In The Darkest Depths

01. Drag Me Down

I often wonder what it would feel like to drown.

Sometimes, I would even imagine it. The water dragging me down to the bottom while I gasped for air, unable to fight my way to the surface. The white spots that would appear in front of my eyes as I draw my last breath.

Would I let the darkness consume me? Or would my will to survive overpower all my other instincts?

Sunlight sparkles on the clear azure water like golden confetti.

Arcadia Lake has never looked more inviting. And yet, as I stare into the blue depths, I feel a sense of foreboding, as though something bad is sure to happen. At this moment, the lake doesn't feel like a fun place to swim for teenagers and kids alike.

It looks like a harbinger of death. Like I could drown in it.

Something bad is going to happen.

"Earth to Audrey." Saige waves a hand in front of my face and I get the feeling she has been trying to catch my attention for a while.

"Sorry." I shake my head to try and rid myself of my ominous thoughts. "What were you saying?"

"Too busy dreaming about Carter?"

I chuckle, but it sounds forced, even to my own ears. "No. And I told you before, I don't like him."

"Sure, you don't. Anyway, are we getting in or not?" She gestures towards the water where Rhea and Brennan are already splashing around.

"Yeah, I'm right behind you."

With a blinding smile she turns and heads towards the lake shore, discarding her shirt and shorts along the way. Her bright pink bikini stands out against her olive skin, molded to her body as though it was made for her.

I follow at a much slower pace, still unable to shake the unease from my shoulders. I watch as Saige reaches Brennan and wraps her legs around him, giving him a soft kiss on the lips. I can hear Rhea's giggles and taunts of 'oh get a room guys' even from here.

They look like the perfect picture of friendship, the three of them swimming together. All that's missing is Carter, who usually never wastes an opportunity to get in the water. If Rhea and Carter were to date, their little circle would be complete.

I wonder where I would fit in then.

"Audrey, come on!"

Rhea's voice jolts me out of my reverie, and I quicken my pace, removing my shorts as I go. Not for the first time, I wish that I had Saige's figure or Rhea's confidence. Neither of them wear a shirt while they are swimming, something they tease me about often.

I wade into the lake, reveling in the cool water surrounding my ankles. At the height of summer, it's warm, heated by the sun's rays. But the temperature has slowly started dropping as winter approaches, leaving the water cold and refreshing.

My feet slip against the smooth pebbles on the lake's bottom, and I almost lose my balance and tumble straight in. It has reached my knees now, swirling against my skin in soft waves caused by the others splashing.

"Hurry up!'

As the water has gotten deeper, so has the bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. By the time it is up to my waist, the sense of doom has lodged itself in my throat, suffocating me. My steps become more tentative. I'm unsure if I want to go further into the lake.

"Audrey!"

I swallow the dread as best as I can and dive into the depths. The water washes over me, soothing against my skin. My fingers skim the bottom, trailing along the rocks. I stay down for as long as I can, holding my breath and watching the sun's rays as they dance along the surface.

When my lungs feel as though they are about to explode I swim my way to the surface, breaking through and taking a deep breath. The smile on my face slips away almost immediately from the sight that greets my eyes.

The sky has turned from a beautiful clear blue to a miserable grey. The sunlight has disappeared, covered by dark clouds. The temperature has dropped dramatically, leaving the air chilly. Goosebumps erupt along my arms as the cold wind caresses my skin.

Ice freezes in my veins, matching the landscape as my breath comes out in small puffs, visible like wisps of smoke in the freezing air. Everything around me is silent, as though it has been muted. The sound of the others splashing is noticeably missing. It's too quiet.

I turn back to the lake shore, searching for them. Snow covers the ground, sheeting everything in a pristine white. It falls from the sky endlessly, creating a thick blanket over the grass, replacing the green as though the world has drained of colour. But that is not what causes terror to clutch my heart in its unforgiving fist.

Rhea, Brennan and Saige are all lying face down in the water. Their fingers trailing as the water ebbs and flows, almost bumping them into each other. Saige's dark hair floats around her like an oil spill, Rhea's blonde tresses surround her head like a halo. Brennan's bulky frame looks smaller somehow, almost as though it has collapsed into itself. They lie still, unmoving.

Dead.