Lake Agatha

“I double dog dare you,” I felt Derrick’s hot breath hit the side of my neck as he whispered into my ear, sending a wave of shivers down my spine. With one arm slung over my shoulder I felt him give me a squeeze, just enough to making breathing difficult.

“I can’t breathe,” I struggled to speak and pulled against his tight grip.

“So what is it gonna be Benji? You gonna do it? Or are you just a little baby?” I heard the smugness in his taunting voice. Taking a deep shaky breath, I looked out into the glistening lake. “You know what they say, once you go in…you never ever come back out,” he teased pushing me even closer to the edge of the dock. I stiffened and pushed back into him which caused him to laugh.

“I’m not scared if that’s what you’re trying to say,” I retorted back angrily. He did not answer. I took another deep breath and just stared ahead. The sun came out front behind the clouds and reflected against the surface creating a dazzling sea of diamonds. I squinted as I mulled over my options.

“This is a waste of time. We’ve been standing here for ten minutes and it’s obvious he’s too much of a wimp to jump in,” I turned around to see Brent sitting in the grass away from the dock with the rest of their buddies.

“Alrighty Benjamin…you in or out?” Derrick nudged me again almost off the dock this time. I jumped up high from the edge and whirled around to face him.

“Don’t do that!” I yelled in Derrick’s face. His eyes hardened for a moment and I was sure he was going to push me in. He just crossed his arms and laughed.

“He’s just a little punk so let’s get out of here,” Derrick called over his shoulder while maintaining eye contact with me. The guys in the grass groaned as they slowly began to stand up. Derrick gave me one final smug look before turning and walking back towards his friends.

“Wait,” I said. They all stopped and turned around. I looked into the lake one more time and taking a deep breath, “I’ll do it,” I said. Derrick ran up to me smiling and grabbed onto my shoulders with his hands walking me back to the edge of the dock.

“Benji finally grows a pair! You know what to do. And remember, if you don’t come back up you’re on your own,”

“Yeah I got it” I muttered as I began to peel my shirt off over my head.

“I’ll take your clothes,” Derrick said extending his hand out. I reluctantly handed over my shirt, pants, socks, and shoes. The sun slipped behind the clouds again causing me to shiver as a slight breeze blew across my back. It no longer felt like early September. Every nerve in my body was screaming against what I was about to do, but I was going to do it anyway. I looked over my shoulder one last time and Derrick gave me a thumbs up. Without even giving it another thought, I dove straight into the water.

The water was like ice. The cold paralyzed my limbs and locked them together. I started sinking quickly. The shock wore off and I began kicking and swimming back to the surface of the water. Taking a big gasp, I splashed around noisily struggling to tread the water as I wiped the water out of my face. All the guys were balancing on the edge of the dock and staring down at me.

“Good luck,” Derrick said with a half smile on his face. Taking another deep breath, I slipped back under the water swimming towards the underside of the dock. Swimming slowly, I had to remind myself why I was even here and what I was doing. It was that time of year again. Every year on the first day of school, the seniors pick a freshman for the infamous “Dare of the Year”. I, being the lucky freshman, was chosen and my dare was to summon Crystal. Of course you are allowed to refuse the dare, but then the seniors just find a way to punish you for the remainder of the week. Dare of the year has been a tradition for as long as I could remember. I’ve heard the stories from my older siblings long before I started high school. Our principal is also aware of this tradition and threatened over the school’s intercom that anyone found participating would be punished “severely”. Yet here I was.

There’s this lake in the center of town, Lake Agatha, that is cursed with seniors and spirits. Not only is it Union High School’s senior territory, but it has a tragic past. Everyone thought seniors just made up ghost stories about the lake to keep underclassman out. That was, until the incident. Crystal Johnson, a junior from our school, went to a party at the lake with some friends. They started a game of truth or dare and when it was her turn they dared her to skinny dip in the lake. She immediately accepted and ran down the dock throwing her clothes off. Her friends whooped and cheered as she gave one final wave before turning and diving into the water. Everyone ran onto the dock crowding around the edge and looking into the water waiting for Crystal to resurface. The friends began to feel uneasy as Crystal was nowhere to be found.

“The water feels amazing guys!” Crystal’s head popped up about 50 feet from the dock and she laughed as everyone let out a sigh of relief.

“Alright congratulations you completed the dare, now get out before you get hypothermia,” one of her friends called out.

“Okay okay,” Crystal laughed as she began swimming back towards the dock. Everything seemed fine until Crystal yelled out.

“Crystal?” her friend called out nervously.

“I think there’s something in the water!” Crystal yelled back hysterically. She had stopped swimming and spun in a circle trying to look into the water.

“Stop playing Crystal!” another friend called out. Crystal only screamed back in response. She splashed around violently and seemed to be fighting something under the water. She screamed for help but everyone was frozen in terror. Suddenly the water around her went calm and Crystal stopped fighting. Crystal started cutting through the water at an inhumane speed towards the dock. It was as if something, or something, had her by the ankle and was dragging her. She was pulled under the dock and everyone stood stuck in their spots. After searching for a week, her body was never found and the lake was closed to the public. While the lake never officially opened back up, seniors gradually started claiming their territory back. However, no one has been in the lake since then. They say that Crystal is still lurking somewhere in the water, and she’s pissed. No one came to rescue her and she takes revenge on anyone who dares to enter her watery grave. Legend is if you enter the lake and swim under the dock, you can summon her spirit by saying, “Crystal, why are you crying?”. She will then come for you and take you with her.

I resurfaced under the dock looking around. I reached up overhead and grabbed onto the wooden planks with my fingernails.

“I’m under,” I said hoarsely. I heard thumping as someone walked over to where I was. I saw Derrick dropped to the ground peering down at me through the cracks.

“Okay, now say what you gotta say,” Derrick said. I wanted to cry and I think I started to make weird noises. “Stop being a baby! It’s just a stupid story just do the dare or your clothes will join you in the water,”. I took a deep breath. There was a knot in my throat and I couldn’t get any words out. I’ve been warned by my Mom, my siblings, my friends, even my teachers to never ever go in Lake Agatha. Yet here I was, fully shitting myself.

“Cr-cr-cr-crystal…” I took another wobbly breath. “Umm…Crystal uhh…w-w-why are you…” I shook my head. I couldn’t do it.

“Do it little man!” Derrick yelled from above as he stomped his foot onto the dock.

“Crystal why are you crying?” I blurted out. Waiting for my doom, I turned in a circle. Nothing. No noises, no blood, no Crystal. Feeling really dumb I let out a nervous laugh. I was getting ready to swim out when something brushed against my ankle. My heart stopped and I kicked my leg around. “Guys?” my voice cracked big time but I didn’t care.

“Would you shut up Benji, just swim out and get back up here you did the dare,” I heard Derrick say. Throwing myself under, I quickly tried to swim out from under the dock. Nothing in life prepares you for the feeling of a clammy hand curling around your ankle while you’re swimming in a haunted lake. I didn’t know whether to scream, cry, or pass out. I moved my arms frantically as I was pulled further down beneath the surface. Water filled my lungs as I yelled out under the water attempting to kick my seemlingly invisible attacker.

I’m not sure what happened next. My lungs were burning and I needed air fast. I opened my eyes and looked into hers. She smiled and bubbles left her lips as she mouthed something to me. Her hair was flowing all around her in different directions. I was lying on my back against the lake floor as she sat on my chest smiling down at me. I smiled weakly back. She was the prettiest girl I had ever seen in my life. She grabbed my hands and intertwined her fingers with mine, kissing my knuckles. I wanted to laugh, but I also wanted to breathe. I tried to sit up but she put her small hand on my chest and gently pushed me back down shaking her head no. I gestured up towards the surface and she stuck her lower lip out pouting like a puppy. I swore a second ago she had clothes on…or maybe I was now just noticed her bare chest. Even under the water I could feel my ears burnings from embarrassment. She threw her head back and laughed. I shook my head and pointed up a little more urgently this time. She laid down on top of me with her arms resting across my shoulders and running her hands through my hair. Her chest pressed against mines as she was used her feet to play with my own. She smiled at me and gave me the most gentle kiss on the lips. I was going to burst, my lungs were on fire and I started convulsing from trying to hold back the urge to breathe. She cupped my face and looked straight into my eyes. It would be okay, all I had to do was breathe in and the burning would go away. She smiled and slowly nodded. I snapped out of and pushed her off of me. She screamed in outrage and the bubbles blinded me. I sat up and pushed off my feet trying to swim towards the surface. I wasn’t going to make it in time. I began choking behind my closed lips and began kicking harder. She grabbed my ankle again and pulled me down slamming me back onto the lake ground. She straddled me and screamed in my face. Her face was now purple and her eyes were two empty spaces staring straight into my soul. Her hair was knotted and filled with worms. She raised her hand up and slapped me on the cheek. Amazed at her speed under water, her hands sliced the water as she kept slapping and hitting me. I grabbed her wrist and stopped her from touching me. With her free hand she wrapped it around my throat and began squeezing. I left go of her wrist and she quickly began choking me with both hands, violently banging my head down on the lake ground over and over as she was screamed, “Breathe! Breathe! Breathe!”. I don’t know how, but I got her off of me and began to swim away again.

Derrick and Brent pulled my body out of the river onto the dock. I guess I did make it up. I tried to breathe but started choking. I rolled over and began to throw up water all over the dock. Finally done, I looked up to see Derrick, Brent, the others, and my clothes—gone.

…

Yet again, I was freezing. Running down the street in nothing but wet boxers can do that to you. As I ran I tried to shake off the clammy feeling that was crawling all over me. I’m so stupid, stupid for going with the dare, stupid for giving them my clothes, stupid for going in the water, stupid stupid!

I sped walked up the pathway to my house checking the empty driveway. That’s a good sign, that means mom wasn’t home yet and I would not have to explain coming home from “school” wet and naked. Reaching in my pocket for my key, I realized I didn’t have any pants on. Cursing under my breath, I banged on the door with my fist. Moments later the door swung open. Olivia, my seventeen year old sister, stood there with her cellphone balance between her shoulder and ear.

“No don’t believe it for a second Jasmine, he’s just trying to make you jealous. It’s a junior guy thing,” Olivia paid me no attention. She finally looked at me and started laughing. “I see your first day back went well,”. I just rolled my eyes.

“Would you move out of the way so I can go in the house please?” I huffed. She laughed again before slamming the door shut in my face. I began ringing the doorbell over and over as fast as I could. This time it was my nineteen year old brother, Drew, who opened the door with a game controller in his hand.

“Yo I was in the middle of a game! What happened to you?” He seemed to find it just as funny as Olivia did. I looked up the street and saw Mom’s car turning onto our street.

“Let me in the house!” I said quickly trying to push past him.

“No way little brother, this is too good” he said placing his hand on my chest and pushing me back a little.

“Come on please,” I said slapping his hand away. He just smirked as he leaned against the doorway. It was too late anyways because mom’s head was already hanging out her car window as she pulled into the driveway.

“Benjamin Jacob what do you think you’re doing!”. She quickly jumped out of her car and clicked towards me in her heels with her unbuttoned blazer flapping behind her. Her arm was swinging so wildly, I just knew her keys were going to fly out of her manicured nails.

“Oh hey mom,” I said with a huge smile on my face.

“Cut the bull, where are you clothes and why are you wet? Did something happen at school today?” she turned her in tense glare to Drew.

“Don’t look at me I graduated two years ago,” he put his hands up in defense and walked away. I looked back at mom who was giving me a “Well?” Stare.

“Can we please just go inside?” I asked her. She just made an annoyed sound and walked past me cursing and complaining under her breath.

…

I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, trying to shake off the events that happened earlier that day. I placed both hands on the edge of the sink taking a deep breath. My head snapped back up as I felt a hand grab the back of my neck. My blood turned to ice and my face went completely white as I looked into the mirror. There she was, standing right behind me with her cold wet fingers wrapped around my neck. I quickly spun around to see no one there.

”You’re losing it Benji,” I said out loud shaking my head. Turning to face the mirror again, the only person looking back at me was myself. I laughed nervously and walked towards the shower, peeling off my boxers and stepping in. Turning on the faucet, the warm water hit my body. Despite the temperature, I could feel goosebumps forming on my skin. I began shivering as the steam filled up the bathtub. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing straight out.

”Benji,” a singsong voice rang through my ears. I quickly spun around only to see the wall. The lights in the bathroom began flickering overhead and the water started to run cold. “Benjamin!” the voice sounded a little angry now. Again, I felt a hand gripping the back of my neck. Before I could process what was happening, I was yanked backwards. I grabbed onto the shower curtain as I went down, attempting to stop myself from crashing at the bottom of the tub.

…

I stood in the bathroom and stared at my own body, tangled up in the shower curtain at the bottom of the tub. A pool of blood formed around my head. A hand slipped into my own and I looked over to see Crystal smiling at me. She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on my lips.

“Come on,” her voice as sweet as sugar. I looked over at my body one last time.

“It’s okay, you’re safe now,” she whispered. I turned to face her and slowly nodded. She pulled me into a tight embrace.

Everything would be okay.