Short stories

Week 1 Entry: The Lake

      Their once was a girl name Lizzie and she lived in a small cottage in the woods.

     Don't be discouraged fellow reader, this is not your average fairy tale. Go on, keep reading.

     One day she was wondering abroad the vast amounts of trees and thickets, when she came upon a lake. The lake was sparkling and beautiful. The water clear and would ripple ever so slightly.

     Sounds like a wonderful lake, now doesn't it?

     There were birds singing on high branches of trees, and frogs would leap from each Lilly pad. The colors and imagery were immense. The frog was a piercing green along with the sun that shone down over the lake, making it reflect sparkles over the still water.

       Don't be deceived now fellow reader, everything beautiful has something ugly to hide.

    The girl was a curious girl, always discovering new things about her surroundings. She had lived in the cottage for a long time, usually cooped up inside until her mother thought she was old enough to explore. Although she thought she'd never get lost, it would happen a lot.

     Are you getting lost reader? Well, go on then. Read more!

      Lizzie had looked at her reflection in many other lakes before, even ponds. They were never as beautiful as this lake though. She believed that if she looked at her reflection in this lake, that she would be twice as beautiful!

      Or so little Lizzie had thought! Although beautiful and clear, this lake holds a secret dear to its  waters.

     When she looked, she discovered herself just as beautiful as any other lake. Of course, she could clearly make out her features, since all the other water was murky, but something was off. Something was different about her reflection than before. 

     The clear sparkling lake made clarity to her inner evil deceptions. Not even Lizzie knew she had them, but they were there, and they burned in her eyes brighter than a flame burning on the  wick of a candle.

     Frightened, and knowing it was time to go home, she made her way back throwing the winding forest. She pondered about the lake, unaware of its powers. What had she seen in that lake that made her so curious? It had to be her reflection, and that was all! Lizzie compromised to these thoughts until later that night. The little girl thought she knew exactly what she would do. She'd go back to the lake and stare at her reflection again. She thought that if she took another glance, that she'd understand what was different about herself. She felt the drowsiness slipping her away from her thoughts, so she retired to the night.

    Lizzie thought she knew everything about the lake. Nothing could fool her! She was herself and  she knew what she was capable of! Right? Not exactly. Whether little Lizzie knew it or not, it was a bad idea to return to the lake, but no one could stop the little girls curiosity. Although, might I add, curiosity killed the cat.

     Upon waking up, Lizzie was determined to discover the meaning behind her eyes. So, before her mother could warn her about the lake,  she set out into the woods.

     Lizzie's mother knew about the lake and its powers. She always told Lizzie that people were evil, even the purest of souls. Of course, Lizzie never listened.

      When she arrived, the lake was different. It was murky and black. She reached in the water, ever so cautiously , and felt the consistency. It felt like tar. She shuddered as the water started to bubble. It made gurgling noises as each one would burst into the air with a 'POP' noise. She stepped back and out arose a woman's silhouette. She was covered in the tar consistency so Lizzie could not tell who it was. Lizzie stepped back, pricking her finger on a branch. She turned around to see the trees had turned coal black. She looked around as ash started to spray from the sky. It was light and misty, but it over took any sunlight that there was. The sky turned red as blood and Lizzie ran forward. The woman stood still, following Lizzie with her eyes, watching her every movement.

     The woman could see through things, even people. She had been waiting for the purest of souls to come to the lake. Then, the true beauty of the forest would be released. Until then, the woman  was stuck. The woman would become frustrated with the fact that no human was pure enough  to undo her spell, so she'd haunt them by showing a mere glimpse of how they really were. If she  did not kill them, they'd be focused on the very fact of that reflection, and go mad.

     Lizzie looked down at her finger, the blood was only a mere drop, but Lizzie wanted it gone. She shoved her finger under the water and pulled it back up, hoping to wash the blood away. She was relieved to see a clean finger, but saw that the lake had turned red... Red as her blood. The woman shrieked at the sight of her lake. Her beautiful lake was now filled with blood and pity. The blood of an immoral child to be! She twisted and contorted herself until slowly the tar started to fall off of her body. Soon, her face was revealed, and the little girl gasped. 

     Behold, the face of little Lizzie. The woman had taken her evil away, and became the very thing that was bound to destroy little Lizzie later in life.

     "What is wrong with you?" The little girl trembled. Lizzie was horrified that this woman was her. She looked older and much taller, but it looked exactly like her... Lizzie looked her over and saw that something was out of place about this woman. Her eyes pierced Lizzie's mind and filled her with tremendous nightmares. She shook her head and Lizzie continued to stare into them. She saw greed, hatred, betrayal, and a curse. She saw a curse to be laid upon her child. She saw the evil woman's face, casting the spell on her poor little baby girl. Lizzie trembled, and searched the woman for her answer.

     "No my darling, the real question is; what is wrong with you?" The woman chuckled and gasped. She doubled over and threw up blood. Lizzie shot back, into the tree, pricking her finger once more. Lizzie paid no attention to the blood on her finger, for she could not move. The woman continued to cough up heaps of blood. The blood was a thick consistency that leaked onto the forest floor.

     Lizzie had not realized that the woman was cleaning the lake. Once the woman disappeared, the lake was back into its beautiful state of being. Lizzie did not dare to look again, she just ran all  the way home, keeping her secret at bay. Lizzie grew up into a fine young lady and married into  the royal heir. She had a wonderful life, and almost forgot about the woman and the lake. It was  simply a childhood story to tell, that she characterized as a fantasy. She had forgotten the    woman,  until it was the day of her daughter's birth. 

     Lizzie sat in a chair of her nursery. She was looking down at her baby girl's beauty. She looked just like her. Lizzie marveled in her pure eyes. She was trying to decide on a name for the child.

     Lost in her own thoughts, Lizzie had not noticed the tar like substance that started to fill the room's floor.

     Lizzie smiled, "I will call you Aurora." Just as quickly as it came, the tar was gone. Lizzie had paid no attention to it , and simply forgot about the very curse that was placed on her daughter so many years ago. Lizzie set the child in her bed, and marveled in the way she slept.