“I never gave much time for ghost stories or fairies or the like. You got to show me something for me to believe it. And before, if you told me this story here that I’m about to tell, I’d have thought you a fool. But I don’t have long now. So here’s my confession whether you choose to believe or not.

My parents had a cabin by the lake, where we spent our summers. Small place but we were the only ones there. You’d get the odd family on nice days, or young couples parking up near the shore trying to get lucky. But no one had a place apart from us.

One year, there was a heatwave as I remember, I was cooling off in the lake when an old man come wandering out the trees around the water. His clothes all crumpled. Wild, white hair sprung out from the sides of his head and he had this peculiar mole right on top of his bald crown. ‘I wouldn’t be swimming in that there lake if I was you son.’ He shouted. Or something there abouts, as good as I recall. ‘Let me tell you a secret about that there lake.’ His voice was heavy and hoarse. ‘That there lake has a strange habit. You know the dock on the other side? Well you walk along that dock at night. Not early. I’m talking late. And you walk along to the end of that there dock and stare into the water. And you think of that person you hate more than anyone else. And you imagine them there looking back at you from under that there water. And you bet you’ll get a surprise then boy.’

I don’t know why I took any notice of the old fool. But that very night I found myself staring into that black water and thinking of Jessie Phillips. I was dreading going back to school, after the summer, and having Jessie terrorise me the entire year again. So I looked into that water and pictured Jessie just like the old man said.

Well when I returned back home for the start of school a week later the teacher, Ms Daws as I remember, told us Jessie had been hit by a car and was dead. Just a week ago it had happened, she said.

The next holiday I was back up at the cabin, back staring into that still, black water. Only this time, there was Jessie staring back up at me from under the water. His eyes wide in terror. His mouth open in a silent scream. No imagining needing to be done this time.

I made many trips back to the end of that pier over the years. Bosses, colleagues, ex-girlfriends, politicians, neighbours. I guess I’ve pretty much had my use of the lake by now. Don’t think I’ll be fit to make another trip up there and see all my old friends again.”