The Ghost of the Lake

Chapter 15

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of running footsteps. I get out of bed and look out the door. No one was running in the hallway. I payed no attention to it.

I was about to get back in bed when May comes out of her room and says, "Oh hey. You're up. Reu went to get Jackson this morning. Man, Opal. You've slept through most of the day," she says and then she goes downstairs.

"Really?" I ask to myself. That has to be impossible. I usually don't wake up up 'till ten.

I go back to my room and check the time. Dang! It was actually 3:47. How could someone let me sleep in this late? Then I remembered that Nelly had crashed the day before and I had received a concussion.

I change and go into the bathroom. I look at my reflection. I was shocked at the person looking back at me. The person in front of me could not possibly me. Could it?

She looked my age, my height, my eyes, and my hair. Everything was there. Everything except my forehead's skin color. Most of my forehead had been consumed by a purplish color. Most of it was bruised from hitting it, probably, against the glove compartment yesterday.

Fortunately it wasn't swollen. I should put vinegar on it, I thought. I had heard that if you put vinegar on a bruise, the color would disappear.

I brush my teeth and go downstairs. I usually brush my teeth after I've eaten breakfast, but today I wasn't hungry. Plus dinner would be in a few hours.

As I walk down the stairs I hear voices. I walk into the living room. Nelly was sitting on the couch talking to Jesus. I bet Julia was somewhere with May.

"Good morning," I say dim-wittedly. It wasn't morning. It was evening.

"Good evening Opal. How are you doing?" Asked Jesus.

"Better than I look," I respond.

"We'll that's great," says Nelly.

"Yeah. Jesus do you want anything to drink? Or eat?" I ask.

"No I'm fine thank you though," he says.

"Ok. How are you doing Nelly?" I ask.

"I'm fine thank you," she says.

"We'll your children are quite educated," states Reu. I leave the room, so I don't hear what Nelly said to that.

I went into the kitchen and grabbed a drink. I looked out the window, and saw Leo outside. I couldn't see what he was doing. It seemed like he was talking to someone. I walk out the back door and walk over to Leo.

"Hey," says Leo as he sees me coming. He looked way better than I do. His band-aid was huge, and it covered most of his forehead.

"Hey what's up?" I ask.

"The sky," he responds. I laugh. For some reason I find this funny.

"Do I amuse you," he asks.

"Uh not really. That laugh came out of nowhere," I say.

"Oh. Are you feeling ok?" He asks looking a bit worried.

"Yeah. A lot better then I look. Trust me," I say again.

"Opal, you look like an alien trying to transform into a human creature," says Julia as she walks over to us. Now I know who he had been talking to. Her comment left both Leo and me speechless. Do I really look that bad? I guess if she says so, then it must be true.

"Opal doesn't look that bad," Leo says trying to reassure me.

"Tell that to the mirror that tells me just how grotesque I look," I say.