Thin Ice

Every year my father takes me into Canada to go ice fishing. The trip isn't overly thrilling, especially for a girl of 15 years old. I'd much rather be home spending time with my boyfriend. But my father insists that we should continue this annual trip. He assures me that one day I'll want to carry on the tradition with my children.

This years ride is unusually longer. The traffic has been horrible. Thank goodness I have my cell phone to keep me busy and an entire motorhome full of food. "Hey dad, need anything while I'm up?" With a grunt he gave me a head shake to say no. I grabbed some cheese crackers and a soda, grabbed him an energy drink just to be diligent despite his decline.

After about 100 hours we finally made it to Lake of the Woods. After some driving around the lake dad found a good spot to set up. Once the auto levelers in the RV were dropped, I hopped out and started chocking the wheels and getting the scissor chocks set. Dad was unhooking the trailer and getting our ice fishing gear all together on the golf cart.

"You ready to go break the ice?" Dad pulls up next to me in the golf cart. We always go and break the ice the evening before just to see if we get any bites. It's proven that if we get a couple bites the evening we get here, then we have a great trip for catching fish.

Hopping into the cart my dad takes off faster than a cheetah. I have to catch my breathe as the cold air smacks me in the face before finally slowing down as we begin to descend onto the ice. I can hear the ice crackling beneath us, seems to be a bit louder and more often then normal.

I begin to get a weird feeling in my gut. "Dad," I say as I try to get his attention and look around a little more, "does it seem darker this evening than usual around this time?"

"No, I think you're just tired from the long ride this year. Come on, let's sit for an hour or two. See what we can come up with." Have I mentioned how much my father looks forward to this ice fishing trip each year? "Here we go, seems untouched here. What do you think?"

"Works for me pop. I'll grab the drill and get started. Looks a little thinner this year." I can probably get through the ice this time without tiring out with our manual ice drill. Although, I have been begging my dad to invest in a motorized drill for this. Sometimes it takes a lot to use the manual one.

"Alright Gabby, I have the rods ready to go. Let's get to relaxing." As much as I just want to be at home right now, it does warm my heart to see my dad so excited about something. Enjoying himself a little. He hasn't had the easiest life, and he does everything he can to make sure that me and my siblings are happy.

Swoosh! "Woah, dad did you see that?" Swoosh! It happened again. I swear I keep seeing fish moving about. That's the weirdest thing. I just finished drilling the ice, why would any fish be so close so quickly? Just as the question crossed my mine my rod starts to pull. "Woah, dad, I have a bite!"

Grabbing the rod my dad begins to reel the line in. I can tell it's a strong one, he's working hard. "Damn Gabby this one is a big one. Help me out!" He yells toward me as the bubbling of the water starts to get louder the closer the fish becomes. Next thing I known a dark, thin, crackling hand reaches out of the water.

"Ah!" I screamed louder than I knew my voice could ever reach. "Dad, run!" I grab my dad and yank him away from the ice as I see that the hand and arm in question are all bone. But just as we begin to turn the arm bends and grabs hold of the ice. A second hand comes out of the hole and also grabs the ice.

"Oh my, Gabby let's go! Hurry!" My dad sees it too and we being running. By the time I look back there are multiple piles of bones running after us, then BOOM! My head hits the ice and I can barely move. I turn over searching for my dad, but he's gone so far ahead. I can't find my voice to yell for him. Before my eyes, the worst possible thing happens to me. I hear the creaking first, then beneath my chest I see a crack in the ice spreading...