She’d finally made it to Lake Volzy. She dropped her bags beside the bed & the wardrobe. Wendy scanned the place from the dusty window. Her parents had let her stay there with her friends, the rest of the crew were on their way.

There was a knock on her door. Wendy turned around and saw him.

Chad, one of her pals who was now one of her closest friends. He walked toward Wendy and looked at her bags.

Wendy: (smiles) What??

Chad: (points to the bags) Uh, are you going to unpack your luggage?

Wendy: (shakes her head) Nope. (laughs) I’ll get to that later.

Chad: Yeah, right.

Wendy: What time are the rest of the crew heading over here?

Chad: beats me. If Elijah’s driving over with Kate~ (sighs) it might take a while.

Wendy: (chuckles) Yep. Those two need to learn to get along. You also need to fix things with her, as well. Kate’s a delightful person, once you get to know her.

Chad smiles and then sits on Wendy’s bed. Wendy walks over and sits next to him.

Wendy: I’m going to bet that they’ll make it before the day ends.

Chad: (leans closer to Wendy) I don’t know. Hmm, they will probably make it here before midnight.

Wendy: Seriously? Hahah. Well, then they better be quick, otherwise they’ll miss out on all the fun we’re having unpacking.

Chad: (laughs) That’s serious.

Wendy: Yeah. (smiles) Did you hear that? It sounded like a car. I think they’re here.

Chad followed Wendy all the way out of the room, past the other bedrooms, down the stairs, and past the dining area.

They hear a hoot. Wendy runs outside and hugs Kate. Chad greets Elijah with a tight grip. Kate screams.

Wendy: You guys made it. Yes!

Kate: I’m glad we’re here before sundown. Elijah here almost took a wrong turn.

Elijah: (raises his hands) Hey. I was following the directions you gave me.

Wendy: (sighs) Oh, here we go.

Chad: This is going to be a long vacation.

Elijah and Kate finally stop yelling. They grab their bags and head to the lakehouse. Wendy shows them to their rooms and they start unpacking. While Kate & Elijah unpack, Chad follows Wendy to her room.

Chad: Eh, Wendy?

Wendy: Yes, Chad.

Chad: (nervously) When you’re done unpacking...would you like to go by the lake later?

Wendy: No, I don’t mind. You know what..I’ll even leave right now. It’ll be great to see the lake again. The last time I was here was back in the early 2000s with my family. That was a memorable vacation.

Chad: Great. (beams excitedly) Let’s go!

Wendy: Whoa, I didn’t know it was a race.

Chad dashed off and reached the front of the lakehouse at lightning speed. The moment that Wendy caught up with him, they moved closer to the shore.

Wendy took in a deep breath of the salty, cool air. Chad walked by her side and held her hand. Wendy looked at him and smiled.

They enjoyed their moment together, and watched the sun set. Then they walked back to the lakehouse.

When they reached the kitchen, they heard Kate screaming at the top of her lungs.

Kate: Where did they go? Those two need to get back in the house. It’s getting late.

Elijah: Give them a break, Kate.

Kate: What do you mean? Wait...uh..what are you not telling me, Elijah?

Elijah: Oh, it’s nothing.

Chad walks in the kitchen and swings Wendy’s hand.

Kate: What’s going on here? (looks at Chad, then Wendy).

Elijah: (laughs) Yeah, Kate would like to know.

Chad: (chuckles nervously) Kate. Calm down. I mean no harm here. You can ask Elijah.

Kate: (taps her foot) I tried to get him to talk. But it didn’t work.

Chad: Listen, Wendy is not a kid. And you’re not her Mom.

Elijah: Oh, now you’ve done it. (raises his eyebrows)

Kate: (pulls her sleeves) Yeah. But I’m her close pal. I’ve been there for her ever since she was a baby. You only met her when she was—what~in her teens.

Chad: (leaves Wendy and prepares to run)

Kate: You think you can run away from me. (laughs)

Elijah: (smiles) Chad. (shakes his head) Just speak from your heart, dude.

Wendy: Kate...breathe.

Kate: (settles back in her seat) Hmph.

Elijah: Wendy...I was rooting for Kate. (chuckles)

Wendy: Kate, please..give Chad a chance. He’s not a bad guy. Yes, he did some crazy bad stuff to you in the past. But he has changed.

Kate: I’ll be the judge of that. (shrugs)

Chad: (places his hand on his heart) Kate, I promise that I have changed. I am not here to cause any trouble. I really like being with Wendy...I mean all of you guys.

Then Kate glared at Chad once she heard that. Wendy clasped her hands and smiled. Elijah clapped.

Kate: All right. You better not break Wendy’s heart. Otherwise, I’ll break all your bones.

Chad: (gulps) Thanks...(shudders).

Kate: I’m kidding. (laughs)

Elijah: Mmm, are you really?

Kate: (looks at Elijah) You better watch it, Elijah.

Elijah: Wendy! Save me from her. Ah!

Wendy: Everyone now let’s try to get along. Let’s enjoy our vacation.

Kate: I agree, Wendy. I’m ready for a sweet vacation.

Elijah: I’m ready for bed.

Chad: Me too, Elijah.

Wendy was glad they were all here together. She hoped that Kate and Chad would treat each other better for the rest of their vacation.

#Vacances

Daddy said we were going to the lake, he said it would be fun.

Oh the irony of the statement, for it was fun for us but not for him.

No, he never told us the lake we traveled to was the home of his oldest rival.

Turmoil was born in the water, and I clung to my father as the boat rocked.

A hand reached up and grabbed his leg, I screamed in fear and woe.

None other than his neighbor Billy, drowned in the water, was the owner of the hand.

Sand clogged his eyes, his head, he was dead.

We sceamed in fear, who’d want to kill us here?

Even my dad looked stony cold, at the sight of the tragedy he had behold

Red water pooled around us now.

The culprit was an evil fellow,

He came up to us holding a yellow lifevest.

Even from afar, the choice was clear, either me or my dad would leave here.

Pissed, my dad threw a verbal rock, “We’ll get out of here alive, you stuck up cock!”

He looked madder than I’d ever seen him. The man at the shore laughed in delight.

Obviously he got some joy out of our plight.

No one could forsee what happened next

Everyone on the boat was too busy being vexed.

The man threw the lifevest into the sea

His laughter echoed maniacally.

Eagerly, my dad jumped off the boat, desperate for something to keep him afloat.

My body was the only one left on the boat, without my dad I had no one to row.

A chaotc buzz filled the air, a sound I’d never heard anywhere

No more games, that much was clear. The man hopped into a boat and began to steer.

I had seen enough, I was ready to be done, but the man on the boat was having fun.

Sliding the boat of of the docks, it roared towards my father, away from the rocks

Now I was so scared I could hardly breathe. Who was this man, what did he want?

Over my father his little boat rolled, crushing his skull into the waters below.

Then I screamed, I was so done. My father is dead, this man had won.

My father’s body had sunk underwater,

Evermore a lamb to the slaughter.

I threw a rock at the man, he slumped underwater,

The man fell victim to his victim’s daughter.

So I had won, after all in the end

He was dead, now the only problem was who? Who was this man?

A question that, it seems, will

Remain unanswered forever.

Ready to go, I swim over to the live vest and shrug it on.

I feel free at last.

Swimming to shore was easy.

Over and over, my arms moved in a repetitive motion.

No one could stop me now.

Though the water was cold, I did not shiver.

However, I had just killed, and my father was dead.

Expectedly, I began to cry.

Maybe I had done the wrong thing.

A feeling crept into me, that I recognized that man. He came from my youth.

No memory was strong enough to give me his name, however.

Who could it be?

How on earth did I know him?

On television? That didn't seem likely.

Hate rushed through me as I waded to his body

And looked at his face.

The first thing I notice is a familiar scar

Even though I don't know how it happened

So I look closer

Opal rings adorn his face, decorating his nose, lip, ear

Usually my family stayed away from those people.

Ready to turn and leave, I catch sight of a symbol in his jacket. How

Funny that I didn't recognize him before now

A strange sense of pity washed through me

My father had given him that scar.

I could barely remember it, it was so long ago

Lee, that was his name. He worked for my father.

Yet I thought he drowned when my father pushed him off a cliff. Guess not.

The recognition shocked me

How had he survived?

A miracle for him, or a curse upon us.

The answer I doubt we'll ever know.

Doom had spelled my father

And also this man.

Defeat had killed them both, so which one had won?

Killers, me and this man.

I and him are the same.

Leaving behind his memory,

Leaving behind my father's boat

Exiting the water, I retreated to the shore.

Done, was this game of life, that he and my father shall play no more.

He was dead, and I had killed him. Father was dead, and he had killed him.

Every thought I thought led back to that.

I am a murderer

So what to do?

A thought came to me,

Like a shooting star that crashed into my brain.

I didn't need to hide them. The water would hide them for me.

Very quietly, I crawled into the cabin

Except now I was gasping and crying.

Anything that happened today didn’t matter.

No matter what, I could just move on.

Doesn’t that seem like it should be easy?

Well, it’s not.

At least, not for me.

No matter what, I’ll remember today forever.

The day that I killed a killer.

Somehow, I managed to get to the hotel alive.

The white beds were soft and smelled like bleach. The

Only decoration is a painting of a doorway.

Knowing full well that I could be killed,

I leave the room.

Loneliness envelopes me as I step outside.

Little did I know, I wouldn’t be alone for long.

Under a roof sat the Olympic sized pool.

Seeing some kids, I joined them in the water.

Epilogue:

I met a little girl. Her mother looked at me and motioned for me to talk to her. I walked over to her.

“What do you want?” I asked the mom.

“Where’s your dad?”

“Out at the lake.” I tried to maintain eye contact.

“Oh. Well if you need anything, contact me.” Confused, I take the slip of paper from her.

I know about your dad and that man. If you ever reconsider needing help with the man, call me. 835-775-4566

P.S. he’s not dead just yet. :)

I responded with a note of my own.

(To find out what the note said, take the first letter of every line.)