Tap. Tap. Tap.
"Groan."
"Wake up sleepy head...we need to get on the road if we're going to have any daylight left at the lake."
"Lake?" came the foggy reply and then "Oh the lake!" Sitting up quickly in her bed Kayla rubbed her eyes. She knew they were going to the lake today, but that book hadn't let her put it down.
Her father chuckled outside her door and went back to packing the car. Her mother was in the kitchen packing the basket of snacks for the day. Kayla bounded down the stairs as she looped a pony tail holder around her long brown hair. "Morning Mom..sorry I overslept...that book was ...you know me..."
"Mmhmm...couldn't put it down. I know dear."
She grabbed an apple and a few granola bars and shoved them in the side pocked of her backpack for the ride to the lake. She had a swim suit and another book in there as well, just in case it rained and she was stuck in the tent all day. Sadly that happened pretty regularly.
The drive to the great lake was uneventful, but odd things began happening once they got camp set up. Things moved. Her mother's pan was suddenly not on the grill over the fire, but on a log near the woods. Kayla's book was not in her pack but under a bush, not something she would ever do, ever. Her dad's flashlight was deeper in the woods and turned on. Giving credit to some mischievous kids, ehr dad blew the odd occurrences off as boyish pranks, but Kayla was spooked.
The next morning Kayla woke up and unzipped her tent and frowned when she was greeted by total silence. She tapped on her parent's tent but got no answer so she unzipped it and found it empty. Maybe they went to catch some fish before breakfast, she thought. She followed the trail toward the big lake and had the eeriest feeling she was being watched. The short hairs on ehr neck were prickling and she felt a cold shiver move over her. When she got to the small dock her dad had built, she didn't see anyone and that silence...it was swallowing her and making her mind even more terrified than she already was. Where were the birds? The rustling of little animals?
She looked out over the water and there was a heavy fog dancing jsut above the water's surface. She frowned and peered at the fog, sure she had seen something. Then she saw it, a woman walking atop the water, no floating above it. her hair was white and flowing behind her like wind was blowing it, but there was no wind that morning. Her eyes were bright blue and glowed as if lit from within from her face. She felt panic well up, but her feel would not move.
"Kayla..."
"Y..y..yeah..."
"Come to me Kayla..join your family..."
"M..m..my..f..f..family?"
"They are with me...come...they miss you..."
Oh no...what happened...was she dreaming? Please be dreaming. She pinched herself but nothing happened. The floating woman was getting closer and closer, she was beautiful until Kayla started to take steps backward away from her. Then her face turned into a hideous monster with sharp teeth that began to chase her as it roared.
She ran back to the car and locked herself in, but the woman passed through the metal of the car as if it was not even there. Kayla Screamed and then was gone.
Rangers found the abandoned camp two days later. There was no sign of the family, or of a struggle. To this day, it remains an unsolved mystery.