One Week in June | ONC2020

June 8th 12:11 PM

I was a baby when my father disappeared, so I have no recollection of him in my life. My grandmother once told me that he was the perfect man for my mother and that he complimented her in every single way. They were soulmates. Then one day my Dad was gone. None of my aunts ever wanted to talk about it and for some reason my uncles barely even remembered him in the first place.

It was like he had just evaporated into thin air, my aunt said. For my whole life I had assumed he had left my Mom and me for some younger woman and they'd run off together to make their own little family, but apparently that wasn't the case.

"I refused to kill anymore people and she took him from me. He was there on e minute then had vanished completely from my life the next." She continues and tears fall freely down her cheeks, "Rusalka said that if I didn't finish my cycle of sacrifices, that you would be the next one taken. So in order to save you and not lose both of the people I loved the most in one day, I found more victims for her to murder."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" I gesture to the journal in front of me, "Any of this? Why am I just now finding out about this after the fact that my friends and father have been taken by an ancient lake creature?"

"When I found out you wanted to come here this summer I was devastated. I tried to warn you in the only way I knew how, by pulling the Mom card, but my mother overruled my say, since she and a lot of our other family members believe that the Rusalka is a blessing on this family." Mom takes a deep breath before continuing, "The family was worried that you might not come to the lake this summer, so your Grandmother forbid me from saying anything about the deal with Rusalka. You are so like me Reia, your morals are sound and you have a pure heart, but that goodness scares the rest of the family. They know there's a risk that you'll try to end the deal with Lake Kepner's water demon like I did."

"For our continued wealth and success, it's a part of our family's tradition to make this once in a lifetime sacrifice." My recites words I know she's heard a thousand times before. She rolls her eyes as she continues, "It's a load of BS if you ask me. We shouldn't be forced to bring people to their watery graves just so we can thrive."

"What happens if I refuse to bring anyone else to the water?" I ask, "The only other living person I care about is you, and from the sound of it, the Marlow women have immunity to this wicked creature's powers. So who's to stop me from refusing her commands and putting an end to this deadly deal Anna made centuries ago?"

Mom doesn't say anything for a moment. Her graying hair tumbling out of the bun atop her head and framing her beautiful, tanned face with a halo of silver. "I don't think it'll be that easy, my love." She gives me a half smile. She leaves the table and heads upstairs to her bedroom, putting an end to our discussion.

I push the bowl of cold chowder across the table and away from me. My stomach gurgles into knots as I stress about the possibility of having to kill five more people. I look at the calendar and then the clock. I have approximately three and a half more days before Rusalka goes back into hibernation and takes her remaining sacrifices with her. I gather a bag full of supplies and grab my car keys before heading out the door. If Mom isn't going to help me find another option, then I'm just going to have to find one myself.

My engine clunks to a stop as I pull the keys from the ignition. The sun is just peeking through the clouds and I can hear the bustle of the locals as they enjoy the beautiful summer day just outside my car. The Kepner Local Library is situated right in the middle of downtown, nestled on a large plot of grassy land in a Victorian styled mansion. Lake Kepner's founding families, including my own, spared no expense funding the Local Library. If it meant ensuring that generations of children would never be deprived of knowledge, the founders were all for it.

I walk up the steps of the building, but the moment I place my hand on the doorknob the world around me goes quiet. I look around in confusion. There are people chatting nearby, little kids riding their bikes and laughing in the middle of the street, and the golden retriever across the way is barking his head off at something in the trees; however not a single word or sound is being made by anyone. I let go of the handle and the moment I do, everyone in the near vicinity turns to look my way. Their eyes are full of anger as they stare me down on the steps of the library.

A sharp shove from behind me knocks me off balance and I almost tumble down the stairs. "Oh shit, I'm so sorry." I hear the voice say and in that moment all the noise from the world around me comes flooding back into my ears. I look around again, but this time no one is looking at me, they're all doing the same thing they were before I touched the handle to the Library.

"Hello?" I hear the voice again and I shake my head in confusion before facing the Library and the person who ran into me. "I'm so sorry Miss, I didn-" I recognize the person instantly and a grin emerges on both of our faces.

"Holy shit, Reia! I didn't know you were back in town!" Peter Petrov, my childhood friend and longtime summer crush, is standing before me and he is looking as handsome as ever.

"Peter?" My smile grows bigger as he wraps his arms around me, "What are you doing here?" I gesture to the Library. Peter has always been the super athletic type and would rather spend his summer days outside at the lake or on the court with the other Kepner locals. I've seen him in the Library a total of three times and they were all before the age of thirteen, when his mother, Kara, was trying to force him to study in order to earn outdoor time. The summer studying never really took however and she eventually admitted defeat.

"My old man wanted me to drop off a book he was reading. He's too busy with the Local Carnival coming up this week to bring it here himself." Peter shrugs, his shoulders having gotten broader since the last time I was here and I have to force my eyes back up to his gaze in order not go weak at the knees. Peter was always the highlight of my summers here and seeing him now makes my heart hurt because I don't have my girls anymore to gush over Peter with.

"Are you busy? I'd love to grab a bite with you and catch up. I know you just graduated, that's a big deal!" He starts rambling on and being the classic Peter that I've come to know and love.

"I can't actually," I say hesitantly in between his thoughts. "Something came up that I need to take care of and I'm hoping the answers are here." I nod towards the Library behind him.

"Oh, no worries! I'll shoot you a text later and see if you're free to hang out then. Are you planning on going to the Carnival?" He says so nonchalantly that I start to envy his lazy summer mentality. I had just started unwinding by the lake right before my friends were murdered by Rusalka, but now, knowing what I know, there is no way I can relax until this week is over with. Even then I'll spend the rest of my life regretting my choices to bring my friends to the lake and their watery graves.

"Thank you for the offer, Peter. I really appreciate it. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it this year, like I said, some things have come up." I give him a half-hearted smile.

"Well if you change your mind, I'd love to join you there." I can tell he's trying to layer on some of his Peter charm to get his way, but unbeknownst to him, I'm dealing with an ancient Lake creature that's hell bent on me killing five more people to appease her.

"It was good to see you." I add on because I sincerely mean it.

"It was great running into you," Peter winks, "Literally." And with that he takes off down the steps of the stairs. I can't help but watch him as he heads down the road towards our favorite restaurant. I sigh, If only life were so simple. I'd chase after him, like I've done for years, with nothing more than a friendship to show for it. I pull the door to the Library open and head inside the massive building.