The dirt path winds its way around the water. It is secluded and allowing me to watch the people in their houses going about their nighttime routines. Lights reflect off the lake with elegance. The moon is larger than usual tonight, air sweet with the taste of flowers. I stop to look at a house, dreaming of a future of endless possibility. I wonder if the people can see me in the dark with no flashlight; I doubt it. Onward I continue, darkness coming ever closer as the houses shut their lights off and tuck in for the night. The remaining lights float on top of the water like lanterns, following me as I travel forward. I pass the last house just as the lights go out. The lake is all that holds my attention now. The air seems to heat around me. Lights still scattered across the top of the lake, lights that reflect from nothing. I approach the water with curiosity. They are parallel to each other, close to the shore. They seem to be objects that are stationary along the surface of the water; as they do not float, the wakes move around them. The objects begin to move and blink, not flicker but blink.
Tiny black pupils focused in on me, I stumble backwards, knocking small rocks into the water as I do so. More eyes drop their disguises as lights to examine me. The elongated ovals move through the water towards me. I can feel their gaze, my skin turns hot, the hair on the back of my neck stands up. I run to the bushes hoping to find some relief from this new unknown. Shadowy, black figures lumber onto the shore using their eyes like searchlights. I do everything I can to hide. I keep my eyes locked onto them as they shamble along the path, eyes illuminating cones of light in search of me. The many sets of eyes all blink in sequence to make sure only one had its eyes closed at a time. They move in a way to minimize overlap in their vision, synchronized, a team so connected they could feel, anticipate, each other’s next movement. One fact sticks in my mind like gum to a table, if I stay here I will be found, it was only a matter of time. Will I find safety if I move? Is it better to die in search of safety or clinging to what little safety I have? To fail to take action or to fail in the action I take? I take a deep breath in and hold it. I close my eyes, hoping for an answer from a higher power that will never come. I force my eyes open, scan the horizon for an opening. I see one to my left no light, no shadowy figures nearby; I slowly release my breath put my weight on my front foot and push off.
A light from above irradiates the ground around me surrounding me like a spotlight. I stumble and look to the sky, the moon, the once beautiful moon, now stared down upon me erratically. Its crazed yellow cornea follows me as I once again begin to run. The air around me feels hot and dry, the moisture in the ground evaporates around me. I am quickly drenched in sweat, more light shines upon me as the others take notice. I have no more sweat to give, my skin starts to dry and flake. My body feels weak. The pain is excruciating; in a daze, I make a dash for the water. I go as deep as I can. The water gives no relief as it begins to boil around me. Blisters appear all over me and burst as the moisture inside me turns to steam. My agony begins to verbalize as wails. Hair begins to fall from my head with bits of my scalp accompanying the larger clumps. My screams turn to sobs, I relinquish my will to live. Sinking into the water with the bitter conclusion that whether I took action for safety or stayed where I was safe, it didn’t matter, it didn’t matter.