Lake

The sun was setting, painting the sky a deep orange as the black SUV sped down the dusty road. Inside, the seven friends were buzzing with excitement, music blasting through the speakers as they all joked around.

"Man, I can't wait to hit that lake. I've been dying for this break!" Jason said, leaning back in the passenger seat, his arm casually resting on his girlfriend, Mia's, shoulder. They were the serious couple, the ones everyone knew were gonna last. Mia smiled, her hand resting on his thigh.

"Bet you can't wait to get me alone, huh?" Mia teased, her voice playful, making Jason smirk.

In the back, Josh, the funny guy of the group, leaned over the seat, interrupting. "Oh yeah, 'cause nothing says romance like murky lake water and bug bites. Real romantic, bro."

Laughter erupted in the car, except for Natalie, the quiet one, sitting beside Josh. She always got shipped with him, but no one really knew what was going on there. She had a half-smile, eyes out the window, watching the landscape blur by.

Behind them, in the very back of the SUV, the second couple, Ashley and Ryan, were tangled up together, clearly more into each other than the road trip. They were the couple everyone knew wasn't going to last—too much heat, not enough substance.

"Hey, when we get to that lake," Ryan grinned at Ashley, "we're skinny dipping, right?"

"Only if you can keep up," Ashley shot back, running a finger down his chest.

"You two are gross," Natalie muttered, but the edge of a smile tugged at her lips.

They continued like this for hours, the car full of chatter and teasing. Then, as the darkness fell, they finally reached their destination—a small, worn-out motel by the lake. The neon sign flickered, barely visible in the thickening mist that had begun to creep over the area.

"Home sweet home," Josh announced with fake enthusiasm.

Everyone piled out of the car, stretching their legs. Natalie stood off to the side, shivering despite the warm air. She clutched the small silver cross around her neck, her fingers rubbing it nervously.

"This place… it feels wrong," she said softly, eyes darting around the empty lot.

"Here we go," Josh said, rolling his eyes. "Come on, Nat, it's just a run-down motel. It's gonna be fine. You're always so paranoid."

"No, seriously," Natalie insisted, her grip tightening on the cross. "There's a bad omen here, I can feel it." She began muttering prayers under her breath, her lips moving quickly.

Josh, never one to miss an opportunity, grinned and clapped his hands together like he was joining in. "Yes, Lord, bless this fine establishment and this shady-ass lake!"

Everyone burst into laughter, but Natalie just glared at him.

"Cut it out, Josh," Mia said, though she was smiling too.

"Yeah, bro, stop scaring the poor girl," Jason added, shaking his head.

Still, despite the jokes, an uneasy feeling settled over the group as they walked toward the motel. Inside, the lobby was small and dimly lit. Behind the counter was a girl in her early twenties, bored and scrolling through her phone. Her dark hair was tied up in a messy bun, and she wore an expression that said she'd rather be anywhere but here.

"Welcome to Lakeview Motel," she said flatly, not even looking up as they approached the counter.

Josh, never one to miss a chance, leaned over the counter with a grin. "Well, aren't you just the ray of sunshine we've been waiting for?"

The receptionist barely glanced at him, her eyes still glued to her phone. "Need your name for the reservation," she muttered, tapping at the screen in front of her.

Jason nudged Josh. "Dude, you're bombing hard right now."

Ryan chuckled from behind. "Man, even a lake monster would've done better."

"Y'all can laugh now, but she'll be texting me later," Josh shot back, trying to play it cool, but everyone knew he was embarrassed.

The receptionist handed over the keys, completely uninterested in the banter. "Room 3, right across from the lake. Enjoy your stay, or whatever." She turned her back, clearly done with them.

As they grabbed their bags and headed toward the room, Josh muttered, "Well, that was cold."

"You think that was cold, wait till you see the lake tonight," Ashley teased, throwing a sly glance at Ryan.

They continued joking as they headed toward their rooms. Meanwhile, at the edge of the lake, one of the motel staff—a man in his mid-forties—was out there by the water, swearing under his breath. He was only out there because he'd needed a break from the awful motel and had wandered off to relieve himself by the lake.

"Damn place… worst job I've ever had," he muttered as he unzipped his pants, letting loose into the tall reeds by the shore.

The air was still, unusually quiet, not even a ripple in the lake. As he finished, something stirred beneath the water. He glanced over his shoulder, half expecting to see some animal or fish, but the surface was eerily calm again. He shook his head and laughed it off.

"Probably just a fish," he muttered to himself, but deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him.