The Other Side of Sanity

4. Lake Hampshire

I pushed through cracking ice.

Breathe. Just breathe.

I tried to follow my own instructions, but every new breath was more of a struggle. My heart pounded too loudly in my ears, but it seemed like it was slowing. I couldn't even feel the hand that was gripped around Carmen's arm, my only way of knowing she was still there was the drag of her weight behind me.

"I think they went this way!"

"I found some footprints over here, Warden."

"Where are those damned dogs? We'd have them already if we just set them loose..."

Strange voices echoed through the trees and off the water. Through my blurring vision, I noticed faint lights moving along the shore. Were they coming closer or moving farther away? It didn't matter. All that mattered was getting out of the water.

The closer I got to shore, the more ice gathered around me. I punched and clawed at it, my frozen limbs sluggish and clumsy. Vaguely, I felt the bottom of the lake beneath my feet, but I was too cold to tell how deep it really was. I pushed with my legs, pushing us faster towards the shore.

Just a little farther...

My hand reached out and gripped at coarse sand. I gasped and clambered, dragging myself out of the water. My body felt heavy—too heavy. I looked down and realized I was wearing a long, white dress, stained brown and grey from the muddy lake.

How did I...?

But now wasn't the time to question such things. The voices in the trees were growing louder, closer, and I still needed to pull Carmen out of the lake. I turned back and hauled her onto shore, dragging her limp body as far as I could go until I collapsed. She, too, wore an identical white dress, soaked and heavy with lake water.

What is happening to us?

The trees spun around me and I tried to push myself back up. Slippery snow clung to my dress and hands as dark spots sprouted across my vision. I shook my head. I couldn't give up yet. My consciousness was slipping, but I still had some fight left in me. We just needed to get to the truck...

The truck!

My head whipped up and I scanned the beach frantically. Where was the picnic table? I knew I'd seen Kiera set her keys down by the cooler. But the table was nowhere in sight.

I pushed myself up onto unstable legs.

"Shit, shit, shit..." I stumbled forward, squinting my eyes and forcing them to focus through the dull light. But still no table. No beach towels or cooler. My pile of clothes that I'd discarded on the beach was gone, too.

Loud rustling and snapping twigs sounded to my right, and I jumped back, tripping over my numb, bare feet and landing in the snow next to Carmen. A figure broke through the trees, tall and thick, a gas lantern held in their right hand.

"Ah! There you are," a gruff voice came from the figure, puffing out a cloud of condensation. They held the lantern higher, illuminating the sneering face of a man, with black eyes and yellowed teeth. "You thought you could get away, girly? Now, ain't that cute."

He spat into the snow and took a step closer. Before I could think, I turned and grabbed Carmen by the shoulders, pulling her away from the strange man and towards the trees, in the direction of the lake parking lot. He let out a menacing laugh.

"Still running? You don't give up easy, do you?"

I stumbled and tripped, gasping for breath as my legs continuously gave out beneath me. The man walked lazily after me, laughing all the while.

"Alright, I've seen enough," he said, striding towards me and closing the space between us in a few, quick steps. I stared up at him in horror as he towered above me. He held the lantern out towards me, looking me up and down and licking his licks like a hungry wolf. "The game's up now, girly."

He placed a heavy boot down on Carmen's left leg, stopping my retreat. I pulled uselessly at her, but there was no way I was strong—or fast—enough to get her away from him, and I didn't want to risk hurting her further. With a sinking dread, I released her from my grip and wobbled backward.

"Come here," the man reached towards me with his free hand, that sneer never leaving his lips. "Be a good girl, now."

I turned and ran.

I'm sorry, Carmen...

I needed to get away, and there was no way I could safely bring her with me. If I stayed with her, I would be trapped, too, and then we would both be doomed for sure. If I could just find some help, if I could get to the road and flag someone down...

I careened through the trees, the darkness growing thicker beneath their canopy. The man shouted after me but I didn't listen, couldn't make out his cackling words over the frantic beating of my heart. I only pushed forward, faster through the trees. Rocks and branches nipped and jabbed at my bare feet and ankles, but I barely felt it. I ran and ran, heading in the direction I thought was the parking lot, where we'd parked the truck.

But the trees only grew thicker, the underbrush denser. I stopped for a moment and spun around, disoriented. There weren't so many trees when we got here, were there? The numerous, crisscrossing walking trails through the forest were gone, as well. Had I turned the wrong way?

I choked on my own breath. Now was not a good time to be lost. But I couldn't stop, not yet. I walked forward, wincing when I stepped down on my right foot. It was bleeding, but I wasn't sure why or from where.

Keep going... find help...

I pushed on, limping. The frozen, lifeless faces of my friends in the lake swam through my mind and I bit back tears. Carmen is still alive, I told myself, over and over. I need to get her help.

My body grew heavier, my damp, dirty dress seeming to drag me down more with each step. Was the forest growing darker, or was it just my vision? I couldn't tell. My hands reached out, grasping at tree trunks in an effort to keep me steady. But I was weak, so weak, and my legs weren't working the way they were supposed to.

I tripped over something and tumbled to the earth, collapsing completely. With a groan I rolled onto my back, watching little stars float across my vision. Was this it? Was I going to die here, frozen and alone among the trees?

"I'm sorry, Carmen..."

Yellow light flashed across my vision. Was it the light calling me to the other side? I turned towards it, welcoming it closer.

"Miss Walton, can you hear me?"

I looked past the dazzling glow to an unfamiliar face floating in the air. Dark brows drawn together above clear, blue eyes watched me with concern. A soft mouth moved slowly, forming words I couldn't quite hear.

"Who...?" I couldn't finish my question, the air in my lungs freezing and cracking.

The face drew closer, blowing warm breath across my cheeks that seemed to melt me momentarily.

"It's alright," that soothing voice spoke again. "Don't move. I'm here to help."

Help... my foggy mind drifted. I've found help, Carmen...

Warm hands wrapped around me as more lights gathered around and more voices joined the first. I faded into darkness.