The Lake (Part Three)

Be careful who you turn your back on.

She sits on the edge, where the water meets the land, and she waits. One hour, two hours pass. Still no sign of Zander. She decides to get into the water. Floating on her back, Jess watches the stars. The night is warm with a slight breeze. She closes her eyes. Cold hands come up beneath her back. Her eyes flash open, but she doesn’t move. “Shhh,” he whispers.

“Zander, I’ve been waiting for hours for you,” Jess says irritated.

“I wanted to watch you for awhile. You’re so beautiful and eager.” Zander plays his charm on Jess and it works.

She smiles up at the night sky. “Are you gonna show me now?” She stands upright in the water.

Zander takes her hand and explains to her, “When you left me that day at the lake, I stayed to play longer in the water. I went deeper and deeper. I wanted to explore. I found a cave on the far side of the lake, in the deepest parts, and wanted to check it out. As I got closer, though, I kept getting this eerie feeling that something wasn’t right. I kept swimming though, because something kept drawing me nearer. It got darker and darker, I never thought it could get any darker, but it did. I couldn’t see a thing in that cave, except for one little white glow that seemed so far away. I wanted to reach it. I felt like I needed to. After swimming for what felt like forever because I had to keep taking breaks and float on my back to catch ,my breath, I finally came up to the glow. It was a small crystal just floating in between a stalagmite and a stalactite formation. It was floating, Jess. I went to reach up and touch it, but instead I grabbed the entire crystal. Everything changed from there. When I grabbed it, I was shocked so badly that I was thrown across the cave against the wall. I fell into the water and bled out. I drowned. But then I woke up days later. I felt stronger, more powerful. I don’t know why and I still don’t really know what happened to me or why, but I’m invincible now. I had to stay in the darkness, though. I tried to come out to find you and tell you what happened to me. The crystal spoke to me. It stopped me from coming. It told me I could never leave the shadows because if I did, the spell would break, and I would die. I cried for you, Jess. Every day. I loved you and I still do. That crystal, it was a gift and a curse. I’m stuck here forever. I wanted to end it all and I tried to many times, but I couldn’t do it. Then I saw you. You finally came back to the lake after all these years. I thought you would never come back. I had to see you and talk to you. I’m afraid that you will never want to come back once I show you what I am now.”

“I would never do that to you again Zander. I had no idea. I cried for you too. Every day I hated myself for what I did, for leaving you. I wanted to end the pain as well. I thought that if I never went back to the lake then I would be okay. I was wrong. I still hate myself for it. I’m so sorry, Zander, and I know that will never be enough.” Jessabelle starts to bawl and looks away.

He catches her cheek and turns her back to face him. He pulls her slowly to where the moonlight gleams onto the water. He lets her go about a foot away from the light. He glides into the light. From behind, he looks human. He has a muscular back, short brown hair dripping with water, and muscular arms. He turns around and reveals himself to her. His eyes are dark, intense pools of ember, his jawline hard. The water is only up to their waists at this point. As her eyes travel down his body, Jess notices he has deep slits into his sides that move when he breathes. Gills? Right underneath them, his skin fades into scales, reddish brown, but vibrant and beautiful.

Jess extends her arm out and touches his bare chest and looks in his eyes, “There are scales, like a fish, what’s further down? If you don’t mind me asking.”

He leans back and flips up a tail. A mermaid tail. It was huge and quite long. She runs her hand down it and pulls her hand away. Slimy. He puts it back in the water. “Are you scared?” Zander asks.

“No, should I be?” Jess replies.

“Maybe… I’m just a monster now. I always will be.”

“Not to me, Zander. I think you’re beautiful.”

He chuckles a little at the fact she called him beautiful. Then his hands cover his ears and his face clenches up, as if he heard a loud noise. “I have to go, the crystal is calling. Come see me tomorrow, please.” He kisses her cheek and he was gone, leaving ripples of water in his path.

Jess watches until there were no more ripples. She swore to herself she would come back every night to see him. And that’s what she did. Every night for months, she came back to see him as soon as the sun went down until the crystal called him back. She grew happier and happier with him. She was sad that he could only see him at night, but it was better than nothing. She wanted to be with him and she told herself she would do anything to do so, even if that meant she had to become like him. She thought she was helping him, making things right between them, but that’s not what it was. She was falling in love.

Jess and Zander grew closer, but Zander was keeping a secret. Jess watched him closely as time passed. He became stranger and stranger. At one point, when they were kissing, she felt his teeth. They were sharp as if they had been filed to a point, but then the next time, they were back to normal. She began to realize what was going on. She knew what was going to happen, but she didn’t know when. There were other signs too. He became more demanding. Each time she came to see him, they got closer and closer to the cave. To the crystal. She started to accept her fate.

After a while, she was no longer able to see him. He stayed in the shadows and wouldn’t come out into the light. “Why won’t you come into the moonlight anymore? I can’t see you when we’re hidden in the shadows,” Jess asks, sadly.

“I’m changing, Jess. You can’t see me anymore. I won’t let you.”

“I don’t understand…,” her voice turns into a whisper.

“And you never will.”

“I want to, though! Why can’t you show me? Let me become like you.” She begs him.

“He backs away. No… It’s too dangerous and it’s a curse.” He turns away. “I have to go.” With that, he was gone, leaving his ripples behind.

Jessabelle swims away, sobbing. Before she gets out of the water, she goes under and screams as loud as she can. She didn’t think anyone would be able to hear her since she was under water, but she was mistaken. Zander listened in the water. He listened to her screams and her sobs. He, too, cried for her. Cried for what he has to do.

The next morning, Jess returned to the lake once again when the sun set. She got into the water, but Zander wasn’t there. She didn’t see his ripples. She didn’t see his shadows. She called for him, but no answer.

Zander knew she was there, but he hoped she would leave before the crystal overpowered him. Before it was too late.

Jess waited, floating on her back, watching the stars. She waited and waited. Then she heard him. She heard the water splashing from across the lake near the cave. She listened and waited for him to come.

It was too late now. Zander had no more control. The crystal had won and now it was time. He started swimming towards her simple, floating body.

Jess smiled as she saw him coming. Her stomach started to churn, though. Something was wrong. She knew it was time, but she wasn’t ready yet. She started to swim away as fast as she could. She kept swallowing water, choking on it as she kicked her feet. He came closer and closer, using his tail to slice through the water. She couldn’t swim anymore, her muscles screamed with pain and she could barely breathe. She flipped over on her back to catch her breath. She knew he was coming and she couldn’t do anything to stop it. She was too far from the edge of the land.

Under the water, she can hear him coming. These noises that sounded murderous were coming from his voice. Her heart started to pound even harder that it already was. She gripped her chest and her throat. She can feel his slimy tail gliding across her legs. He was here. She looked up at the stars one last time. “I knew you were coming. I always did love you...” Tears stream down her face, into the lake. He can taste them. Her life flashes before her eyes as his hands wrap around her legs and she’s ripped under the water. Splashing, she tries to fight, but finally lets go of her life. She closes her eyes as she lets out her last breath.

Then, he feeds. His pointy teeth tearing into her skin, he drinks the blood of the girl who broke his heart ten years ago. As he drinks, his tail turns into legs, his gills fade back to skin, his teeth become dull again. He let’s go and swims back to the surface. He swims to the edge and gets out of the lake. He turns around and stares at the once clear blue lake, now a bloody mess, and cries. Tears fall uncontrollably because once again, he has lost the love of his life. Now for good.

Author's Note

Put into three parts because it was quite long.

Reviews

[Wez Hardyn]

I really enjoyed this - kept me reading all three parts. Well paced and creepy. I hate deep water so I was a little traumatized right from the start (the dream was a premonition, then?). I would have expected her to be rather more fearful of him after 10 years though, especially when she suspected he might be a ghost! Reminded me of 'The Creature from the Black Lagoon' one of my favourite B horror movies from back in the day. Keep it up my young friend.

[Coyote Poetry]

A very good tale. I was surprised by the ending. You create situation, good characters and you made each scene important and needed. Thank you for sharing the excellent story.
Coyote

[Natasha]

Thank you!

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome Natasha.

[barleygirl]

This is the best story I've read in months, aside from Sam Dickens, who is the best story writer on this website. This is excellent quality writing. In earlier chapters, I felt the omission of anything visual when the two see each other after ten years - I felt this was not right, but did not mention it, becuz I wanted to see where you would go with it. In this chapter, I see that it was intentional, as you are playing with the ability (or lack of ability) to see this guy, subjecting the reader to the same feelings of uncertainty as the main character was living thru, not being sure what this guy looked like after 10 yrs, etc. This part is done exceptionally well & it's quite an advanced technique to do what you've done. Here's wishing you & your loved ones an awesome Christmas with lots of love & peace (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Natasha]

Wow that's the best compliment I've had! Thank you! Merry Christmas