The Lake House

7|| Into the Forest

Sweat trickled down Lesley's face as she finished her last yoga session with Denise. The downward-facing dog pose was always challenging for her. Stretching her arms as far as she could yielded a burning sensation in her upper back muscles. She was thankful when Denise announced class was over for the evening. If it weren't for her aching muscles, she'd be disappointed.

"Thanks, Denise." Lesley grabbed the small white towel from her gym bag and wiped away the sweat on her forehead, "This class was so cathartic today. I'm so glad I came."

Denise smiled, "I'm glad you came too. I hope things get better for you, Les."

"Thanks, I'm sure things will get better."

Lesley picked up her blue yoga mat, rolled it up, and held it underneath her arm.

"I'll see you at the next class." Lesley waved goodbye and walked through the glass door, exiting the building.

Tossing her yoga mat onto the backseat of her BMW, she gracefully settled into the driver's seat and ignited the engine. Pressing her foot on the gas pedal, she embarked on her journey home.

An unexpected sea of red lights shimmered as she drove along the scenic routes. The cars suddenly stopped, prompting Lesley to slam on her brakes.

Her car was now stalled at the intersection with the rest of them.

Lesley sat in her seat, glancing out of her windshield further ahead to find out what was happening.

Had there been an accident? She thought.

Abruptly, the blare of a horn pierced through the crisp summer air, jolting Lesley in her seat.

Swiftly, she checked her rearview mirror and spotted an older man with a bald head and a gray mustache. His furrowed eyebrows and expression of anger revealed his frustration and impatience.

Lesley mirrored the frustration, cradling her face in her hands.

Does this idiot know that traffic has stalled? This isn't my fault!

Ignoring the continuous honking of the older man's horn, she tuned him out and pressed her thumb on the radio button. The latest traffic updates blared through the speakers.

"Highway Fifty-Four is closed. Please take an alternate route." The robotic-sounding voice informed.

Lesley muttered to herself, "This is just great!"

She reached out and pressed the button again, this time to turn it off. Now that she learned the nearest highway had been shut down, she was forced to take an alternate route.

While she sat in her stalled car, awaiting traffic to pick up again, she pressed the Bluetooth button mounted on her steering wheel.

Music instantly filled the air as the melodic sounds surged through the speakers. Her fingers rhythmically tapped on the steering wheel, and her voice blended with the lyrics. The sound of the tunes was brightening up her day already. The tension in her muscles slowly dissipated like the sun moving in on a rainy day.

In the midst of enjoying the blaring music, Lesley gasped as an unsettling thought crept into her mind.

Go check out the lake. You might find a body.

The notion sent a shiver down her spine; it unsettled her to the core. Yet, deep down, she knew she couldn't ignore what happened in the lake that day.

This might be the perfect opportunity to find out.

Lesley patiently waited, and once traffic began to unravel, she gripped the steering wheel, and with a swift motion, she veered left. She decided to take the route where it was easier to access the lake secretly. She didn't want Nick or Jackie to know. Their skepticism would only frustrate Lesley even more.

She knew if she happened to stumbled upon undeniable evidence—skeletal remains or, God forbid, a lifeless body. They'd probably tell her she was experiencing exhaustion once again. And Lesley had enough of hearing that crap word, exhaustion.

She rolled her eyes, annoyed at the thought.

Continuing her drive down the dark, winding road, she could barely see out ahead. Her headlights gave her just enough visibility to navigate the eerie path. As she ascended the steep hill, her car began to putter, and she pressed her foot harder on the gas pedal. The car sped up, and the lake was slowly coming into view.

The tires rumbled as Lesley steered it down the mountain, their rubber treads grinding against the gravel road. Slowly, pine trees graced the scenery. Realizing she couldn't drive further, she stopped her car on the road leading up to the forest. It was dark, and she would have to climb the hill to get over to the other side where the lake was.

Lesley drew in a deep breath, steadying her nerves. She reached over the passenger seat and popped open the glove compartment, grabbing the emergency flashlight Nick had stuck in there a few years ago.

Hopefully, it's still working.

Exiting her vehicle, the misty summer night air brushed gently across her face. Her sneakers made contact with the rocky, uneven surface of the gravel road. Her eyes widened, engulfed by the encroaching darkness. Swiftly, she pressed her thumb against the switch, flicking on the flashlight. Its beam sliced through the dark forest. She quickly scanned the area, searching for any lurking presence that could be hidden in the dark shadows around her.

The light guided her as she aimed it through the tree-filled hills, illuminating the path. With each delicate step, her senses remained on high alert. Beads of sweat trickled down her face as her hands trembled, not knowing what to expect. Though apprehension fleeted her, she still was a bag of nerves.

What if I find a dead body?! Oh, Dear God! Chills ran down her spine at the thought, but she continued to press on, venturing further into the forest.

Leaves rustled underneath her feet, and branches persistently poked at her arms as if they were pushing her forward.

When she finally reached the hilltop, she gasped. Glancing down, her foot was caught in a rope web on the dirt-laden hill. She went down, pulling the rope off her shoe. Once she got herself untangled, she continued to stride further down the mountain.

Then, she saw it.

The lake.

Just then, a stream of water drifted from the lake and onto the dirt path that Lesley was on.

She found that strange, as she'd only seen water venture to the surface at the beach, never at a lake.

She continued to walk further toward the lake. The air hung heavy with anticipation, each breath tinged with uneasiness and determination.

"Hello, Lesley!" An unknown voice called out, startling Lesley. She loosened her grip on the flashlight. It tumbled with a thump, rolling down the hill and falling into the lake.

"Who's there?" Lesley's eyes widened as she frantically scanned the area.

"I've been waiting for you, Lesley." The girl's voice was soft and delicate but unfamiliar.

"What do you want?" Lesley called out, "Are you the girl that nearly drowned in the lake?" Lesley asked, growing suspicious.

"Nearly?!" The girl replied, shock evident in her voice.

"Yes, nearly. It's obvious. How else would you be able to communicate with me?"

"Lesley, I did drown. ... I'm dead."

Lesley gasped in horror. She slapped her hand over her mouth, muffling her scream. Her heart pounded against her chest in a steady rhythm that escalated until it felt like her heart would explode. She took a deep breath in, but her breath was escaping her, or so she thought.

In a panicked state, she choked on the misty air. Coughing and hacking until she couldn't stand any longer, her knees gave way, and she fell to the ground.

Crawling to the nearest tree, she tried desperately to climb it so she could at least try and steady herself to get back on her feet.

Instead, she fell backward with a loud thud. Rolling over, she tumbled down the dirt-laden hill.

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