The Lake (Short Story)

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

“You mean you saw a ripple. A ripple?” Seth asked unbelievably.

“Yes, a ripple, Seth. I saw it; it looked like something had jumped into the water. The ripples extended throughout the Lake.” Echo turned away from Seth to look back out into the black night.

“But there was nothing; you would’ve heard it. I believe you, Echo, it’s just . . . weird.” Seth shook his head, Echo went to him, and sat on his lap.

“I know” Echo confessed, “It is weird, but . . . there’s just something about that Lake. I can’t really describe it. When I went in . . . it was as if I was in a paradise; I understood why Angel and Jeremy kept going. But . . .” Echo licked her dry lips and turned to Seth, who was waiting for her to go on. “But I . . . after everything . . . I want to go back”

“Back? Back in the water?” Seth laughed shakily “You’re crazy. Why?” he paused. “I’ve never been in the Lake, but the way Jessica and Iris described it . . . I almost did.”

Echo sat and contemplated everything Seth told her. “Maybe . . . maybe it’s something in that Lake” Seth offered.

“No. It can’t be, even if there were . . . it just couldn’t. Jeremy and Angel seemed to feel attached to the Lake, as if they belonged to it. It never seemed to make sense, until I went in.” Echo shook her head and stood.

“Let’s just say if it were the Lake . . . How could it kill two girls? The Lake is basically as dead as the Dead Sea! It just doesn’t seem possible.”

“The Dead Sea made everyone float; it has a higher density than water . . . maybe that Lake does just the opposite.” Echo gave Seth a look.

“So instead of making people float . . . it makes them sink? But that doesn’t make any sense” he sat up “You’d have to go through years of research.”

Echo sighed; “You’re probably right. I just need an explanation”

“It still wouldn’t satisfy your curiosity, Echo. You’d still have to figure out why the bodies were preserved and how they could have been for so long of a period.”

Echo sat back down and buried her face in her hands. Her dark hair falling down like a curtain. She sighed.

“I’m so scared, Seth” she cried out, and Seth pulled her close. “I’m scared for Jeremy and Angel, if they feel how I do . . . what’s stopping them from going back? Especially Jeremy? He’s seven years old!” Echo gripped Seth’s shirt, finding stability.

“Don’t worry, Echo, we’ll figure it out.” Seth soothed.

“What if we’re too late?” Echo whispered, and when he didn’t answer she knew it herself.

It might already be too late.