I have always loved the calm one gets from fishing alone so when I decided to spend a weekend by Pine Lake I was psyched I packed all my gear and drove for hours until finally setting up camp in a secluded spot by the water the sun had set I cast my line as it painted the sky with brilliant shades of orange and pink ready for a perfect night of relaxation Darkness closed around me so familiar that it felt like breathing crickets chirping and the rustle of leaves moving in the wind I sat there lost in
thought waiting for a bite when I heard crunching through the brush footsteps I turned jerking my head towards the sound and saw a man step out from behind the trees mind of I join you he asked his voice warm but with a certain awkward Edge oh yeah I said trying to make myself sound nonchalant I didn't think anyone else was out here most people avoid this he said sitting down about a few feet from me he looked rugged 50ish or so with a scruffy beard and a worn flanel shirt name's Dave Ethan I said feeling
a small shiver of discomfort rise up in me we talked as we fished but I couldn't shake the feeling that Dave was watching me his eyes flicking back toward the tree line more often than not what are you looking for I finally asked trying to sound light-hearted oh just keep it an eye out you'd be surprised when lurks in these Woods he said his tone suddenly serious what do you mean I asked my belly nodding up Dave leans in you know things happen out here he says people just disappear my heart thumps a little faster
like who Joe McAlister he says he went out one night to fish and never came home not a sign of them just his gear he looks at me with a narrowed eye you're out here alone Ethan you sure that's smart look I'm just trying to enjoy some time away from everything I'm fine I said trying to sound convincing but his words bid to me fine or just lucky so far his smile didn't quite reach his eyes the lake doesn't give peace it takes that was it for me I felt a chill run down my spine
I think I'm going to head back now not yet he kept ins listing listen to what I'm saying the lake is alive it knows you are here I made an attempt to brush it off but the air started to thicken with tension actually I need to go suit yourself he Shrugged but remember it is not the fish you should fear pushing the crawling feeling in my stomach aside I repacked my belongings and continued leaving Woods were darker reaching out with Shadow as if unsettling me further with every step that took me away from Dave and
his creepy unsettling Aura I reached for my truck keys and ran for my truck my heart was pounding I glanced back once more and there he was standing across the lake once more his unsettling smile plastered on his face I tore out there my pulse pounding in my ears the winding road back to civilization seemed endless I glanced in the rearview mirror periodically half expecting to see him chasing after me but the road behind was empty just as I managed to breathe again I heard a clatter from the back seat I looked around time stopped
for me my tackle box was there open wide but I had packed it on the shore of the lake it was then that my cell phone rang I picked it and found a text message from an unknown number you shouldn't have left cold sweat broke out of my forhead I typed back who is this another message came through I warned you fear flooded me I pulled over to the side of the road gasping for air I looked around me half expecting Dave to be lurking in the shadows but I saw only me the woods and
the flickering headlights then the reality of things smacked Me Right Between the Eyes the knife the way Dave had talked about the lake his warnings the way he had been watching me a dread began to rise up in my body I hadn't even had time to think when in my rearview mirror I saw something a man in the middle of the road waving a hand with something shiny it was Dave I slammed on the brakes my heart pounding I backed up slowly ready to make my Escape just then Dave took a step closer and with
his hand raised yelled out you forgot something as he tossed something into the open window it Splat thudded into the passenger seat I froze realizing it was a blooded fish knif now you know what I meant he shouted aloud in the Stillness of the air shaking my hands I picked and looked at the dark red stains on it it was a warning no it was a message harder than any blow the realization struck me and quite brutally somehow I had stumbled into much darker territory than I ever imagined Panic ran through my veins I floored
the gas and at the last minute swerved past Dave to get back on the road as my mind raised I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something of Menace observing me far deadlier than I could appreciate I was getting closer to town and saw a cop car pulled over on the side of the road not even thinking I swerved over and rolled down my window help there's a guy back at Pine Lake he's acting weirder and I think he's dangerous the officer looked at me in shock Cal down what did he do I gulped
some air in preparation I tried to get my voice together he was talking about people who vanish I think he's involved in something bad you should check out I called out the cop nodded and concern fine let's put an end to this I felt myself relaxed as they sped off to the lake I continued to Pace up and down on the roadside trying to calm myself down they took what seemed like hours but the officers shortly returned they seemed somber we found him Ethan one of them said we apprehended Dave and it seems he's not
acting alone there are suggestions of a bigger event a couple of missing people in the locality I felt my heart literally sink it was a situation that was very deep they were not just dealing with one creepy guy rather they had discovered a massive human trafficking ring which utilized the lake as a lure they even take their cell numbers from the entries thank you I said feeling relief and fear mix in my voice I did not know as I waited for the officers to take my statement my phone buzzed for the third time I reached
over and pulled it out my stomach fell the message was simple I read it in silence you think you're safe you have no idea what we're capable of a chill ran through me the operation wasn't just about Dave it had been a network far beyond my worst fears they had eyes and ears everywhere and still they watched me a year after our dad's death I stood on the pier with my brother Noah we had spent many Summers there going on fishing trips with Dad but last year he went alone and never returned his boat was
intact so was his gear but he just vanished never to be seen again do you think it's still there do you mean the fishing spot no the rod the one dad lost that summer my heart sank you really think it's still somewhere there why not let's check reluctantly I followed him to the rocky Shore feeling a chill as I watched the waves lap at the stones we crept forward for about an hour the Slick rocks beneath our feet slippery but curiosity kept us going look Noah bent down gripping a tangle of seaweed there's something my
heart raised as I squinted sticking out of the green Mass was the unmistakable handle of a fishing Rod together we pulled and with a final tug the rod Broke Free revealing its length and something shiny it's baited dad hated removing baits we pulled but it was stuck a fish was probably caught in it figuring it was dad's last catch we pulled harder and suddenly the rod came up along with something else my stomach dropped attached to the rod was a bloed lifeless body I stumbled back Panic rising in my throat Noah dropped the rod eyes
wide what the hell is that before we could react a familiar Voice seeped through the salty air Liam Noah help me I froze disbelief flooding my senses no way is that Dad he's still there we have to help him no it it can't be I shouted fear bubbling up but Noah didn't listen he stepped closer he needs us Liam we can't leave him listen it sounds wrong we need to get out of here but my words fell on deaf ears The Voice grew more insistent help me I'm trapped I felt the sand shift under my
feet as the sea came alive Noah this isn't safe but he was already stepping forward Noah stop I lunged fear gripping me as I saw the waves swirling around him as he went deeper into the water Dad needs me suddenly The Voice Twisted becoming something darker filled with a Sinister Edge that sent chills down my spine the water bubbled as a dark shape began to arise something ancient and horrifying get away from the water I slapped him hard across the face and he blinked confusion replacing the trance what the that what's happening it's not Dad
it's something else The Voice roared the waves suddenly grew taller and I saw the creatures grotesque form just beneath the surface the sand crumbled beneath us and it became hard to pull ourselves back to the shore come on I screamed what is that thing I didn't have time to answer I pulled him back as the creature surged forth revealing a mass of scales and teeth and insatiable hunger in its red eyes could it be Dad it's lying it's trying to take you in that moment I knew what we were up against a siren a creature
luring us with false voices an enchanting yet lethal creature the sailors of our fishing Town had warned for many years sirens were often depicted as beautiful women with irresistible voices they lured Sailors by mimicking their loved ones only to reveal their Sinister nature no no I yelled again pulling him toward the shore but the tides pulled harder and Noah was still entranced with a roar the creature surged forth revealing his true monstrous form Noah we need to go now what if it really is Dad I reached for him the waves surged dragging us under the
creature's voice echoed in my mind layered with Sinister laughter and that is when the seawater took over us that is when I felt a cold grip on my ankle my pulse quickened this was the last straw as I struggled the water pulled me down swirling around my legs like grasping hands I fought back but it felt like swimming through the sand a kneel length seawater was suddenly many feet deep I looked back and saw the creature its form grotesque an amalgamation of fish and human its eyes glimmering with a predatory gleam it let out a
laugh that echoed in my mind mind a cacophony of Despair my brother was already unconscious the creature finally lunged towards us its mouth wide with razor-like teeth I pulled away my heart racing but the grip of the scene was relentless it dragged me back toward the mall of the creature the very thing I had tried to escape that is when my feet found support of a hard rock underneath the friction gave me hope and I pulled myself and my brother out with everything that I could gather we emerged on the shore and I dragged him
further in the sand just as that creature leapt out and tried to bite at his feet but something told me that he couldn't stay on land as I pulled my brother to safety the creature looked at me with Stillness then it screamed and let back into the water perhaps that is what my father met as well I just hope he found peace we drove for hours the five of us Ryan Jessica Mark Lisa and I we'd seen a YouTube documentary about the infamous suicide Lake by a quaint town they said the lake was cursed it
drew people who were struggling into its arms but we were there for the rare salmon rumored to thrive in its depths which grew Thrice in size of normal fishes and bled black blood come on it's just a lake Ryan laughed as we arrived what's the worst that could happen I stepped out the crisping air biting at my skin but my curiosity was peaked the lake stretched before us its crystal clear waters reflecting the emerging Stars we set up our gear on the wooden dock before hopping into a rowing boat that was standing there and headed
in as we cast our lines I felt the strange thing move from under us in the waters but I didn't think much of it ours passed and we began to catch salmon each one bigger than the last then Mark burst with excitement shouted I got something big he reeled in his line but it was too much the other boys joined him as well and pulled but confusion replaced our excitement the line felt heavier for any fish what the hell is that the boys hoisted the weight out of the water and we froze it wasn't a
fish it was a hand pale bloated and eerily still drop it get it back in the water mark stumbled backward the hand slipping from his grasp and splashing back into the lake Panic rippled through us let's get out of here I don't feel good no we need to know what's going on there's got to be more down there before I could respond the water around us began to bubble and churn as if something stirred beneath we scrambled into the boat I picked up the ores my hand shaking as I rode frantically toward Shore others jumped
as well as we reached the middle of the lake I glanced back and my blood ran cold a figure was swimming toward us at a high speed its head barely above the water its long hair floated like tendrils and its dark endless eyes were fixed on us faster I screamed Mark and Ryan paddled harder but the figure kept pace what the hell is that I noticed the figure's features they were hauntingly familiar it looked like Jessica but Twisted its mouth stretching into a malicious grin but then everything went silent suddenly Lisa screamed I whipped around
to see the figure had vanished but the water churned violently beneath us the boat rocked and I lost my balance splashing into the frigid water I gasped the cold enveloping me and my heart raced as something brush against my leg I kicked wildly breaking the surface and spotted the boat rocking dangerously as I reached for the edge hands erupted from the water gripping my arms and dragging me down no as I was Pulled Under Darkness surrounded me but just before everything faded to Black I heard voices calling out to me from the depths like an
echo join us suddenly someone grabbed my arm and pulled me up Ryan had jumped in we kicked hard struggling towards our boat and just as we reached for the side something surged beneath me the water erupted in a frothy Splash and I felt a tug pulling me back down no I shouted my fingers brushing against the edge of the boat as I was dragged under again as I descended Into Darkness a hand shot out from below clutching my ankle I looked down and gasped it was Jessica's hand but her face was twisted eyes wide and
unblinking I cried desperate Iration clawing at my throat but Jessica's hand wouldn't release me her eyes locked onto mine pleading yet warning join us the voices echoed again the words reverberating through the water I fought against Jessica's grip but the shadowy figure Drew kept pulling me its grin stretching impossibly wide revealing rows of glistening teeth suddenly just as I was about to slip under for the last time the creature left me as five salmons fell from our boat I swam furiously toward the surface I gasped for air the chilling Waters lapping around me as I
glanced back I clung to the boat my heart pounding my friends pulled me up throw the fish back throw it all back they followed my instructions scared we looked at that creature its face rising out of the water but as we dumped the salmon back it disappeared we gave everything that we had and pulled the boat back to shore I ran to our car crying and I did not wait to look back I almost died that day and I cannot step into water again since
