The Lake House

8|| Help Me, Please

The night hung heavy in darkness. Fog crept through the misty air, and slowly, the grey clouds drifted over the blue lake and into the forested hills.

Lesley struggled to open her eyes as she awoke. Her head throbbed to a rhythmic beat- pounding against her temples. And her muscles ached with a fiery pain as if she had just run a marathon. Rocks and gravel poked harshly against her back. She turned to her side, her eyes widened in disbelief as they met the blue waters of the lake, and she gasped.

"Where am I?" She muttered.

Hastily, she rolled over onto her stomach, placing her palms on the ground; she struggled to lift herself up. Her muscles protested, and dirt spattered into the air, and her arms trembled. Defeated, she fell back into the dirt, flat on her stomach.

Once again, she mustered up the strength and pushed herself up. The sound of the leaves crunching beneath her hands echoed out into the forest. This time, her mind exceeded the strength of her muscles as she gained footing. Standing up, she was still in complete shock; disbelief and confusion washed over her.

Glancing down at her clothing, she noticed her black yoga pants and white t-shirt were muddied and covered in grassy stains.

"What am I doing out here?!" Her brows furrowed in concern as she massaged her temples.

She was clueless about where she was and what had happened.

Scanning the area, she tried desperately to recall what had brought her there.

Then, a shock wave ignited within her, and like a strike of lightning, last night's memories came tumbling back.

It hit her.

The drowned girl was alive!

Lesley's heart jumped, and goosebumps rode down her arms at the thought.

But was she really?

"No!" Lesley screamed, tormented by the thought. She shook her head in disbelief. The idea of the girl drowning weighed heavily on Lesley's conscience. She could've saved her if it hadn't been for Nick and Jackie, who told her she was imagining things and that she was suffering from exhaustion. And none of it was true.

Lesley cradled her head in her hands, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She knew she needed to help the girl, but first, she needed to figure out who the girl was.

Lesley's stomach turned in disgust as she thought about the torment the poor girl must've faced, drowning in the lake.

Where did she go?

As Lesley rubbed her head, she felt her curls clinging to the back of her head like matted fur.

"Hello?!" she yelled into the forest, her voice echoing back to her.

Lesley spun around, desperately looking for any signs of the girl.

"I can help you!" she shouted, but still, there was no response. However, Lesley had an idea.

She ran back through the mountains and over the hill, scrambling to get to her car. Disoriented, she tripped over a few branches that crunched under her sneakers. Pulling herself back up, she continued to run. She moved as fast as her feet could carry her until she was out of the forest and back at her car.

Gasping for air, she huffed and puffed until her lungs burned with a firey sensation. Pressing her back up against her car, she bent over, resting her hands on her knees for support as she recovered from the strenuous run.

"What the hell happened?" She questioned herself, still in a daze.

"Lesley, don't leave me!" The girl's voice reappeared, "Help me, Lesley!" The girl cried in desperation.

Lesley's mouth hung agape as she frantically scanned the darkened forest, the shadows pressing in around her. The area now filled with an eerie silence, only broken by the distant rustle of leaves. She knew the sun would be rising soon, but the encroaching darkness felt endless.

"Where are you?" Lesley shouted back, still gazing around the area for any indication of Leah.

"I'm in the lake, Lesley! Please." The girl's voice replied.

"Ok, I'll call the police." Lesley hurriedly reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out her car keys. Her hands were trembling as she fumbled with them. Finally, she was able to open up her car door. She quickly leaped into the front seat and grabbed her phone from the console.

With shaky fingers, she dialed 9-1-1.

The phone rang. It felt like an eternity until someone finally picked up.

"Answer! Gosh, Dammit!" Lesley yelled into the phone, frustrated.

"9-1-1-, what's your emergency?" A woman's voice answered.

Lesley hastily described the girl in the lake to the operator, giving all the details she could ascertain.

"We'll have a police car out there immediately!" the operator assured.

Lesley ended the call and then yelled out into the forest, "What's your name?!"

"Lesley, my name is Leah Meyers." the soft voice replied.

"Leah?!" Lesley's mouth widened, "You're the Meyers's daughter? The one who supposedly drowned?"

Leah replied," Yes."

A few minutes later, Lesley heard the wailing of police sirens.

"They're coming, Leah!" Lesley's relief washed over her as the promise of help drew near.

"Who's coming, Lesley?" 

"The police. They're coming to rescue you." A tear slid down Lesley's face. She knew she wasn't seeing things at the lake that one day. It wasn't her imagination, nor was it exhaustion. It was real, and she could finally prove it. 

"No, Lesley! Please, don't call the police." Leah pleaded frantically.

"Your parents think you're dead. We have to let them know you're alive." Lesley informed as she peered up at the starry night sky.

"Lesley, I am dead!" Leah shouted," Goodbye, Lesley."

"Wait!" Lesly raised her hands toward the sky, "Don't leave!" she shouted, desperation lacing her voice.

A police cruiser swerved into a parking spot next to Lesley's car. A tall man wearing an Arcaden Police uniform and a beard quickly hopped out and aimed his flashlight at Lesley as he approached her.

"Are you alright, ma'am?" he asked in a concerned yet slightly authoritative tone. "I'm Officer Grant. Can you tell me what's going on out here?"

He held up his flashlight, and the bright beam streamed into Lesley's eyes, blinding her. She squinted and raised her hand to block out the light. Still in a state of shock and disbelief, she managed to gather her thoughts.

"There's a girl out in the lake. She was talking to me," Lesley explained, grief enveloping her emotions. "It was Leah." Lesley's gaze ventured off toward the tall trees, "Leah Meyers."