Short scary stories to read at night Volume 1

During 1945 I got out of the Military after serving in the U.S. Army, I was just one of many of people who served what's now called World War Two. Just saying it sounds weird, a Second World War never thought of a second luckily there wasn't a third. I always enjoyed fishing when I was young and before I enlisted, once I got out and reunited with my family I got back into fishing again. Like most Fishermen, I grabbed my pole and a bucket of bait and set out to catch some game. My family lives near a lake, so it was easier for me to grab a boat and set out for some fishing. Most Soldiers who come back from War are very far minded as in the War never left them, sadly I'm one of many who still battles it. But fishing keep me calm and relaxed, I hooked the bait and cast out my line and just waisted for a snag. I gaze upon the water is a little dark to see but if you look close enough you can see the fish swim on about. Suddenly I gain a snatch so I reeled my pole back and yank it, caught myself a beautiful looking fish. Tho this was more catch and release game so I unhook it's mouth and put it back to the water and resumed my fishing game. Occasionally I would look in the water just to watch fish swim on about, I enjoyed watching them swim free sometimes makes me wish I would swim and breath underwater. While I waited, I noticed something strange in the water I was sure it was a fish but it's eyes glowed under the water and it was staring at me. I'm pretty sure fish eyes don't glow like a firefly in the night, I squinted my eyes to get a closer look at what the hell I'm looking at, suddenly it looked as if it was getting close to me. Then I saw the rest of it whatever it was it was near human, like one of those Mermaids but it looked more fish then person and it was reaching at me. I lean back and nearly fell off of my boat, I was to scared to look back so I took the boat back to my home. I was very scared of what I just witnessed, even my own parents and sisters wonder why I looked as if the Devil came after me. At this point I was sure it was the Devil came for me, I didn't say anything durning dinner or went to bed. The next morning, I went for a early fishing I was still spooked from yesterday so I had the family shotgun with me just in case, I sat on the docks instead of getting in the boat. Letting the water soak my feet while I fished, had the shotgun next to me just in case whatever that thing was showed up. I checked the waters but only saw fish so I was relieved but still cautious, eventually I forgot the whole thing and focused on my fishing. I felt something tickle against my feet and put it off for a fish then I felt something like a hand grab my ankle and yank me down in the water. I was thrashing and looking for what grabbed me then I saw it, for a long time sailors talked about seeing Mermaids. So I believe I meet my first Mermaid the lower half was indeed fish like but the upper half is burned into my memory. It looked more Fish then human it's eyes glowed as they stared at me, gills on it's neck, fingers were webbed it stared at me and I only felt dread in my heart. Then someone grabbed my wrist and yank me out of the water, I was thrashing and screaming til I heard my Father saying it's okay and he's got me now. My Sister ran to get Dad after she thought I was drowning, in my panicked stupider I told on how there's some creature in the water. Dad looked in the water but saw nothing, but my Dad and Sister noticed a hand bruise on my ankle, this bewildered them both even when I was brought to hospital even the Doctors couldn't explained it. The bruise mark was from a strong grip, only I still know the truth. Even now as a Grandfather I have a fear of going near that lake or any types of lake, sometimes it takes my own children to coax me into stepping to the lake water again. To this day I still wonder if that creature is still at the bottom of the lake.