IT WAITS

A sudden rush of cold air permeated the surroundings, and Hilary shuddered, something within warning her that an unknown presence had joined her in the wooded area just outside her parents’ home. What a fool she had been to come out here alone this late! Unable to sleep, and well past midnight now, the lovely green-eyed brunette had impulsively slipped out of the house despite her mother and father’s dictates that she was never to go outdoors alone without their consent after dark.


An owl screeched shrilly and the wind whistled through the trees. Hilary shivered again. Was it her imagination, or had she heard her name being called out? Was a hushed voice really urging her to head towards the nearby lake located even deeper in the forest?


“To the lake,” the ominous voice whispered again, “Head for the lake now.”


Wavering for several long minutes, the frightened teen merely stood there, her small feet seemingly planted to the ground. Another icy rush of wind enveloped her small frame, and without hesitation, Hilary made her way back to the stone house and into her room.


Lying upon her bed the instant she was safely in the confines, Hilary wondered why she was certain her imagination had not played tricks on her. Who had called out to her? Why was she being beckoned to the lake? Had there been the presence of someone, something, almost sinister felt in the wind? Exhausted, it was not long before she drifted to sleep with her mind in turmoil.


It didn’t go unnoticed; Hilary’s mother instantly detecting how little her daughter ate of the scrambled eggs, bacon, and buttered toast the subsequent morning. Why did she have the strong premonition that Hilary had disobeyed her orders and gone outdoors the prior evening? Casting her mate Victor a quick glance, Janet Avery just knew he felt similarly. Why did Hilary always defy them? Why wouldn’t their daughter just do what she was told? Was she purposefully rebellious, or merely so impulsive that she did as she pleased without thought?


“Is something wrong, dear?”, she queried, her azure eyes fixed upon her daughter in an effort to get to the truth. “Why, you’ve hardly touched your breakfast.”


Hilary’s eyes rested upon her mother, something within alerting her that her parents were keeping something from her. But what? That was the question. What secret did they withhold from her, and why did she just know it was something dreadful? Why did she suddenly feel the need to fish for the answers?


“I…I’m not sure,” she muttered, her eyes still focused upon her mother’s.


“What do you mean you’re not sure?” her father asked, his tone rather sharp. “Is something wrong or not?”


“I went outside to get a breath of fresh air last night,” Hilary began, wanting the truth, and determined to get it even if it meant she would be punished for disobedience. “I know I shouldn’t have gone out so late, but I just had to get out of here for a bit.” Pausing only seconds, she continued. “I…well, when I was out there, I…I thought I heard something, thought I heard a voice telling me to go to the lake. I know it sounds corny, but it wasn’t my imagination. I know I heard it!”


“You were told never to step out of this house after dark unless we gave you the okay!” Victor thundered, pounding his fist upon the dining room table so hard that the dishes rattled. “Damn it Hilary! Why in the hell don’t you do as you’re told? Why must you always ignore us? Are you looking for trouble? Is that it?”


Hilary glared at her father, convinced he and her mother harbored something from her that she needed to know. “I’m not looking for anything but the truth, Dad. I heard the voice call out to me! What is it that you and Mom are keeping from me? What is it you know that I don’t?”


“I don’t know what you’re talking about! We’re not keeping anything from you!”


Hilary’s eyes shifted from her outraged father’s to return to her mother’s. “Mom, please tell me! Tell me the truth. Why did that voice call out to me? What are you and Dad keeping from me?”


Janet lowered her eyes, and was unable to meet her daughter’s as she began the tale she realized might cost she and her husband everything. Still, it was time for the truth to be exposed, time to make things right. Inhaling a deep breath beforehand, she ignored Victor’s silent plea for her to remain quiet and began spilling the story.


“This isn’t easy, Hilary,” she responded with trembling hands. “It’s a nightmare your father and I have lived with for years, have tried to keep from you because we love you and don’t want to lose you too.”


“Too?” Hilary reiterated, her eyes lighting up curiously. “I don’t understand, Mom. You’ve lost me.”


An icy chill raced up her spine. Hilary’s fears had now become reality. She attempted to brace herself for the worst, to steel herself for what she knew would be the horrible truth.


“Damn it, Janet!” Victor shouted, springing to his feet. “Let it go! It was an accident! Just let it go!”


“We can’t hide it from her forever,” Janet retorted. “It was inevitable that she’d find out someday.”


“Find out what?” Hilary pushed. “Mom, tell me everything! Please Mom! I have to know!”


“You’re not our only child, Hilary,” her mother informed her in a whisper-like tone. “He…your brother…well, his name was Adam. He was born four years before you, and was a handsome little boy.” Janet’s eyes shimmered with tears as she went on. “We were on a picnic that afternoon. The lake…it happened so quickly, Hilary! Your father and I were chitchatting one minute, and in the blink of an eye, the next we heard Adam calling out for help! We tried to save him! Really we did! I’ll never forget how your brother kept screaming that something was pulling him down, that something was in the water with him! By the time your father neared him, Adam was gone. Gone from us forever, Hilary. Victor saw it; saw the clawed beast that killed your brother! It was that day we swore that we’d never return to the lake. Adam called out to us numerous times since then. It was always after dark when we heard him plead with us to return to the lake. That’s when it was decided that we’d never go out alone after dark again. When you were born, we intended you wouldn’t be lost to us too, therefore stressed you were never to go outdoors alone after nightfall. Dear God, we couldn’t lose you to that beast too, Hilary!”


Hilary’s eyes widened in horror. A monster? The idea was ludicrous! Eyeing her father skeptically, she proceeded to interrogate him once he had seated himself again. “What did the beast look like Dad? Surely there was something you could have done to save Adam!”


“I’ve never seen anything so hideous in my life,” her distraught Father explained, tears coming to his hazel eyes. “ Th…that thing killed our son! The eyes were slanted and fiery red. Its body was almost dragon-like in appearance, those talons lethally sharp, and its fangs foaming.” Head in hands and his voice breaking, the virulent man continued. “I…I tried to save Adam, beating at that beast with all of my might! But it was no use, Hilary! That monster was too strong! Within no time, it had pulled your brother to the bottom of the lake! I wish it had been me instead!”


Once the truth was exposed, it was decided that Hilary and her parents would head outdoors once it was nightfall to await Adam’s cries. They would then head for the lake and try to discover what was wanted from them, why Adam urged them to go there. The answers were soon forthcoming.


They were summoned to the lake just moments after dark fell. Making their way to the lake, their eyes widened in shock when the small boy’s ghostly silhouette appeared.


“I don’t want to be alone, Mommy and Daddy,” Adam’s ghost said. “I’m afraid! Why did you leave me?”


“We couldn’t save you, Adam!” Victor exclaimed. “I tried, son!”


“Daddy, you failed me. You let the monster take me away from you and Mommy.”


Out of nowhere, the ferocious beast emerged from the sparkling lake’s surface and reared its ugly head with foaming fangs! Within seconds, Victor was grasped in the beast’s razor-sharp claws and torn to shreds, a stunned Janet soon to follow!


Hilary could do nothing save watch in wide-eyed horror as her parents were killed by the lake monster to join the sibling she had never known. Seeing was believing, yet even after many years had lapsed since that tragic day, the lovely brunette found it difficult to believe that she had really seen a monster mangle her parents that fateful night. She never moved from the house she had been reared in, to that very day still heard voices if she dared to venture outdoors in the evening.


“It waits,” she murmured under her breath to the man she had wed several years ago.


“What?” her husband Zach queried bewilderedly. “What are you talking about, Hilary? Are you feeling okay?”


Flashing her mate a stunning, yet somewhat frightening smile, she repeated, “It waits, Zach. It waits for me now.”