They were dying.

All around me, my friends were dying by whatever plagued the Lake of Shadowbrook.

In the distance, I could hear Kyle as he dove into the water. The thrill of his scream was inaudible to the screams of those surrounding me.

I had to get out of here. I swam as fast as I could. Grateful that my parents forced me into all those advanced swimming classes as a child. I could feel them brushing against me as I swam towards the pier. My arms and legs burned, my lungs set ablaze by the icy waters.

I could feel them in the lake as they approached me. Everything was happening at lightning speed. I got to the pier and pulled myself out in one swift motion. I could hear the screams as they died out behind me.

Was I wrong for leaving them? What could I have done? Everything happened so fast. One minute we were skinny-dipping in the lake without a care in the world, and then I heard Jess's screams. Before I could react I heard Brad's screams.

Everything happened in the literal blink of an eye. Now I understood what people meant when they were in life-altering car accidents.

Out of breath, I lay on the pier. Naked and out of breath as the screams died out around me. I gained my breath for a second and pushed myself to my feet and ran towards the woods.

Kyle...

I could at least save Kyle.

I could see him in the water, but beyond him, I could see them approaching him. Their bodies formed ripples in the lake as they neared him.

"Kyle!" I screamed. "Kyle get out of the water!!"

I ran down the pier, doing my best to not slip off and plummet back into the water with them. I dropped to my knees and reached out for Kyle as he neared the pier. He was so close, I could almost feel his fingers on mine, but I knew they were too close.

I grazed his fingertips as one of them lept upwards. For a split second, I could see their pale skin, those bulging eyes that were human but not human at the same time. I watched as they consumed Kyle. Its mouth wrapped around him, those fangs wrapping around his torso, the blood as it erupted from his mouth.

I ran.

I ran, naked through the woods, and behind me, I could hear one, two, three...probably more as they jumped out of the water and onto the pier. I didn't look back, I couldn't bring myself to do so.

I ran through the woods as fast as I could. The bushes and branches from the trees sliced through my exposed skin, as I blindly ran towards the campsite. I could feel the warmth of my blood as it ran down my skin.

Brad's jeans. His truck keys were still in there, I saw him stuff them in there before we all got naked and jumped into the water. I zoned in on his jeans, still there on the picnic table. I ran faster, my feet screaming beneath me as I made my way over rocks and branches, undoubtedly leaving a trail of blood.

They sounded close. Close enough that if I stopped for a split second it would be my final move. I entered the campsite and grabbed Brad's jeans from off the table, I fumbled his jeans and yanked out his keys.

I peered behind me to see them jetting towards me through the woods. I had to run faster. So much faster.

In the distance, I could see Brad's truck. I shoved my thumb into the "unlock" button and heard his car horn cut through the night sky. I ran faster and faster, throwing myself into his driver's side door and tearing it open in a swift movement.

I hurled myself into my car, just as one of those things slammed themselves into Brad's truck. I felt the truck as it jolted onto its side. His keys slid from my fingers and onto the floor. From the corner of my eye, I could see another one of those things slam into the car, this one causing a spiderweb of cracks throughout the driverside window.

I lowered myself to retrieve the keys as the glass shattered entirely from the next blow. I could hear them screeching and screaming into the vehicle. I grabbed the keys and could feel one of their claws as they cut throw the exposed flesh on my back. I remained low as I shoved the key into the ignition. I could feel my blood raining down on the seat around me as I put the car in reverse, I steered the wheel blindly, out of the parking spot.

I could feel his truck slam into and over one of them. The one who scratched me crashing onto the pavement. Tears burned down my cheeks, blood rained down my back. I pushed myself into the driver's seat and threw the car into drive.

Around me, those creatures screamed and hollered into the night sky. Maybe they were thrown off by the vehicle, I couldn't sit there and debate it, I had to use it to my advantage as I stepped on the gas and blasted out of the campsite's parking lot.

Some tried to run, but Brad's truck was faster.

I drove. Drove into the woods, and away from the Icy Waters of Shadowbrook.