Lake Life

When the grey 2007 GMC Envoy hit a bump in the road, 16-year-old Nora Richardson woke from the passenger side. Her mother, Annie, looked like she’d fall over at any moment. Her younger brother, 10, was sound asleep in the back seat with his handheld gaming system on his chest. As they crept up the driveway, Nora zipped up her black ankle boots. Although it was nearly midnight, she could see her Aunt Beverly in the window, she must’ve heard their vehicle approaching.

Nora’s mom had lost her job and couldn’t afford their apartment in Virginia anymore. Aunt Bev had agreed to let them live with her, Uncle Mel, and Nora’s two cousins, Tom and Tim. Since they were also ten, everyone hoped the boys would all get along.

Nora hadn’t seen her relatives in more than five years. She’d never been to their home in Southwest Michigan. Aunt Bev and Uncle Mel had only moved into the lake cottage a year ago. Nora, her mom and brother didn’t have much, but what they did have was attached to the Envoy in a trailer. They’d unpack tomorrow. Tonight, they’d bring in only an overnight bag. As Nora dropped her bag on the bed on the second floor, she saw her aunt in the doorway.

“I hope you had a nice ride up here,” she smiled.

Nora plopped down onto the full-size mattress, “Slept through much of it.”

Bev smiled, but Nora could tell she wasn’t too happy with them being there. Not that she was off-putting in any way, but Nora could see something in her eyes, fear maybe.

The next morning, Nora woke thinking she’d dreamt the move, and that she was still in her bed in Virginia. But the position of the sun pouring in through lace curtains reminded her of how far from home she really was.

Since it was July, she didn’t have to enroll in school yet. In Virginia, she had the warm salty beach and the ocean. Here in Michigan, she’d still have the lake. She liked being near the water. When she came down to the light blue, nautical themed kitchen, her aunt had breakfast on the table. Bacon, pancakes, sausage, and she was frying eggs as Nora stood in the doorway.

“How do you like your eggs?” Aunt Bev asked with a smile too perky for eight AM.

“Scrambled, please,” she replied.

Tom, Tim and her brother, Brad, were chewing on bacon and smothering their pancakes with maple syrup. Tom held up a piece of crispy bacon at Nora and offered it to her.

“No, thanks. I’m pescatarian,” Nora said.

Tim flattened his face, “What’s religion got to do with bacon?”

Nora shook her head. “No, I don’t eat meat. Technically, I eat fish, so that’s pescatarian.”

The boys looked at her like she had worms crawling out of her nose. She sat down and grabbed a piece of toast.

“So, what’s there to do around here?” Nora asked.

Tom and Tim echoed each other, “XBOX!”

Brad looked like that was the best answer in the world. Aunt Bev shook her head.

“There used to be three gift shops, but now we’re down to one. They offer paddle boats. There’s an arcade, ice cream shop, all that. The lake is supposed to be pretty much center stage around here. I haven’t seen many out there since we moved in though.” Aunt Bev flipped her spatula and one of her egg yolks popped. She continued, “There’s a small town not far from here. They have a cinema, grocery store, and a few boutiques.’

An hour later, Nora was walking a trail around the east side of the oblong Pebble Lake. It was warmer than she had anticipated. She’d worn denim shorts and her favorite grey t-shirt over her swimsuit, and she traded out her black boots for flip flops. She carried a little money in her back pocket, but she left everything else in her bag in her temporary bedroom. She wanted to get her feet back into the water and didn’t want to damage her cell phone.

It was sunny, fragrant, warm with a breeze. And quiet. Nora looked out across the lake. There was a sign warning that there was no lifeguard on duty and that swimming was at your own risk. She noticed that no one was enjoying the summer this morning. She chalked it up to the early hour.

She approached the only open gift shop remaining, Pebble Lake Ice Cream & More was written on a free-standing yellow sign with black letters. She opened the wooden screen door, and it closed a little too loudly behind her. She braced for the embarrassment, but there was no one inside.

There was an ice cream menu high on the wall to her left, and a freezer below it with eight round white cartons of hard scoop ice cream. As she walked by, she noticed they offered her favorite, Butter Pecan. The counter carried down the length of the store. There were diner style stools that spun, malt machines, soda, coffee and cappuccino machines, a waffle maker, and even soup warmers.

To her right were racks of clothes, shelves of folded sweatshirts and tees, hats and beach towels. The wall was pegged with dozens of hooded sweaters, both pullover and zip-up, all decorated with the words, Lake Life, sprawled out in different colors and fonts.

Also to her right, there was a narrow archway that led into a modest arcade. She could see only four machines from where she stood without going all the way in. She could see frozen food cases all along the back wall that stored staple food items. She could see frozen pizza, milk, eggs, butter, etc. Off to the right of that were shelves for dry food and convenience items.

About halfway down was a U-shaped glass counter. Inside was a collection of souvenirs; rings, bracelets, necklaces, knives, wallets, koozies, playing cards, etc. Most also saying Lake Life. Nora spun the earring display and walked over to the sunglasses. She started to wonder if the shop was even open.

“Hello?” she called out.

No answer. She turned around the right side of the counter and a boy shot out of the back room with a box in his arms. She tried to jump back out of the way, but he was in a hurry. She fell on her bottom, and he went tumbling over her; packets of French roast coffee toppled out of the box to the floor.

Nora’s chestnut hair was in her face, she pushed it back and saw a hand jutted down to her. She took his hand and stood. Face to face, they kept their hands locked. Eyes wide in recognition of the chemistry between them, Nora smiled and introduced herself.

“Nick.” He said in response.

They stood there in awkward silence for a moment before Nora bent down and picked up the few coffee packets that were still on the floor.

“Thanks,” he said, “Are you here visiting?”

“I’m staying with…” Nora was interrupted by the screen door slamming and a high-pitched voice calling out.

“Niiickyyy!” the spritely voice radiated across the shop.

Nick and Nora turned heads toward the door. Nick’s face twitched. “Hey, Amanda,” he looked to the girl on the left, “Jessica.”

“Hey Nick,” Jessica replied.

Amanda tucked a blond spiral curl behind her ear and asked, “Who’s your friend?”

Nick shifted the weight of the box he was still holding and answered, “This is Nora.”

Nora smiled and gave a small half-wave. She couldn’t mistake the way Amanda scanned her from head to toe. She felt the unease between them. Nick turned and placed the box on the counter and asked, “So, what can I do for you ladies?”

Amanda approached the counter and smiled, “I’d like a single scoop of Bubblegum please.” She folded over the counter.

Nick went around the counter, washed his hands, and grabbed the ice cream scooper as he asked Jessica, “What can I get you?”

Jessica looked at Amanda before repeating, “Bubblegum.”

Nick looked over the girls’ heads and asked Nora, “Are you getting ice cream?”

Nora hadn’t really planned on ice cream, but she decided to go with the flow, “Sure. Butter Pecan, please.”

Nick grinned, “Hey, that’s my favorite too.”

Amanda locked eyes with Nora and then shifted her whole body to face Nora. Nora felt sized up.

“So, new girl,…” Amanda started.

“Nora,” Nora corrected.

Amanda didn’t seem to notice, “…where are you from? Are you staying long?”

Nora knew this girl, she’d seen this type of girl on the beach in Virginia. They always looked at her this way when they saw her on the boardwalk with her black boots on.

“I’m not sure yet. We’re staying nearby and may be staying a while.” Nora knew this wasn’t what she wanted to hear.

Amanda took her cup of Bubblegum ice cream and walked up to Nora. She reached out and gathered a lock of Nora’s chestnut hair in her palm and said, “You may need a little makeover before school starts, just saying.”

Nora backed away and was about to let this girl have it when the screen door slammed open and three young boys ran in. Her brother and twin cousins.

“Nora!” They called out as they practically ran her over. Amanda retreated to the counter and took advantage of the moment to dominate Nick’s attention, Jessica in tow.

“What’s going on?” Nora asked.

“Guess what? Mom’s letting us have a bonfire tonight!” Tom or Tim said, Nora couldn’t be sure.

“Yeah,” Brad agreed, “We need rations!”

“Cool,” Nora patted her brother’s arm to get off her as he was hanging on.

“We need stuff to make smores!” They ran to the dry goods section and dropped a bag of marshmallows. Brad kicked it while trying to pick it up. They fumbled their way to the counter, breathless.

One of her nephews cut into the conversation Amanda was having with Nick, “Nick! We’re making smores tonight and having a bonfire!”

Nick grinned, “That’s awesome! I make the best smores in tin foil."

The boys were so excited that they seemed to get the idea at once; like the twin connection had now spread to her sibling. “You should come!” They shouted in unison.

Nick looked up at Nora and back down to the boys, “Maybe I will!”

“Okay!” the boys shouted.

“Okay!” Nick shouted back with matched enthusiasm.

Then, they were back out the door. Leaving an awkward silence in their wake. Before Amanda could strike her conversation back up, Nora walked up to Nick, picked up her ice cream, handed him two dollars, and asked if she could take out a paddle boat.

“Oh sure, of course,” Nick grabbed a key for the lock on the four paddle boats they offered. The pair walked past the girls and out to the paddle boats that were floating in the lake. Nick unlocked the paddle boat. He stood in front of her and said, “I don’t want to impose on your bonfire tonight, but I really do make a mean foil smore.”

Nora blushed, “It’s fine. If you want to sit around the fire with three ten-year-olds, I can’t stop you.”

Nick grinned. She liked his smile. His dark hair and blue eyes were a nice switch from the blond boys of Virginia. A few minutes later, she was paddling around the empty lake. It was after noon now, but still, no one else on the water. After a few laps, she clipped the paddle boat to a floating platform in the center of the lake and climbed onto it.

She took off her t-shirt and lay back on the boards in her swimsuit. She closed her eyes behind her sunglasses and put her tee over her face. She fell asleep. When she woke, it was nearly sunset. She sat up and realized the paddle boat was no longer clipped to the platform. It was bobbing along with the rest of them all the way across the lake. She was stranded on the floating boards.

“What the?” she said aloud.

The water lapped at the boards with a slapping sound. Then, a knock underneath. She startled and looked down between the slats. Nothing. A scratching came from behind her. She swiveled around but saw nothing. It was going to get dark soon, she realized. She didn’t see anyone around to call out to. She didn’t bring her cell phone either.

She looked over the edge to see how deep the water was. She saw something in the water. It looked like a ball. It popped up and crowned the water’s surface. Then, another ball popped up; then another. Soon, there were a dozen or more balls bobbing in the water all around her. The light was getting dim.

One of the balls spun slowly as the water swayed. When the ball made it 180˚ Nora realized these orbs were not balls, they were skulls! As they all followed suit, they spun to face her. Empty eye sockets, missing teeth, jaws locked open in their last cry.

Nora shrieked and scrambled to the center of the platform. She could feel the thumping of the skulls as they drifted under the boards and gathered in the center to reach her. She heard a scream skip across the lake, rippling the water and landing in her throat.

She suddenly sat up, still screaming, and realized the sun was high in the sky. She was alone, it was still mid-afternoon, the paddle boat was still securely clipped to the platform, and there were no ghastly skulls bobbing around her.

She snapped the lock back onto the paddle boat on the water’s edge and walked swiftly back to her aunt’s cottage.

Later that evening, after dinner, her brother and cousins each grabbed an ingredient for making smores and ran out the back door. Nora’s Uncle Mel built the fire and Aunt Bev made sure their chairs were far enough back that they wouldn’t fall in.

Nora was chilled enough that she donned her black boots. She agreed to supervise the boys. Once the fire was stoked and the flames crackled, the boys went off to find the perfect sticks to poke into their marshmallows.

Nora was alone, dressed in a black hoodie and wrapped in a Sherpa blanket. Her mind trailed off to the lake. She heard a twig snap in the opposite direction of where the boys had gone. She watched the trees intensely. When Nick walked out into the clearing, Nora sighed with relief.

He held up a roll of tin foil and said, “They forgot the foil.”

Nora smiled and he sat next to her. Before they had a chance to talk, the trees parted once again, and Amanda and Jessica came walking up and sat down around the fire. Nora looked at Nick. He shrugged like he had no idea.

Nora’s brow furrowed, “What are you two doing here?”

Amanda, who wore entirely too much makeup for the occasion, said, “Your cousins invited us. Remember?”

Nora realized the girls stood near Nick when the boys invited Nick, and maybe they took advantage of that. The boys returned with a load of the perfect sticks and dumped them on the ground. Soon Nick was creating his chocolatey sticky mess in tin foil, and they were all in the midst of giggling children.

Amanda said, “I know a scary story.”

Nora wasn’t in the mood.

“It’s a true local legend,” she continued.

Nick tipped his head with tightly held patience.

Amanda went on, “Long ago, before this land was inhabited, it was all just woods. There was a young woman who had just lost her baby. She was in the cemetery, grieving her baby with candles and flowers and oils in little bottles. The townsfolk saw her there every night and they assumed she must be a witch. She sat there every night chanting, they said. So, they tried to catch her. She ran. They caught up with her right here on this very spot.”

Nora saw the fear in the boys’ eyes, “Oh, stop it.”

Amanda ignored her, “Right. Here.” She pointed to the ground. “They caught her, and not wanting to waste time with trials, they tied her to a tree,” she threw her arm out and pointed to a nearby tree, “that tree! And they lit her on fire!”

The gasps coming from the boys were audible. Nora was getting upset. Amanda had them under her spell.

“Then, as the blaze grew hotter, the ropes snapped!” The boys jumped. “And she ran, engulfed in flames, into the lake to put it out! Down, down, to the bottom of the water, never to be found. And ever since, anyone who goes into the lake is… CURSED!” She spread her fingers out like claws.

The boys fell over onto each other like they’d pass out at any moment.

Amanda laughed and said, “I know this because that was my great, great, a whole bunch of greats, Aunt Clarice. And I, too, am a WITCH!”

That was the one thing Nora and Amanda could agree on, Nora thought.

After the boys went to bed and Amanda and Jessica left, Nick and Nora were cleaning up the mess. Nora held up his roll of foil, “We could have used this to make foil hats,” she laughed.

Nick returned her laugh. He took the foil and said, “Yeah, they didn’t nickname the lake Witch Lake, the locals call it Skull Lake for some reason.”

Nora’s eyes shot up to him, “Skull Lake?!”

She decided she wanted no part of Lake Life.