Beyond the Deep Water

Water

Almost out of breath and in extreme pain, Camille reaches the only place where she feels peace. A place so pure and full of life, that it actually alleviates her the tormenting experience she just had. Blue Water Lake.

Camille promised her mother to go to Paige’s house; but right now, this is the only place she wants to be. Falling just a few feet away from the water, a sharp stab in her ribs makes her gasps for air. Still, in her pajamas, sweat mixed with blood and salty tears. She’s a mess but she doesn’t care anymore, she's free.

Camille spreads her sore arms on the grass, the infinite space above her sprinkles with gold, a view that pulls a smile out her. Looking at one light that stands out from the extended variety. A huge and shiny moon illuminates her on its own marvelous way.

With no strength to explain or make up excuses to justify her wrecked looks, Camille sighs, hoping that she can regain her confidence again. The energy to face her friends and actually talk about her secret. For now, she wants peace, give her heart the time to heal.

Camille’s violet eyes focus on the stars, the way they gently blink hypnotizes her, immediately lightening up her spirit. She stretches her torn arms, trying to make a grass angel but stops. Her chest hurts as her lungs spread inside, under the moonlight Camille starts laughing. Freely laughing out loud, letting the pain finally go, her broken voice echoes in the distance.

Surrounded by fireflies, and croaking frogs. The grass feels humid on her back, the smell of mud intensifies as the night moves forward. Giggling at the freedom to know she's broken the curse of having to see Steve’s face again. To feel his dirty hands on her; to never hear his obscene breathing on her neck. Camille closes her eyes, slowly moving her arm, to pinch herself awake.

“I’m free.” she breathes out with deep relief.

“I am free!” she says loudly.

Even though she's happy, her voice breaks softly and tears form in the corner of her eyes. Realizing her bare feet touching the wet grass, it’s not pleasant, but her injuries have numbed every sense of feeling on her skin. The low sound of running water soothes her senses, relaxing with the smell of green grass as the water rises. A thin curtain of mystery moves beneath her body.

Exhausted from running without stopping she rushed to Blue Water Lake, not caring to be barefoot or her broken toenails. Camille breathes as the night sinks in. Spectacular and enchanting, although it’s not cold, it feels damp. Eerily calm, something she's never expected from this popular meadow. This is the first time Camille comes here at night and it’s quite fascinating.

Though, sometimes the sensation of something scary hiding under the lake calls upon her, something very much alive. Camille knows that nothing can be more ominous and eviler than Steve.

Now, she’s free from him, and she can feel the calmness, knowing that her life is changing. But deep down Camille knows there’s one more fear she needs to face; and even though, she loves the peace surrounding her right now; there’s something beyond the water that lurks around her. Deep down, she feels it waking up to her presence.

Convincing herself that there will be no more tears of pain in her eyes. That there’s nothing more dangerous than facing the monster she's been living with. There’s nothing that will ever make her afraid, like waiting every night under her blanket, vigorously praying for the sun to come up and illuminate the darkness right before Steve shows up in her room. She sighs relieved.

“No more,” she says with hope.

“Camille...” a faint whisper calls out in the distance.

Snapping her eyes open, Camille sits up in a sudden move that makes her face throb painfully but she doesn't care. Her eyes immediately scanning her surroundings, almost invisible in the dark. Realization slaps her awake. She’s alone in the dark.

The night owls echo in the woods, followed by a rustling sound in the distance making her gasp in shock. Her unrested heart starts to accelerate once again.

“Camille...” the voice echoes from under the water.

Camille rubs her arms to warm up the sudden chill spreading on her skin. She stops, something different within the lake stops her from moving at all. Something hypnotic deep in the water, not an animal, but an object.

Curiously, Camille moves closer to the edge, trying to make up a mysterious sphere forming in the center below. A light that seems to give life to the water. No matter how clear the aqua water is; a light can’t be seen this clearly from the outside; unless it shines like a mare star.

"Camille..." it calls again.

Crawling one step closer, observing the mesmerizing glow that disperses a magnetic energy around it. A strange force grovels up from her feet, gentle and cool. Something enchanting and powerful, thick and humid, she gasps to realize it’s the water moving around her.

Paralyzed by the even, Camille watches how the water has been stretching enough to wrap her around like a blanket. Suddenly feeling her body weakening, her heart beats against her chest rapidly. The energy she has barely collected now fades in a blink of an eye with a simple thrust. Leaving her at a disadvantage, the disembodied voice echoes with her name one more time as she squirms to break free.

“Oh God, please not now!” her voice softly trembles but she has no more energy to fight.

Camille struggles to pull herself back and break away the contact with whatever has trapped her. Her hands planted on the ground, Camille tries to stand up but strangely the liquid seems to be holding her down without effort, crawling over her sides. Little by little the water starts to rise into thin tentacles, slowly spreading around all the way to her head. Gasping in fear, she pushes out her last breath to reach for something to grab on, but the water is already dragging towards the deep.

“Oh no, oh no!” she turns to pull on the grass but fails as the water drags her in.

In a matter of seconds and without a chance to catch her breath, Camille is violently jerked to the depths of the lake. Gently surrounded by a large bubble, Camille is floating in the center of the lake. Slowly moving towards the orb, as it gets brighter and brighter.

Still able to breathe, she falls blinded by the blazing light coming out of a giant opening at the bottom of the lake. Camille fights to turn around and swim her way to the surface, but she feels heavy and weak. Fatigue takes over her beaten body, stopping her struggle, Camille finally gives up. There’s nothing she can do, and maybe there’s nothing to fight for. Feeling how her reason is drifting away, she closes her eyes as the water carries her away to another world. To a better world.

“Camille...” the voice echoes loudly as all sound is canceled by the water.

Helplessly losing the last bit of her energy, Camille feels the comforting warmth of the light as she gets closer to the portal of water.

“Adam...” she calls out, before closing her eyes completely. Letting the water take her to where it’s supposed to. Camille surrenders to the magic and the mystery of Blue Water Lake.