The Lake

"Boomer!", he yelled as the screen door slammed behind him. "Where is that darn dog?", he thought as he headed for the shed where his fishing eqipment was kept. Just then the springer spaniel came bounding around the corner of the shed; his tail wagging ninty miles a minute.
"Bout time dog. Another 30 seconds and you'd been left behind." He gathered the pole and tackle box and started for the trail that ran behind his house and down to the lake. No matter how many times he'd been on the trail he was still awed by the beauty of the area. Trees grew as high as the sky. Flowers burst out as soon as the sun rose. "Yep", he speculated, there was nowhere prettier on earth. .

He rounded the corner and caught site of the lake shimmering in the morning sun. He strolled over to the tiny boat moored at the landing. After he loaded his fishing gear he gentle lowered Boomer into the boat and climbed in behind him. He started rowing for the middle of the lake where his favorite fishing spot is located. He'd been coming to this spot for 6 months now and couldn't get enough of it. He really didn't catch a lot of fish but he was drawn back, time after time, anyway. Something kept him coming back to the lake, something pulled at him if he even missed a single day. He pushed those thoughts aside and let the beauty of the lake engulf him. Basking in the warmth of the sun, he settled down and started baiting his pole.

He woke up with a start when Boomer let out a howl. "Darn", he thought, "I must have fallen asleep". He looked around and saw the sun already starting to set. He scratched his chin as he wondered what would have made him sleep the day away like that. As he sat, bewildered, he noticed his pole, next to him, hadn't been used at all. Just then Boomer sprang to the other side of the boat and let out another long howl. "What is with you, dog?" he snapped, but Boomer didn't stop and another moan escaped. Boomer started clawing at the wood located at the end of the boat. Confused by these strange actions, the man got up to investigate. He peered over the edge of the boat and there in the water, just below the surface, was a woman's face staring up at him.
Her beauty startled him. So enthralled was he, that it took longer than it should have for him to realize she seemed in no distress being under water that long. His brain, trying to take all this in, wasn't registering as fast as it usually did. The soothing sound of the rippling water had lulled him into a false sense of contentment.
As he reached down to the woman, hoping to help her out, the water sprung up and surrounded him pulling him into a pool of darkness. He was gone before anyone could have reacted. Boomer sat in the middle of the boat howling for the master that would never come back. Growling at the "thing" that emerged from the waves. The woman grinning at some well kept secret.

"I'll take it!" the man exclaimed to the Real Estate Agent. He shook his head and hid the smile that wanted to escape. He just made a beauty of a deal for the cabin at the lake. The moment he walked down the trail to the lake he could hear the water beckoning him. He knew he would be happy here. Happy living with nature. Happy that he was so close to the lake for fishing. "After all", he mused, "I could hear that lake calling my name the first time I saw it". Yep, there was something about the lake that kept calling him back...............