Lady of the Lake

“Now, don’t you be goin' out by the water after dark. You come straight home before sunset. There are too many strange things that happen to folks out there.”

My grandparents would always warn me in their thick southern accent about the lake in their small town. It was no doubt a beautiful sight that stretched on for miles being refreshed by a wide elegant waterfall that resided near some mossy rocks. Ever since my parents died seven months ago, it was decided that moving to the countryside with my grandparents was the best solution. I found comfort by the lake and I thought their repetitive warnings were drawn up to some weird annoying superstition. However, I took notice that some of my neighbors-more like strangers would always, without fail, take their kids away or leave as soon as the sun started setting.

Of course, I listened to my grandparents' warnings and went straight home. I couldn’t help but run to my room on the second-story floor, climb into my bed, and become fixated on the lake in the distance. Sometimes for hours. I would even get up when the moon shone the brightest to see the reflection of the night skies illuminating in the calm waters.

That was until recently.

One night starting two months ago, I woke up around 3 am. 3:17 am to be precise.

“The witching hour.” I scoffed to myself. I was about to tuck myself back under the warmth of my blanket but for some reason, something was urging me to look at the lake. My light blue translucent curtains were drawn open since I had forgotten to close them before bed. I could already hear my grandparents chastising me for not closing them. I gruffly dragged my tired body onto my knees and tiredly look at the window as I’ve always done. I’ve never expected anything because there was never anything there.

But this night was different.

I saw a figure in the water. I quietly gasped, and clumsily threw my covers off my legs in a hurry to grab my binoculars to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. I wrapped the cold object in my hands and looked through them trying to locate the mysterious person who was-oh so brave to swim in the lake at night. To my shock, there was someone who remained very still in the waters. Their entire body was submerged in the dark depths while their head was slightly peeking out of the water with their back to me.

I was confused.

It was much too late for a swim and the worse came to mind when they hadn’t moved an inch. The ripples of the water carried their jet black hair that stretched out like a tangled web on the surface. I looked away to check the time. Words couldn’t explain the feeling I felt when it still read 3:17 am. With wide eyes, I checked the lake and the mysterious person was gone. I accidentally dropped my binoculars on the floor and backed away from the window, shutting my curtains closed.

I tried not to scare myself and made up different reasons to explain what happened.

Maybe I saw the wrong time?

I checked again, and it read 3:23 am.

That...just didn’t make any sense.

Maybe the lady swam back to shore?

Maybe just maybe it wasn’t my concern and I would be considered a creep if I kept staring. I struggled to go back to sleep that night. The next morning everything felt normal again, and I had quickly forgotten about the lady in the lake. I never told my grandparents because I didn’t think they would’ve believed me so I brushed it off as a random night terror.

That was until it happened again a month ago. Once again, I had forgotten to close the curtains. Out of wake and sleep, I got the sudden urge to watch the lake. I thought I grew out of this weird obsession with the lake but here I was dragging my sleepy body onto my knees. Upon resting my arms on my windowsill I felt a cold, wet substance all over my arms.

“What the hell?”

I looked to see there was water on my windowsill, and that my window was left slightly ajar, letting in a cool breeze that sent goosebumps to arise all over my body. Obviously, I was annoyed thinking that I stupidly left my window opened, and that rain had poured onto my bed. I sat up, pulled out my phone light and moved my covers, and patted my sheets to see if it was wet. Thankfully it wasn’t. I let out a sigh of relief and was going to close the window when I noticed the top of my window frame was wet as well.

“How...”

I trailed off when my light flashed over to my wall to see a wet pattern of dark long handprints dragging itself from my wall to my ceiling, to the other side of my wall across my room where my drawers were, and lastly, my wooden floor. My hands were shaking, and I felt something was choking me to the point I could no longer breathe properly. The long handprints were mixed with what looked like footprints that seemed to stop right beside my bed. I felt sick to my stomach. I was so scared the tears pricked my eyes, and I thought I was going to pass out.

The last handprints were on opposites of my pillow that left black marks that was something out of a nightmare. I put my hand over my mouth to stop myself from whimpering when frightening questions dawned on me.

Was this thing …watching me sleep?

Yes-thing. This wasn’t human, and a gut-wrenching feeling was screaming at me to run to my parents-no to my grandparents. My eyes gazed over to see the time was still 3:17 am. My entire body shook in fear, and I looked to the lake to see something in the distance. Someone on a small wooden boat in a white dress and this time short black hair. For some reason, it felt like she was beckoning me to join her but my stomach hurt too much to entertain the idea. I couldn’t help but let out an ear-piercing scream and ran to my grandparents’ room.

My grandfather ran into my room with a shotgun, as my grandmother tightly held me. I became a stuttering mess trying my best to explain what happened. The beating in my chest didn’t stop. They immediately looked at each other, flicking on all the lights. I tried pointing to the wet ceiling and floors but there was nothing there.

“N-No it was just there!” I ran to my bed throwing off my sheets to show them the handprints but once again it was all clean and clear. My legs felt weak and I plopped down on my bed completely lost for words. “It was just here.” I hoarsely whispered with glazed-over eyes. My grandfather looked around my room and the house to ease my nerves, but for some reason, it didn’t.

My grandmother checked my bed with a pistol tucked in her robe. Her hands grazed over my curtains and lingered there while carefully checking but sadly found no evidence anyone broke into my room. The look in her eyes told me differently as she carefully looked around before wrapping an arm around my shoulders, gently rubbing my arm. I couldn’t have imagined that. I just couldn’t have. All of a sudden my window was closed with my curtains drawn when I specifically remember waking up at that moment and it was opened. Nothing made sense.

I couldn’t sleep in my room again. We temporarily moved my bed into their room and for a month nothing happened. It was funny because I had nearly forgotten about it once again. But that morning I woke up with a strange feeling. It was August 17th. It was a regular hot sunny day. Nothing out of the ordinary. That’s when I randomly remembered the lady of the lake. I froze, and the realization dawned on me that she kept visiting me on the 17th for the last two months.

Did the 17th mean something? I anxiously sat in the kitchen, staring down at the breakfast my grandmother made me. She was happily talking to my grandfather but questions were burning up inside of me.

“The lady of the lake.” I started nervously rubbing my hands together before folding them. My legs started shaking up and down. My grandparents' conversation came to a halt and they stared at me. “What is that thing? Why is it bothering me? Do you guys know what it is?”

My grandmother gulped to herself before taking a seat opposite of me. My grandfather just let out a sigh, before shaking his head.

“We don’t know.” He let out.

My grandmother injected, taking off her glasses, and staring off before taking a sip of her tea. They seemed scared but I never knew them to be scared of anything.

“Growin’ up here has just been a blur to understand what it is. What she is. It’s been kept on the hush to not scare away potential tourists or whatnot. I’ve never seen her.” She looked at me with vague eyes. “We hear people talking about her. Folks we’ve known for decades just up and disappear overnight. Without a trace. Just like my sister when we were 15...Some say it's a water demon from hell. Or a jealous angel that fell from heaven and into our lake. I just...I just don’t know what she wants. For years, I’ve never seen her. Just very very little evidence she exists. But knowing she has my grandchild in her clutches makes me wish she was burnt in a ragin’ inferno.” She looked disgusted and shook her head.

“It’s funny no one believes she exists in the town but yet no one stays out near the lake after dark.” She held my hand, planting a small kiss on my knuckles. “We’re going to be moving soon enough to the city or somewhere where there isn’t any water. I’m tired of that darn cursed lake.”

My grandfather nodded his head and gestured for me to eat my food. I was glad they told me but for some reason, it brought even more fear into my heart.

“Now you remember, you will always remain strong for yourself because things like that will find a way to get to ya. We're here for you.”

Later that day, I found myself buying stuff in town for the start of a new school year. I was only able to find one book I needed, and the hairs on my arm stood up when I felt a presence behind me. I slowly turned to see a couple of kids from the school who invited me to hang out by the lake. I was extremely hesitant and was about to decline the offer when they kept following me out the book shop, and eventually, I gave in.

I noticed there was a quiet girl around our age who greeted me warmly, joining the group. I hadn't recognized her in school, and she seemed a bit overdressed especially since it was hot out. I gave her a small wave, and she calmly waved back. One of the kids strangely looked at the girl, then back at me, and frowned before we all started walking.

What was that about?

I ignored the kid, pulling out my book to catch up on summer reading. I refused to sit by the lake or the water.

"C'mon, don't be a prude. Jump in!" A brunette called out to me. I shook my head sitting on top of the rocks near the shoreline. My book sat on my lap and I grazed over the lake seeing a good bit of people having fun and enjoying themselves. I felt unease remembering the lady.

"Oh my goodness. Why'd you come along if you aren't going to join us?" Someone whined splashing water in my direction. They all started protesting in my direction which soon infuriated me to no end. The quiet girl sat next to me and I crossed my arms leaning in to whisper.

"How are you guys so comfortable swimming in the water with the lady of the lake?"

I know I made up the name, but their faces lost all color and all their smiles dropped. Heat rose to my cheeks to how embarrassing or crazy I might've sounded but it's obvious they heard of it with the way they reacted.

One of the girls came out of the water and sat on the shore. "We're not supposed to bring that up!" Soon after they followed her out and started arguing with each other.

"She's not real."

"You're stupid to think that's real."

"Why'd you guys get out the water if you aren't scared huh?"

"Whatever."

"Shut up!"

"Stop pretending you aren't scared."

I was listening until the girl next to me looked at me. "She's real you know. I've seen her."

My heart pounded in my chest and I just looked at her. "M-me too." I stuttered feeling a chill run down my spine.

Her eyes widened about to reach out to me when my phone rang. It vibrated in my pocket and while I was fumbling to retrieve it, it slipped out of my hands.

"Damnit! Guys, I'll see you later." I called out to them in which they vaguely told me goodbye. I looked to see that my phone fell on the other side of the rocks and was jammed in between a crevice. I sighed carefully jumping down to avoid getting into the water but unfortunately to my horror my foot slipped and the last thing I felt was a sharp pain in my head before darkness took over.

"Wake up...Wake up!"

I jolted up feeling a cold breeze grip at my skin. My head was throbbing in pain, and I forced myself to sit up. Water gently brushed over my hand, and I felt completely disoriented.

What happened?

A gasp left my lips when I realized it was nighttime. There was no one around and I was completely alone. My heart started racing and I looked at the water to see there was a small boat in the distance. The same boat from last month.

I scrambled to stand up trying to keep my balance. My phone! I quickly search to find it completely cracked. I saw several missed calls from my grandparents and the time was 3:15 am. I was scared for my life. I tried jumping back over the rocks but for some reason, it was too slippery. I panicked looking for another escape route but I found nothing. The only way was to swim through the water to get back to dryland. I started hyperventilating and turned back to the rock, trying my best to jump back up. My fingers slipped over and over again.

3:16 am.

I slammed my hands on the rocks and turned to see the boat was closer to me than before. I was sure I was going to die.

"Give me your hand."

I turned to see the girl from earlier on. She was stretched over with her hand extended and I immediately grabbed ahold of her cold hand so she could help pull me up.

"You saved my life."

"Well, I couldn't exactly leave you there now."

We walked to a higher ground that clearly showed the boat getting closer. This time the lady of the lake was there.

"What the hell does she want? Why me? I effin’ hate this so much!" I screamed at the boat. The girl placed a hand on my shoulder to calm me down.

"What time is it?" I looked at the time and once again it was 3:17 am. "Does that time mean anything to you?" I aggressively shook my head. "Are you sure?" She offered me her hand and tightly held onto me, gesturing for me to look into the water. I didn't want to but when I did, I saw my...mother and father.

They were alive! I let out a tearful laugh about to throw myself into the lake to greet them but was held back.

"She wants you to jump into the lake."

"Huh?" I angrily looked at the girl.

"Your parents died seven months ago. January 17th. 3:17 am. You blamed yourself for their death. You think about it every day without realizing it. She feeds on your fear and then takes you...as she took me when I was 15. That was 50 years ago, and yet I'm still here." I gasped feeling a strange feeling punch me in my chest. "They wanted me to tell you to be strong and don't blame yourself. One day, when the time is right you'll be with them again but not now."

I stood there with tears rolling down my face looking at the lake. The lady of the lake stared at me beckoning me to come. Instead of fear, numbness took its place, and I felt a warmth spread in my chest.

"Tell my sister she could finally leave too, I'll be okay."

Sister? Oh my gosh… my grandmother’s sister.

I immediately nodded, forcing my eyes shut.

Stay strong.

It's not your fault.

I let out a scream and threw myself backward-looking up the skies. I took in deep shallow breaths wiping tears away, finally being able to breathe again.

I need to forgive myself...

I stood up to see that the girl was gone and for once the lady in the lake wasn't there anymore.