The Ghost of the Lake

Chapter 19

As I walked alone down the street, I noticed obscure clouds gathering over the sky. I continued to walk as fast as I could. It got darker by the minute. Any second now cold rain would fall from the sky. After walking for what seemed like miles, I arrived at the baseball field. Before I stepped any further, I heard a voice calling my name.

"Opal!" It was Myra who was calling me.

I turn around and say,"Hey Myra. I thought you had gone home."

"Well I was walking to the baseball field to watch the team practice," she says.

"Oh. Why? Do you know anyone on the team?" How stupid of me to be asking that. Of course she knows everybody on the team. The town is small enough that she probably grew up with them.

"Yeah. My brother is on the team. He is probably the strongest player they have. I mean everyone is good at it, but I think he is pretty great."

Of course she brags over her brother. "Oh well thats nice. I was actually walking to the baseball field too," I say.

I probably shouldn't have said that because then she asked, "Are you going to see anyone in particular, or just to see them practice?"

"I'm going to see Leo. His dad said that if I needed anything I could just tell Leo."

If I could ever take that last statement back, I would. Myra's face turned red with anger. She looked like she wanted to slap me. Why did I say that? Leo had said that they didn't like me because of him.

"Well, Opal, nice seeing you. I have to go now. See you tomorrow at swimming practice," she said without even trying to hide her anger, and walked as fast as she could towards the baseball field.

Great now I have Myra as an enemy. I continue to walk towards the baseball field. I watch as the baseball team is wrapping up and getting ready to leave.

"Hey, Leo!" I yell as I run towards the field.

"Hey, Opal. What's up?" He asks confused at seeing me there.

"Well...uh. Reu didn't—" I start to say, but then I get interrupted by Myra. She had arrived just before I did, but she had been talking to her brother.

"Leo! I finally find you," she squeals.

"Hi Myra," says Leo.

"I was wondering what you would be doing after practice today," she says.

"Myra I'm in the middle of something right now. You wouldn't mind leaving me alone, so I can speak with Opal, would you?" Leo says.

Myra looked like she had been punched. "No of course not. I'll just leave you alone now," she says flatly. She walks over to her brother.

"Sorry about that. What were you saying?" He asks.

"Well," I continued, "Reu didn't pick me up from swimming practice. I was wondering if I could use your phone to call him. I forgot mine at home," I say.

"Oh sure," he says as he hands me his phone. "Hey, I have to gather my stuff okay. I'll be over there where that backpack is at," he says pointing to a backpack on the ground.

I just nod; I dial Reu's phone number. "Hello?" Reu asks as he answers his phone.

"Hey Reu. I think you forgot something at the pool today," I say, making it clear to him that I am not happy.

"Oh shrimp. Sorry about that. I am at the hospital right now. Turns out that May has a large cut on her head and a concussion. She hit her head on something very hard when she fell," he says.