal a hair clip. My breath caught in my throat. It was Amelia's - a small, butterfly-shaped clip she had worn that night.

The hair clip was delicate, with tiny, intricately carved wings that sparkled faintly in the filtered sunlight. The body of the butterfly was inlaid with a small, ruby gemstone, now slightly dulled by the years. The metal was tarnished, but the design was unmistakable. I remembered how Amelia loved that clip, how she would twist it into her hair with a giggle, delighted by its beauty.

I picked it up, my hands trembling. How had this been missed during the investigation? I turned it over in my hands, my mind reeling with possibilities. This was proof that something had happened here, that Amelia had been taken into the woods.

Clutching the hair clip, I stood up and looked around. The woods seemed to close in on me, the trees whispering secrets I couldn't quite hear. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The silence was almost oppressive, broken only by the occasional call of a bird or the rustle of leaves.

The dense foliage and towering trees created a labyrinthine landscape, each direction looking almost identical. It was easy to see how someone could disappear here without a trace. The thick undergrowth tangled around my ankles as I moved, and the faint sound of water trickling somewhere nearby added to the eerie atmosphere.

I knew I had to find out more, to uncover the truth of what had happened that night. As I made my way back to the lake house, my mind raced with questions. Who was the shadowy figure? Why had Amelia's clip been left behind? And most importantly, where is my sister now?

Is she still alive?

What really happened that night?