The Lake Knows

Ellie couldn't get Charlie's words out of her head as she drove back to the house.

You brought it back.

The phrase echoed in her mind, louder with every turn of the wheel. She tried to dismiss it as the ramblings of a drunken or unstable man, but deep down, she knew better. There was something wrong with Graven, something wrong with the lake—and somehow, she and Joey were caught in the middle of it.

The fog had thickened since she left the diner, turning the short drive back to the house into a slow, nerve-wracking crawl. The world outside the car was nothing but swirling gray, the road ahead barely visible. Ellie's knuckles turned white as she gripped the steering wheel, her stomach twisting every time the fog shifted, making her think she'd seen a figure standing in the distance.

By the time she pulled into the driveway, her nerves were shot. The sight of the sagging house did nothing to calm her. It loomed in the mist like a forgotten relic, its peeling paint and warped shutters giving it the appearance of something that had been left behind for a reason.

Ellie parked the car and climbed out, the damp chill of the fog sinking into her skin. She hurried to the front door, her heart pounding as she unlocked it and stepped inside.

"Joey?" she called, her voice echoing through the silent house.

No response.

She set her keys on the counter and glanced at the note she'd left that morning. It was still there, untouched. Panic began to creep in. "Joey?" she called again, louder this time.

Still nothing.

Ellie ran upstairs, her footsteps echoing in the empty halls. She threw open Joey's bedroom door, her heart sinking when she saw the room was empty. His bed was unmade, his stuffed dinosaur lying on the floor. The window was closed, but the glass was fogged up, and there were faint smudges on the surface—fingerprints.

Ellie's stomach twisted. She rushed back downstairs, checking every room, every corner, but Joey was nowhere to be found.

"Joey!" she shouted, her voice cracking.

And then she heard it.

A faint whisper, coming from outside.

Ellie froze, her blood turning to ice. The whisper was soft, almost melodic, but she couldn't make out the words. It was coming from the direction of the lake.

"No," she whispered, shaking her head.

She ran to the front door and yanked it open. The fog had thickened even more, turning the yard into a ghostly void. The whisper grew louder, clearer, as if it were calling to her.

"Joey!" Ellie shouted, stepping onto the porch.

The fog shifted, parting slightly to reveal a small figure standing at the edge of the yard. Ellie's heart leapt into her throat. It was Joey.

He was standing perfectly still, his back to her, facing the direction of the lake.

"Joey!" Ellie screamed, running toward him.

He didn't move.

She reached him in seconds, grabbing his shoulders and spinning him around. His face was pale, his eyes wide and unfocused. He was shivering, his lips trembling as he whispered something under his breath.

"Joey, what are you doing out here?" Ellie demanded, shaking him gently. "Why didn't you stay inside?"

Joey blinked slowly, as if waking from a dream. "It… it said you were gone," he murmured.

Ellie frowned. "What? What said that?"

Joey's gaze drifted toward the lake, barely visible through the mist. "The voice. It said you left and weren't coming back. It told me to come with it instead."

Ellie's stomach churned. "Joey, listen to me. If you ever hear that voice again, you don't listen to it, okay? You stay inside. You stay where I can see you. Do you understand me?"

Joey nodded slowly, but Ellie could see the fear in his eyes. He wasn't just scared—he was confused. Whatever had called to him, whatever had lured him out here, it hadn't felt wrong to him. It had felt… familiar.

Ellie didn't know how to explain it to him, because she didn't understand it herself. But she knew one thing: they couldn't stay here much longer.

"Come on," she said, taking his hand. "Let's go inside."

That Night

Ellie bolted awake, her heart racing.

She didn't know what had woken her at first. The house was silent, the fog outside pressing against the windows like a living thing. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. 3:12 AM.

And then she heard it.

The whisper.

It was louder now, clearer, as if it were coming from inside the house.

Ellie climbed out of bed, the floorboards creaking beneath her feet. She crept into the hallway, her breath catching in her throat. The whisper seemed to be coming from Joey's room.

Her pulse quickened as she reached his door. She pushed it open slowly, the hinges groaning.

Joey was sitting up in bed, staring at the window. The fog outside glowed faintly, casting an eerie light across his face.

"Joey?" Ellie whispered, stepping into the room.

He didn't respond.

Ellie crossed the room and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Joey, what's wrong?"

He turned to her slowly, his eyes wide and unfocused. "It's calling me again," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ellie's blood ran cold.

"What is?"

Joey pointed to the window. "The lake."

Ellie turned to look, her breath catching in her throat. The fog outside the window shifted, and for a brief moment, she thought she saw something moving within it—a dark shape, tall and thin, with glowing eyes that seemed to pierce through the mist.

She blinked, and it was gone.

Ellie pulled Joey into her arms, holding him tightly. "It's okay," she whispered, more to herself than to him. "It's going to be okay."

But deep down, she knew it wasn't.

The lake wasn't just calling to Joey.

It was calling to her too.