The disappearance was first announced early in the morning, after a woman ran into town hysterically crying and looking for the police. After she was questioned, everyone was told not to go to the lake, as there was an ongoing investigation. The investigation was something that had not happened in town for years, everyone was usually so peaceful. The woman was in such a rush because her son had not returned for hours–after he went down to the lake, and he was nowhere to be found.

I thought of it as some sort of prank, or maybe her son truly just ran away. I was furious, it was the experiences with my parents all over again, all the authority figures telling me not to go to the place I loved the most.

A few nights afterward one of the officers disappeared, sending the town into a panic. One of the other officers claimed that after he realized his co-worker was suddenly missing at the lake, he saw some sort of creature, one that resembled a horse, glaring at him from the water. After that incident, the ranchers of the town were told to look out for any missing horses, and the lake was closed off. But did I follow the new rule of avoiding the lake?

Of course not.