The Lake

The lake slowly undulated in the wind, as if it were a satin cloth being stroked by unseen hands. It was early morning, almost 5 O'clock, and the trio approached the water's edge. They sat their seats down and began to unpack their gear. The week before, Dominic, Gerald and Leonard had decided to go fishing. It had been Gerald's idea and the other two had gone along with it. Gerald was a keen fisher and had supplied all the equipment on the proviso that the other two would come along; he claimed it was for the company, but something about the lake at that early hour unnerved him.
“Why do we have to come so early?” Asked Dominic, distracting Gerald from whatever he was doing.
“The early bird catches the worm.” Replied Gerald.
“Maybe we should have come a bit later so we can catch fish.” Leonard interjected.
Gerald glared half-jokingly at Leonard while Dominic sniggered very slightly. 
“You didn't have to come.” Said Gerald.
“We know you like the company, gaylord.” Said Leonard.
Dominic sniggered slightly louder this time. Gerald shook his head.
“Just give me a hand unpacking.”
The group made small talk as they each baited up their rods - the maggots on the hooks resembling tiny limbless men sent to hang. They cast their lines and sat down. Some time passed.
“This is shit.” ejaculated Dominic.
“We've only been here 20 minutes.” Gerald had anticipated this, but not so soon.
“That's like 3 days in fishing time” Leonard joked.
“This lake is dead. We're wasting our time.” said Dominic.
“The lake's not dead. Give it a chance.” Gerald wasn't really looking forward to the coming day if it was going to be like this.

The three sat and just watched the lake ripple in the wind. It was a nice summer's day; it wasn't too cold despite the early time and the birds sang their morning song. After a while, Leonard spoke.
“I heard some kid died in this lake.”
“Bullshit.” Replied Dominic.
“I'm just telling you what I've heard.”
“What happened, then?” Gerald didn't want to appear like he believed the story, but his interest had been peaked.
“A dad and his kid went fishing out on the lake. They were probably sitting about for ages while nothing happened, but then the kid noticed a tug on his rod so he grabbed it. Suddenly, he was pulled under the water. The Dad dived in after him but he couldn't find him. A few days later they sent some scuba police in and they found his body... but he was missing both hands.” Leonard whispered as he spoke the last line.
“Definitely bullshit. I would have heard about it if it happened.” Dominic said.
“It did happen. You can probably find his little skeleton hands under the water if you look hard enough.” Dominic laughed at the inappropriateness if the story was true.
Gerald had been quiet through this exchange as he looked across the lake. Maybe that was why he didn't like being alone there, he wondered – maybe the lake was haunted. Gerald didn't like to think he believed in the supernatural, but a small part of him did. He thought he was too intelligent to believe in nonsense like that, but he couldn't help thinking about the story. He imagined the boy falling in the water and the fear that comes before death. Gerald had once thought he was about to die when he fell from a ladder as a child, but what had seemed like 50 feet in his young mind was only about 10 feet in reality, and he escaped with just a minor broken ankle. He remembered that fear vividly even though it was over 10 years ago. 
Dominic smiled at Leonard and gestured towards Gerald as he sat in his trance.
“Oi, bellend, fancy a swim” Gerald realised the question was directed at him and awoke from his macabre thoughts.
“What?”
“Do you want to go look for a dead boy's hands in the lake?” Leonard asked while smiling.
“The story's not even true.” Gerald laughed nervously at the thought of going in the lake.
“Scared?” Leonard interrogated.
“Obviously.” Gerald tried the double bluff. 
“Just go in the lake, you pussy.” Leonard continued.
“What's the point?” At this, Leonard stood and grabbed Gerald's fishing rod. Before Gerald could do anything, Leonard threw the rod like a spear about 10 metres into the lake and it sunk to the bottom. Leonard hadn't expected the rod to sink. He felt a bit guilty but didn't want to show it.
“That's the point. Go get your rod back.”
“You're a fucking prick.” Gerald had to get the rod back because it was his best, and he knew nobody else would get it for him. The lake wouldn't be too deep at 10 metres. He just had to follow the line from the float to find the rod. This would be the end of the day for him because he had no intention of sitting about in wet clothes. It gave him a small pleasure that it would also be the end of Leonard's day, even thought he probably wouldn't care.

Gerald took his shoes, socks and jacket off and contemplated going further, but he knew the water would be cold. His mind went back to the child's hands somewhere in the lake. The story probably wasn't even true, and even it was didn't mean the lake was haunted. He had to go in. He turned to Leonard to once again call him a prick as he waded into the water. The water was almost unbearably cold and the lake bed muddy. Gerald paused to become accustomed to the temperature.
“Get on with it”. Cried Dominic.
The bitterly cold water accepted Gerald as he waded deeper into lake. It was getting deeper quickly, but at least it would mean he didn't have to feel the unpleasantness of the mud between his toes. About 5 metres out, he began to swim. The apparent hostility of the lake didn't seem so bad now he was in it. He swam further and came to the float. Now it was just a simple matter of pulling the line until he had the rod. He knew he would have quite some pulling to do while the line on the reel unwound before he could get the rod. He pulled a few metres of line and then encountered some resistance. He pulled a bit harder being careful not break the line, but then he realised that it wasn't just resistance. Something pulling against him. His heart leapt. He had no time to think about what was happening before the water dragged below it's previously calm surface. From the shore, Leonard and Dominic saw their friend disappear below the water. Instinctively and possibly as a result of the guilt from earlier, Leonard ran into the water and swam towards his friend. He was apprehensive but didn't show it as he crossed the icy cold lake. He didn't know what had happened to his friend. He hoped Gerald was just playing a trick on him for throwing his rod in the lake and for making up that story, but he knew it was false hope. The splashes died down as he approached them. Without hesitation, he dived below the surface. The water was murky so he had to navigate by feel alone. His hand hit something. It was Gerald. Leonard grabbed him and pulled him towards the surface. Leonard was afraid as he began to swim to the shore with his friend under his arm - not just afraid for Gerald but also himself. It was only now that Leonard had time to consider what could have pulled Gerald under. He tried to put thought of a giant man-eating fish or the ghost of a dead boy from his mind as strived towards the shore. Gerald spluttered. Leonard breathed a sigh of relief. He reached the point where he could walk along the lake bed and pulled Gerald along the surface of the lake before he could lay him down on the shore. Gerald was sodden; he had become entangled in the line and his shirt had been ripped in a few places. He continued to cough for a few seconds until there was no water left in his lungs. Dominic and Leonard stood around their friend willing him to say something.
“Are you OK?” Asked Dominic.
Gerald sat up and looked down beside him. He froze. Dominic and Leonard followed his gaze. Beside him was his rod, clasped by a child's hands.