Horror // Paranormal // Thriller // Scifi // Short stories
~ A short story collection consisting of either tales inspired by dreams & nightmares, or retellings thereof.
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Kendra kicked off her shoes and waded into the water of the small lagoon. "You're lucky, Delila. You can actually go for a nice swim here every night!"
Delila started to undo the laces of her shoes, but the scarce light of the lanterns and the apartment complex behind them made it difficult for her to see—and undo—the knot in them. "Well, it certainly was taken into account when I decided to come live here," she said as her fingers finally managed to untangle the laces. Standing up, she looked over at her other two friends: Rachel was staring up at the night sky while Nathan was undressing down to his swim trunks.
"The water's lovely." Kendra looked over at Rachel. "Hey Rach, you coming in too or what?"
The girl turned her attention back from the sky to her friends. "Nah, I'm fine. I never liked the beach..." She looked at the sand and moved her shoe about, smoothening it.
Kendra rolled her eyes. "Come on Rach, you came here along with us for Delila's housewarming. This lagoon is part of that."
Nathan wrapped his arm around Rachel. "Yeah, come on. You must take at least one swim this weekend, and tomorrow we will be skinny dipping..."
Delila gave a little shriek. "Oh no, we won't!" She stood in front of Nathan, hands in her side. "I've only been living here for a week now, I don't want my neighbours thinking badly of me already!"
Nathan giggled. "I'm sure they already do, regardless of you wearing a bikini or not when you take a swim here at night."
Delila raised a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You didn't look into the history of this place then?"
Kendra waded a little closer to the water's edge. "Nathan, don't tell me you—"
"Yeah, I did some research online," he admitted.
Kendra groaned. "What kind of urban legend did you manage to find this time?"
"Not an urban legend," he said, a grin plastered on his face. "People have actually gone missing here. People that went for a swim at night..."
"Ooh, spooky!" Delila said, rolling her eyes. "People go missing a lot. Besides, this small lagoon ain't even that deep. If people were to drown they would be found. Something else probably happened to them."
"Okay, let me ask you something else... What's the perfect crime?" Nathan folded his arms over his chest, looking at the girls.
After a few seconds, Rachel answered, "There is no perfect crime, as for that to happen there needs to be no victim. And no victim equals no crime."
Nathan smiled broadly. "Exactly!"
Delila frowned. "What are you doing, Nathan? Are you trying to scare me into thinking that some Jack the Ripper stalks these parts?"
