I looked behind me, at the disappearing lake, and glared at it, as if to tell it how much I hated it for not taking me too. And there she stood, laughing and carrying on as if the lake had never swallowed up our friend. If I went back to the waiting embrace of the lake, would she even notice I was gone? I doubted it. I stopped walking then… watched her continue her trek back to the car. How long before she realized I wasn’t there? I could easily go back…. To die like him in the cold water. Yes, they had already pulled him out, but his spirit would still be down there.

I could still see his face. It had been so calm… not the face of someone who had been involuntarily pulled under into Neptune’s waiting arms. Would Neptune invite me in too? I hoped so, because my legs were pulling me back towards the lake.

All the people – the police, the EMT’s, the firefighters – they were all gone now… and she was walking back to the car. No one would miss me. By the time they found me, I would already be with him.

I didn’t stop as I reached the lake… I just kept walking, right into the lake. My clothes – perfect for the winter – weighed me down, dragging me to the bottom. Yes I could see him… He waited there with Neptune and his arms were open to welcome me. I no longer felt cold. I was eager for his embrace. It beckoned to me. I reached out for him.

But it wasn’t to be. Just as I was about to grasp his hand, a different hand fell on my shoulder and pulled me up. Was it her? No, of course it wasn’t… I didn’t recognize the body that pulled me out onto the shore, nor the face that looked at me with a concerned look in her eyes. Who was she? Why did she save me?

“It wasn’t him,” she said. “He doesn’t want that for you. Stay here.” She helped me sit up and then held me in her embrace. “His spirit isn’t down there. It’s in you.”

I looked out over the lake… the once welcoming lake now seemed dark and ominous and I knew she was right.

C o p y r i g h t :