They arrived at Bethel Park in under fifteen minutes. They stepped out of the car and walked towards the sandy shores of the lake. Georgina kicked off her shoes and sunk her bare feet into the warm, soft sand. She exhaled silently, and as her body relaxed, a feeling of contentment enveloped her.

A soft breeze started to blow, causing her hair to flutter and fall over her face. She moved her hair aside and looked out at the vast lake before her.

Just a short distance away, several boats idly bobbed in the water. The clear day provided a great view of the many houses lined along the shoreline at the opposite end of the lake. They were nestled at the base of the mountains that towered behind them.

Georgina stared at the mountains. It was where the national park was located. In the past, she and her family often went hiking there. It was also where her brother and mother had died. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. Leilah had not noticed her change in mood, so she took the moment to take a deep breath and push her sadness aside. She was here to plan a party, not cry. She would cry later.

“What was the area number on our reservation?” Leilah asked her cutting into her thoughts. Georgina looked at her cousin and noticed that she was taking off her shoes as well. "

“We’re in lot twenty-two,” Georgina announced, pointing to the sign.

They strolled towards the picnic area and were pleasantly surprised by its size. It exceeded their expectations, as they had initially applied for a smaller nearby space. However, they were willing to make do with it. But this lot turned out to be more than sufficient for their party. It had four spacious tables, each accompanied by wooden benches on both sides, ensured ample seating for all their guests. Moreover, there was a stone shelter nearby, equipped with bathrooms and several changing rooms. And ten-feet away was the lake, complete with a wooden dock and a lifeguard station.

“This is way better than I thought it would be!” Leilah expressed happily.

Georgina smiled back at her cousin, agreeing.

They walked over to the closet table and sat down. Georgina looked around and noticed a large number of trees encircling the area, creating a significant amount of shade.

“Will we be able to rope off the area to keep children from wondering in?” Leilah asked as she looked around also.

Georgina shrugged. “I’m not sure. We need to make sure that we don’t need permission from the park board first.”

Leilah pursed her lips as if deep as she wiped away small droplets of sweat that had formed on her forehead.

Georgina became aware of her own sweat. An immediate desire welled up within her to immerse herself in the cool water of the lake. However, lacking a change of clothes, she opted to settle for sitting on the nearby dock and dipping her feet into the water instead.

“I’m going to sit at the edge of the dock,” she said, rising to her feet.

“I’m coming as well,” Leilah said, following her. They sat down at the edge of the dock and dipped their feet into the water.

The moment Georgina’s feet touched the water, her entire body entered a state of relaxation. She leaned back, resting her weight on her hands, and closed her eyes.

Leilah’s giggle made Georgina open her eyes, and she saw her cousin staring at her.

She grinned. “I can’t help it; I feel so relaxed here.”

Leilah gave a knowing nod. “We all have our special places. I’m happy you have yours.”

As they sat together on the dock, enveloped by a serene atmosphere, the two enjoyed each other’s company in peaceful silence for a few moments. Both relished the coolness of the water and the captivating view before them. Georgina felt as though she were in a dream, experiencing such a profound level of relaxation and inner peace that she could have comfortably sat there for hours on end. The water was exceptionally calm at that moment, providing a clear view of the sandy lakebed. Leilah, with a simple action of lifting her left foot, disturbed the tranquil surface, causing small ripples that altered its peaceful demeanor. Breaking the silence that had fallen between them, Leilah remarked, “I could sit here all day.”

Georgina nodded in agreement. As she stared out at the many people on the lake.

Her mind started to wander, and she found herself lost in a sea of thoughts and daydreams. This place held memories for her and David, as they used to visit it frequently. The depth of her longing for him was undeniable, and she couldn’t deny that the suddenness of their breakup had caused him intense pain. Like him, she was in pain and desired to be back with him.

“I saw David today.” Georgina said suddenly. Though she hadn’t intended to bring him up, she couldn’t stop thinking about him.

Initially, Leilah didn’t respond and kept her eyes focused on her feet. Eventually, she began creating small ripples in the water again by kicking her feet. “Did you two talk?”

“No. I left before we had a chance to speak.”

Leilah lifted an eyebrow and paused, the sound of splashing water ceasing. “Did he see you?”

Georgina responded with a simple “Yes,” her discomfort was palpable as she cleared her throat. She had fled in order to avoid him. Despite being aware that she was at fault, she was at a loss for the correct words to express to him. Even though deep down, she felt that he would be understanding, she was still fearful that she would be wrong and he would be disappointed instead. The idea of revealing the current details of her life to him was not something she looked forward to, especially considering her ongoing struggle to accept them. Shame overwhelmed her.

Leilah’s face twisted into a frown as she began tapping her fingertips on the wooden dock, creating a deliberate and steady rhythm. “Avoiding the conversation won’t solve anything. Eventually, you’ll have to face him.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“I know, but I’m not ready to do that right now.”

Abruptly, the sound of Leilah’s tapping ceased, leaving a silence that hung in the air. Looking off in the distance, she released a deep, heavy sigh, the weight of her emotions filling the air. “I think it’s best that you give him an explanation. It’s only fair.”

Georgina’s brows furrowed as she fought to keep her mounting frustration in check. While she acknowledged her unfairness towards David, she couldn’t neglect her own feelings. Given that her cousin had witnessed all her struggles firsthand over the past year, she had hoped for some compassion and understanding as to why she didn’t want to delve into things right now. “I will speak to him soon.”

Leilah’s gaze flickered towards Georgina before looking away. “Gia, I understand that it’s hard for you right now,” she said softly, “but you have to find a way to talk to him. He frequently reaches out to me, wanting to know if you would be willing to talk to him. And if you don’t want to speak to him, consider reaching out through email or text.”

A feeling of guilt started to rise within her. She couldn’t deny that her cousin was right. If she truly cared for David, she knew she owed him an explanation of some kind. “I understand. I just need a few more days to figure out what I’m going to say to him.”

Leilah turned her head and directed her gaze towards her cousin. “You should speak to him at the party.”

“I’m not sure I want to do that.”

Leilah let out a deep sigh and rose to her feet. She went back to the table they had been sitting at earlier. Georgina rose to her feet and went after her cousin. She could tell that she was frustrated. When it came to David, Leilah always became pushy. Stopping abruptly at the table, her cousin pivoted on her heel to meet her gaze.

“You need to have a conversation with him at the party. It has been some time since your breakup with him and you have failed to offer any explanation for your actions. He has been extremely concerned about you, and out of respect for you, I haven’t mentioned anything. Look, I will be there to support you when you speak to him, but you have to give him something. It’s not fair to leave him in a state of limbo.”

Georgina knew what she should do, but fear stopped her from initiating the conversation. She didn’t want him to feel sorry for her or perceive her as weak. Besides, having a conversation with him would effectively bring their relationship to a close. At that moment, she was uncertain about whether she was prepared to take on that challenge. As her eyes began to sting, she could feel a familiar prickling sensation, and tears started to well up.

Leilah whispered Gia’s name as she made her way towards her, wrapping her arms around her in a warm hug.

“I’ll speak to him,” Georgina said, tears cascading down her cheeks. “I don’t know what I will say to him yet, but I’ll give him some answers.”

Leilah continued to embrace her cousin tightly, combing her fingers through her hair gently. “If you want to get back together, I can assure you that he is definitely interested. He hasn’t dated anyone since.”

Overwhelmed with emotion, Georgina couldn’t help but cry harder. She loved David, and she had never wanted to break up with him. However, she was going through a difficult time and didn’t want to burden him, so she ended the relationship.

“Everything will be okay.” Leilah whispered. “And even if things don’t go smoothly, I’ll be there to support you.” She reassured.

“Thank you. I love you so much.”

“I love you more.”

As Leilah released her from her embrace, Georgina gently brushed away the tears that had welled up in her eyes using the back of her hand. As she opened her mouth to speak, a chilling scream pierced the air, leaving them both startled. From their vantage point, they observed a woman in a small boat on the lake, her frantic screams filling the air.

People started congregating on the shores, their eyes fixed on the unfolding scene, while three lifeguards boarded a boat and headed towards the woman.

The woman’s eyes were locked onto a person who was out of Georgina’s sight. They were positioned right at the edge of the swimming zone. In that area, ongoing problems had persisted for a while now, causing unrest among the visitors to the lake. In that specific area, a considerable number of drownings had occurred in recent months.

Observing attentively, Georgina and Leilah watched as the boat carrying the three lifeguards slowly approached and eventually stopped near the woman’s boat. The lifeguard with the long black hair fearlessly leaped into the water without hesitation. In less than a minute, he was already aiding the man who he had just rescued. He helped him aboard the boat, as the rest of the group hastily signaled to the woman, urging her to make her way to safety.

At the shore, the onlookers erupted into applause and cries of relief. Georgina released a quiet breath, finally realizing that she had been holding it.

“I’m so glad that person is okay,” Leilah said, her words resonating with the same relief that Georgina felt.

Georgina wished they would take immediate action and block off the entire area, preventing any activities from taking place there.

The lake was large. Many areas were available for designating safe swimming spots.

Although there had been previous incidents at the lake, it wasn’t until last summer that drownings and issues in that area started happening with increased frequency, raising alarms. The city had conducted thorough investigations and the park board had issued press releases, providing detailed accounts of private investigations and assessments. The only logical deduction was that the underwater currents were highly unpredictable. Therefore, all necessary precautions had been implemented to ensure the safety of swimmers, with the exception of boaters who were subject to different regulations.

Floating signs had been strategically positioned in the vicinity, serving as a visual warning for anyone daring enough to swim there.

The boats successfully reached the shore, and the lifeguards carefully helped the man out of their boat, while the woman eagerly jumped out of hers and quickly embraced him.

The lifeguard who had fearlessly jumped into the water to rescue the man appeared visibly relieved and was warmly congratulated with several pats on the back.

As Georgina smiled at the scene before her, a sudden realization struck her – the man she had noticed watching her yesterday was none other than him. Or rather, there was a possibility that he had been observing her, but it could also be the case that he was merely looking in her direction.

“My sacrifice got away,” a tiny voice said, pulling the two’s attention away from the crowd not far from them. There was a small group of boys, no older than ten, playing by the lake about ten feet away.

“Who will be the new sacrifice?” The group’s tallest boy shouted loudly.

The group of boys began to look at each other, many of them shaking their heads no. Finally, one boy spoke up and pushed another boy forward. The boy appeared smaller than most of them. He shouted in protest as the other boys joined in and demanded that he be the new sacrifice.

“The group has spoken.” The tall boy, who was quite enthusiastic, exclaimed with excitement.

“Let’s find a boat and go out on the lake!” One boy exclaimed a little too loudly.

A scream of panic escaped the boy who was selected, as he desperately shouted “no!”

The other children found it so funny that they couldn’t help but burst into fits of laughter.

Georgina continued to watch the group of boys, reminiscing about her own childhood and similar games she used to play.

“I’ve never taken the time to explore the origins of that myth,” Leilah confessed, her attention fixed on the boys as well.

“I’m surprised that you never did.”

Leilah shrugged. “I never cared enough to do so. I found other myths and legends to be far more interesting. Besides, our festival mentions some of its origins, but now I’m curious.”

“Because of the drownings?” Georgina asked her.

“Yes, and among other things.”

Georgina was at a loss for words regarding the topic. Throughout her entire life, they had been hearing stories about the monster that dwelled in the lake.

“Are you ready to go?” She asked her cousin, suddenly wanting to leave.

“Sure, let’s get going.” Leilah said as they began to walk towards her car.