The Mad Monster of Murky Lake

"Go on; go in! Unless you're...CHICKEN!"

I didn't need to hear anymore out of the neighborhood boys. "Sam" Kitwell was NO chicken! My only challenge was to get into the lake, swim out to the end of the pier, swim to the buoy, and swim back. After all, "everyone in the neighborhood had done it!" This was how they had ALL proven they had belonged; and I sure wanted to belong in the neighborhood.

I removed my ball cap, t-shirt, sneakers and scuffed up, pleaded blue jeans to reveal my swimwear.

"Just WATCH me, Bobby Bradley!" I yelled back over my shoulder for not only the boisterous, vocal leader's benefit but for all of his friends as well.

"Oh; okay, hero!" Bobby blurted back. "Just remember the Murk Monster!"

The neighborhood boys started chuckling amongst themselves. I could only roll my eyes as I glanced into the beachfront lake. It was black with pollutants; and any fool would have known that accidentally swallowing the lake water would sooner kill a person than any "Murk Monster!"

I kept this in mind as I waded into the lake and flopped chest down to begin my swim. I was a far stronger swimmer than the neighborhood boys; and I wanted to prove that I was three times braver too. I didn't have time to look back now and see if they were impressed; looking back now would only give the wrong impression anyway...

I swam hard and fast until I couldn't possibly see the shore anymore. I knew that they were still back there; watching me; judging me. I knew that I was showing them up! THAT was the old Kitwell grit that my father always talked about bestowing upon me...!

Something brushed against my leg and I slowed my strokes down some. It felt slimy but I couldn't possibly see through the blackened lake anyway. It had been a piece of seaweed or something; maybe a kelp. I gave pause anyway as it really did seem to wrap itself around my leg. It was probably a discarded plastic bag or something and definitely didn't belong in our lake!

I casually reached into the water to pry someone's plastic garbage free of my leg and I saw its face in the water...

I gasped, momentarily forgetting how to tread water, let alone how to swim. The Monster of Murky Lake was real; it had to be! Bobby and the rest of his stupid gang had stayed standing out on the beach; I could still see their silhouettes in the setting sun. Therefore, they could still see me paralyzed in fright out in the middle of the water. Nonetheless, I no longer cared!

"CHI-CKEHHHH-N!" Bobby Bradley bellowed out across the water at my paralyzed form that hadn't yet reached the end of the pier, let alone circled back to the buoy before returning to shore. Nonetheless, I stayed motionless, having locked eyes with the source that had grabbed my leg. This was real!

Back on shore, Bobby and the neighborhood boys must have gotten tired with standing around and laughing at me, for they started to turn around. However, they didn't do so without making sure to gather up my clothes as one final prank to prove my inferiority. Only Sidney Carpenter, my next door neighbor, stood rooted to face the water.

"Hey; Sam could be in trouble out there!" he pointed out.

"So go out there yourself; but Sam'll have failed the neighborhood initiation!" Bobby answered. "You really want to be connected to someone like that?"

Sidney's ten year old brain only saw popularity vs. exclusion and he turned to follow the other boys, having established their friendship and not looking to jinx that.

Suddenly, there came a gurgling noise and a splash of water.

"Har-har, Sidney; are you with us or are you with Sam?" Bobby demanded.

"Fellas," Sidney answered from right behind the rest of the group, "that wasn't me..."

A cold, clammy, seaweed covered hand clamped Sidney on the shoulder first and hoisted him easily off of the ground by one shoulder. The eyes of all of the others glanced back and saw their "made-up legend" breaching the beach and manhandling a member of their own.

Their eyes could have bulged out of their heads and Bobby was the first to drop my ball cap before scrambling for his bike that much faster. Peter, Tosh, Grayden, and Bryce dropped my shirt, jeans, and shoes in turn and scrambled for their own bikes to catch back up. Sidney was left face first in the sand on the beach as the Mad Monster of Murky Lake loomed over him for a moment longer. I would consider helping Sidney again upon reaching the land. Meanwhile, since the monster had left me well enough alone to contend with the neighborhood bullies, I had an evening/night swim to complete...