Lake Clear

May 28, 2044- Saturday

Rise Prongs lays in bed, the sound of the morning farm animals enter through the open window like a busy song. A light breeze surrounds the bedroom bringing fresh air from outside. The familiar cotton blanket feels nice against his skin. His legs feel a bit sore so he stretches them forward at the ankle. He ran a bit too hard yesterday outside the farm. He lays comforted by the blankets until he recalls the strangers in last week’s meet. They were in the background of the video. He has told nobody about them. Just thinking about the video makes him snuggle deeper into his blanket, pulling it up over his head.

His hand reaches for his phone to check his social media while under the blanket. The cellphone casts bright blue light on Rise’s messy hair and barely woken face. Through direct messages, Ben has sent him an invitation to go to Lake Clear today in the afternoon to his parent's lake house. Rise confirms with Kevin if he is going first too. Rise has to ask his mom, but Kevin offers to give him a ride there. The three of them will be celebrating the end of their junior school year.

Later in the afternoon, Rise throws a swimsuit bottom into a gym bag. Kevin texts twenty minutes later to tell him he would be on the way.

The noon sun on the porch is beating down brightly. It warms Rise’s arms from the length of his forearm to the edge of his shirt.

“Headed out?” asks Pa.

“Yes, Pa I let Ma know,” says Rise.

Pa pats Rise on the shoulder before heading inside the house.

Rise sits on the white bench on the porch allowing the sun to hit his exposed legs. He looks down at his legs already tan from the exposure to the Srpig sun. The warmth of the light contrasts with the coolness of the breeze. A black car pulls up to the driveway- Kevin’s car. As soon as he gets the message: here, Rise stands up to wave at the car with Kevin inside. He bolts from the bench.

“I’m leaving!” shouts Rise into the house from the front door.

“Take care,” says his Ma back from the living room.

The inside of the black car emanates a scent of the ocean because of the fragrance packs bought at the stores. It’s a familiar scent to Rise who has been in Kevin’s car before. Its fragrance spills into Rie’s nostrils like a powerful punch. He rolls down the windows to allow the fresh breeze to enter through the window. Kevin takes them out onto country roads to make it to the lake house.

“Let me put some music,” says Rise.

“Yeah. That one playlist you made the other day, remember?” says Kevin.

The music plays a pop song: …the days are longer, so go out, out, stay out…

From the touchscreen on the front of the car, Rise connects his phone. Soon music vibrates throughout the black car spilling out of the window and into the outside. The trees are more densely packed in this area of the countryside, but there are occasional crop fields too. There are a few cars headed in traffic out here on the country road they are on. The bumps of the road in some areas feel like a small rollercoaster which they drive over, laughing at their jokes. Rise’s phone has the directions pulled up on his screen connected to the car. Into view comes in the blueness of Lake Clear stretching for more than half a mile. Off in the distance, there are small white dots of boats attached to the lakeshore.

“Turn to the left. Your destination is on the right,” says the map’s voice.

The car turns onto the driveway of a grey two-story house with a hammock on the front lawn.

They walk onto the clipped green grass. Its blades poke up into the sky in jaded shapes. Kevin locks his car with a beep, beep and they walk up to the house’s front door. Before they arrive at the door, Ben opens the door.

“Hey guys come in for a bit,” says Ben.

“Hey!” says Kevin.

“What’s up,” says Rise.

The afternoon rays beam outside filtering through the screen of the front door. Inside the kitchen table island table, Mrs. Pine has set a lemonade in a pitcher. The boys fill their cups and talk in the kitchen.

Rise changes into his swimsuit short inside of the bathroom. The cool tiles under his feet feel nice. He piles his clothes into his bag before heading out the door of the house. The lake is close to the house down a short walk. The grass at the front of the house is in between the house and the lake. The three boys look out into the afternoon sun before getting into the still water.

Rise feels the water around him like a liquid cloud. It is so relaxing and calming. They swim into the nearby depths of the lake. Kevin splashes water on Rise and Ben. Soon all three splash water to each other. The three end their time in the lake swimming at their own pace.

Rise changes back into his clothes borrowing a towel from Ben to dry himself.

The movie plays on the large television screen, its light casts onto the three teenagers. Ben holds the popcorn bowl; he sits in the middle of the sofa. Rise dug his hands into the bowl pulling out a handful of popcorn. The layer of butter on the puffy balls is the right amount of slick. His fingers have a layer of butter by the time the bowl is emptied. Once the movie credits roll the window outside the sun has thrown its last rays. Ben, Kenin, and Rise go outside to take some pictures.

“You know next year we start looking for schools?” says Ben.

“Oh yeah, our senior year,” says Kevin snapping a photo.

The three of them pose for a photo with the rays of the sun behind them.

“I want to keep running after high school,” says Rise.

They look through the photos they snapped choosing the best one to post. After posting the photo Kevin and Rise enter the car to leave. They wave goodbye to Ben. The drive back home is lonely with no cars on the country road. The friends talk about their plans for the summer. They plan to hang out at each other homes and with Ben. The state race will be coming soon for Rise. Also, they plan to go out for runs in the summer. But soon, those plans will be altered for the two friends by the start of summer unbeknownst to the laughing voices in the car.