The glassy water and orange sunset make the lake seem like it was pulled out of a painting. In the distance forest beyond the lake owls hoot, waiting for the night. Fireflies fly in the dim light creating temporary stars. I sit on the edge of the dock and watch the receding sun, taking it all in before my vacation ends.

Behind me, my cabin fills the darkening world with light. I rented it for dirt cheap. Supposedly some who stay here disappear. No one knows why. Some of the towns folk say it’s haunted. Others say there’s something in the woods. I’ve never been a superstitious person and the owner of the cabin said not everyone disappears.

After the sun finally sets I get up and walk back to the cabin. Before I make it off the dock a feeling pokes at the back of my neck. I turn around and it move to the front of my neck. Like a piece of wire, a thin wavering string of light rises out of the water at the end of the dock and reaches my neck. The light pulls me forward. A cold sweat covers my body. Dread fills my mind as I realize it’s not in the cabin or in the woods. It’s in the lake.

Dread soon turns into regret. Why did I rent this damn cabin. I finally make it to the edge. My body freezes and my teeth start chattering from fear. Below a strange blue glow lights up the water. I follow the string of light and come eye to eye with a half decomposed corpse at the bottom of the lake. It’s eyes glow faintly. For the first time in my life I start praying. I shake my head to try and wake myself up. It doesn’t work. As if enjoying my torment, the corpse smiles and my body is pulled into the water. Darkness consumes me.

I wake back up unable to breathe and move. I open my eyes and look up at the dock. As I drown, the corpse stands on the dock and just smile at me, it’s flesh barely hanging on to the bone. I struggle to move my body. My lungs ache for air. Darkness creeps into the corner of my eyes. It makes its way to the center of my vision and I become the corpse.