The cold water takes your breath at first. But what it gives back is electrifying. Your feet tingle. The full moon illuminates the still lake in front of you. You melt into its pearlescent glow.

Your worries left with your clothes.

You can hear your friends splashing behind you as they also wade naked into the lake. Determined to shake off your title as "the wimp" you take a deep breath close plunge headfirst into the water. You feel your feet play with the surface as you dive down as far as your breath will take you.

You burst through the surface again and take a giant breath in. Wow, how alive you feel!

There was silence. The splashing and laughter of your friends was replaced with a ripple from a slight breeze.

"Guys. Where'd you go?"

You move briskly towards the edge of the lake. The exciting electricity of the cold water replaced with a sudden dread in the pit of your stomach. You pull yourself out of the water and search around the banks but there was no trace of your friends. Nor your clothes!

"Fuck!"

The breeze kissed your wet skin and brought with it a sudden shiver. You run up the forest path towards where the cars were parked.

"Guys, this isn't funny. Where are you?"

Every stride steals the pride that it's taken you so long to build up. You hear that voice emerge from within like it always does: "No one will ever like you. You will never fit in!"

You reach the car park and it's deserted.

"WHYYYY?"

You see an empty bin bag flailing in the wind. You tear a hole in the bottom and poke your head through so at least there's some defence against the cold.

You begin pacing in the dark lane towards the direction you hope might be home.