Raft On The Lake

• Kiah Ryder, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2017

He was lying face down on the raft, at first we thought he was asleep using the side of the raft as a pillow letting his hand gently hang over grazing the waters edge. But then he started shaking and with one big leap he leapt up letting out a blood curdling scream as he turned around to face us his eyes darkened becoming fully black, his face was pale as a thick glossy black ooze running from his rather large bug eyes. By this time everyone on the rocky shore line had been standing in fear for the past five minutes, the sound of silence filled the air everyone was silent they didn't want to believe what they were seeing then suddenly a rather loud shriek came from a cabin above the lake, a small group of men rushed over to see what had happened but as they peered into the bedroom window they spotted a woman lying face down on the floor in a pool of blood, as they went to open the door a huge man appeared he had a pale face and big black eyes just like the man on the raft. He yelled as he bashed the door down the men ran yelling “there's more there's more”, everyone started screaming as they made their way to either their cars or the nearest building. I stood in shock as I watched everything unfold, without hesitation I ran back into my cabin and locked to door, I pulled the rather large heavy cupboard from the hallway entrance over the thick wooden door and proceeded to run up stairs. I felt too frightened to look out the window but I decided to poke my head up to make sure I wasn't dreaming, looking out the window I watched everyone run I noticed the raft in the middle of the lake was empty, as I sat back I felt a heavy breathe breathing down my spine I spun around and came face to face with the man from the raft, the ooze was running on to the floor as it slowly dropped down my arm. By the time I had realised I was falling it was too late just as I was about to hit the ground the man sprayed a black paste on me it was sticky which forced my eyes shut then I jumped the jump was great enough to wake me up and this horrible dream made me let out a scream, it was me on the raft all along it was a dream thank god I wasn't dying I rubbed my eyes and looked up, everyone gathered on the shore they were staring but what at? Then there was a scream from one of the cabins above, oh no I'am stuck!