Death by Drowning

The sun shone down on the lake as Cynthia gazed out over the water. By the distance from the bottom edge of the sun to the water's edge , she knew that it'd be only 2 hours until sundown.

The cement block by her feet reminded her that the time was quickly running out. She glanced at the other occupants of the boat. The children were going to be sent home with friends when things "got interesting" - or at least that was the plan the man at the helm had let her know.

Cynthia swallowed her fear and smiled at her kiddo enthusiastically reeling a fish in. Her promise replayed in her mind: "I won't stop you as long as you let my babies go peacefully." It had taken a while to convince the boat master of her honesty.

She was going to die today. There was no getting around it. But, at least her children would be safe with their god-parents. The man in question was going to just be identified as a rental boat and she had already sold the back story that she was going to her ex's birthday party late tonight.

There'd be alcohol and it was going to be a late night. The kids' god-parent's knew her ex and hated his guts, so there had been no risk of them contacting him until her captor had done the deed that there was no return from.

In a way, Cynthia felt relief. There would be no more worries about bills. She had the house paperwork filled out last summer so when she didn't return, her mom would get the house and the custody for the littles that were terribly bothersome to her ex.

Kid's just didn't fit into his lifestyle. She remembered when she got the twin's positive pregnancy test eight years prior. "Either you get rid of them, or I'm leaving." came the cold threat. "If you tell anyone the brat is mine, it won't live to it's first birthday."

Cynthia had run that night. The twin's came early 5 months later, but the only person who knew that her ex was the father was her Daddy. He swore to take her secret with him to his grave. As far as she knew, he had kept his word and for the last 2 years, she was the only one who knew.

The father? He couldn't even remember that she'd been pregnant. She disappeared for 4 years and reappeared only when she needed a job - the bar he owned was looking for a bartender and he hit on her. The fact that she had the boy's was a carefully guarded secret for obvious reasons with what happened in the back room of the small bar.

Cynthia stole another glance towards the helm. The pistol still sat barely covered by the life jacket sitting next to her captor. She looked away and chuckled. Her life would pay a debt for her kid's father... or so the story had gone on why she had come home to him sitting on her couch, pistol in hand, and got her to agree that he could do anything. Absolutely anything providing her boys were safe.

Men were easily placated when it came to begging. She knew all of the right buttons and he agreed easily enough. That was just last night. The boys had wanted to go fishing and her emergency contact wasn't available until evening. She was thankful for this last happy day... it was a gift.

The lake that they were on had been the same lake that she grew up on. Her childhood had been spent on a houseboat and ever since she could remember, the running dark joke had always been that she'd either walk on the water or drown. Up until now, she'd always been able to say that she could walk on the water. The cement brick by her feet would be solving that though. It was a fitting end to her story.

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A while later, the boat was empty besides her and the armed man. The moon had slipped out and the darkness was slowly falling on the lake.

Cynthia had thanked her best friend for taking the boys; gave them big bear hugs and kissed their cheeks making them both squeal in protest; and then held back the sob as they drove safely off.

"Ya aren't gonna go back on our deal, now are ya?" came the quiet drawl.

"No sir. I won't fight you."

The serene night had fallen around them when the boat sat calmly as the rope was tied to the cement block. There was no more talk.

The block went over and Cynthia's last thought as it hit the water was to have her God forgive her for the biggest lie she ever told and to forgive her for ensuring that the other end of the rope was secured around the waist of her captor as a last surprise for him after his happy ending.

At least he died happy as the bubbles stopped breaking the surface tension of the water. Cynthia had to get home to her boys.