CHAPTER TWO

 THE DISGUISED INVITATION

November 27, 2020

6 months ago...

ZACK

          It was around 6 pm when we got home from the public market. We own a meat and vegetables stall and my aunt is always the one who handles our store. Sometimes after school I go straight there to help her sell. Our store is quite popular for the buyers who want lower prices and our store is remarkable when it comes to that.

          "Zack, I almost forgot. Your grandpa sent you a letter, I put it above the fridge, I didn't read it, don't worry." Aunt Olive joked, she's in the living room watching television while stitching my worn-out bottom wears. While I'm here in the kitchen washing dishes. Uncle Sam isn't home tonight since he's working a night shift as a guard on a bank.

          After I finished washing the dishes I dried my palms and took the letter above our old fridge and started reading it.

Zack,

          How are you and your uncle, Sam? Christmas is approaching and I just happened to send you a letter again after some time. It is because of my shaky hands, maybe the signs of getting old are becoming evident on me. Kidding, I hope you come by and visit us again. It's been years since I last saw your face, I hope you can spare your grandfather a time. How is your study by the way? Just greet your uncle and aunt for me. Stay safe, always.

Grandpa.

          After reading his letter I put it back above the fridge. Greeting letters from grandpa is also his sign of invitation to the lake house.

          I suddenly remembered my conversation with Finn earlier, he has some theories about my past that maybe someone attempted to drown me but failed. And that I just forgot about it.

          But no matter how much I tried thinking about the possibilities of it, it just doesn't sit right to me. 

          Especially that he was talking about the lake house, maybe it's just a total coincidence that my nightmares happened in the same place where I lived for a while. I couldn't think of our neighbors wanting to kill me either, I can't even remember their faces anymore. 

          But what if it's my grandparents?

          I almost knocked my head on our hard cement wall for even thinking that nonsense stuff.

          My grandpa has always been kind and caring to me, until now. He never failed to send me letters, since he doesn't have social media accounts, he writes instead. If that's not love I don't know what it is. He always favors me, almost treats me like his own. Although he is just my step-grandfather he nurtured me and showed me the identity of a grandfather.

          That's why I'm skeptical about Finn's assumption. If there's someone who'll drown me on West Lake, it'll not be blood-related to me. Or maybe those nightmares are just part of my imagination.

         But how long will I need to live in those freaking nightmares? I'm in my twenties, and I don't want those nightmares to lead my life forever. I don't want my life to be dictated by those nightmares, I don’t want to live in fear anymore.

          "Have you finished reading it?" I came back to my senses when aunt Olive spoke in front of me. She moved towards my back to open the fridge, she grabbed a pitcher.

          Our house isn't big or spacious but it's enough for the three of us. We only have one bedroom and I occupy it. While aunt Olive and uncle Sam sleep on the floor of the living room. They said that I am special to them, that ever since they welcomed me in their lives they have become brighter and better.

         Though, I disagree. All I do is to make their life more miserable by giving them headaches. 

          They never had a child. Aunt Olive had a miscarriage before and after that, she wasn't able to bear a child anymore. After they took me from my grandparents, they treated me as their own.

          "Uh yes, grandpa just asked how we are and when we will be visiting them again."

          "Is that so? Hmm... It's been so long since your last visit. Just ask for your uncle's permission first if you ever want to go there." She cautiously told me after she drank a glass of water. She then walked back into the living room and sat on the sofa and returned from what she’s doing.

          I followed her and sat in front of her next to the television. "Aunt, I told you earlier that I visited Finn in his office. But besides that, I also consulted him." I said, she already knew that Finn is now a psychologist so she didn't wonder anymore.

She abruptly stopped, "What is it?"

          "I opened up about my phobia and told him about the nightmares that seem to happen in the lake house." I started. I watched her stop stitching as her facial expression disappeared. Her eyes prompted me to continue.

          "He thinks that maybe someone attempted to drown me. He's not sure, of course. At first it was hard for me to absorb his opinion but why would I dream of something like that if I've never experienced it? I mean, it's still a question for me but..." I drew a long breath as I collected myself in the process of confusion, "I just wanna know, aunt Olive. Did someone attempt to drown me before? Most specifically someone from the West Lake? It just keeps bugging me... I know it's not my grandparents-- I'm sure of that. But maybe you could think of someone who had motives to do that to me. Grandma once stated that I was defiant, maybe that was the reason why someone wanted--"

          She cut me off and stood up dropping my clothes on our sofa. Her eyebrows creased as a stern expression plastered in her face. I rarely see her like that. Aunt Olive is a calm person, it only means that what I said bothers her.

          "I have no idea, Zack. I only visited that place once and that was when we took you. If there's anyone you should ask about West Lake, it should be your uncle Sam who grew up there." Aunt Olive tilted her head, "And what were you thinking? Someone wanted you dead? You’re just being paranoid." She scoffed, "I think it's late, we better sleep." She finished her words with a disappointed look on her face.

          She grabbed my clothes and her sewing kit and put them on the drawers.

          I bit my lower lip in confusion. She asked me the same questions I kept asking myself. All my life I have never doubted anyone close to me, not until now. Aunt Olive's face when she said those things to me is unconvincing, it seems like she was trying to deviate me from our topic.

          "But you sleep at nine o'clock," I commented, I felt her paused on her track. "you watch dramas in the evening, did you just forget?" I turned my head at her and saw her lips agape. She seemed lost and it took her seconds to respond.

          "O-Oh, I got exhausted from the m-market." She stuttered as her eyes twitched avoiding eye contacts, "Uh… Don't stay up late. Just shut the windows and lock the door for me. And before I forget, do your homework before going to bed." She said continuously without a halt. 

          She headed into my bedroom and came back with a blanket and pillows in her hands. I watched her lie on the floor and when she caught me staring she covered herself on her blanket.

          I didn't have any choice but to stand up, shut the windows and cover them with curtains. I headed back to the kitchen and took a pack of cigarettes from the cabinet and instead of obeying her, I walked out of the house and lit a cigar.

          The cold breeze of November embraced my skin as I looked up at the bare sky, I thought of aunt Olive. Is it wrong to feel uncertainty in her words? She quickly dodged my question by ending it.

          If it's true that she's hiding something from me, I just hope that it's not a big deal. But if it's not important why would she behave that way?

          A long breath escaped my lungs as I shook my head and puffed a cigarette.