Something Across the Water - Horror Short Story

 Two-Sentence Horror Story: Returning from my vacation I heard a “How was it?” from the corner of my apartment. I live alone.

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Warning: THE FOLLOWING STORY CONTAINS ONE MINOR GRAPHIC DEPICTION OF VIOLENCE, AS WELL AS SOME (Censored on School Version) PROFANITY AT THE END.  MINOR DRUG + ALCOHOL REFERENCES AT THE BEGINNING.

Funny Bit: I started this story with the name Nathan already chosen. Parents are going to see Nathan Bargatze perform standup in a couple weeks, and I subconsciously added his last name (misspelt) as Bargetzi, as I felt the “main” character needed a last name for the interrogation scene and the ending. 

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*CLICK*

Wed. Nov 1 (10:34 p.m.):

SUBJECT 18: Nathan Bargetzi. For your information, this session IS being recorded. Can you tell us what happened?

I-I don’t really know. Me, Toby, and Josh were just out on the lake, listening to music, and having a few drinks. I’m not g-gonna lie, Toby might’ve had a few too many to drink. He, well, he wasn’t acting quite right. But not drunk, really, m-more so, I don’t know, floaty? He wasn’t really with us, and, well, we hadn’t smoked anything that night. I mean, it was there, but we hadn’t lit any of it up.

Okay, continue. Did Toby have anything earlier in the day?

No, no, Toby, I mean, he wasn’t ever really into, well, smoking. Like, he would have it when he was with us, but he…he never had any when he was by himself, just as a, uh, a social thing. And either way, he was talking to us just fine, laughing and such, then, all of a sudden, he just stood up and looked across the lake.

Tues. Oct 31 (11:36 p.m)

Toby: “He-ey, do you, *cough*, do you guys see that over there?”

Nathan: “No Tobes, what’re you seeing?”

Toby: “Oh, just that girl over there. She’s, uhm, she’s pretty.”

Josh: “What girl, Toby? Is your imaginary girlfriend back again?” *chuckles*

Toby: “No, uh, no Josh, she’s not, and anyway, that was back in the …the 4th-grade man, *cough*, we’re 17 now, I-I ain’t pretended that for years now. Nate, you see her? Across the lake?”

Nathan: “Naw, I don’t, uh, really see anyone. H-ll, I can hardly see across the lake, what’re you seeing?”

Toby: “I already, I already told you both what I’m seeing. You, you should get your d-mn hearing checked Nate. Just, look at her. She’s, so, so pretty.” *steps towards lake*

Nathan: “Tobes, where are you going there bud? We’ve all *hic*, had a bit much to drink, you, you should back away from that pier.”

Josh: “Yeah, it, it ain’t funny no more. And ‘sides that, you, you can’t swim Toby. ‘Member that time I pushed ya in the pool this summer?” *nervous laugh*

Toby: “NO! That’s not, *cough*, that’s not what she’s telling me. She’s telling me to come to ’er *slurring*. And, her, her voice, it’s so beautiful. But her singing, it, it won’t get out of my head. I gotta… I gotta meet her Nate. Why can’t you see her Nate? SHE’S RIGHT THERE D-MN IT!”

Nathan: “TOBY! Get off the f----ing pier! It, it ain’t funny anymore!”

Josh: “Toby, don’t–” *chuckle* “Don’t make me get my g-n out the truuu…ck.” *slumps off*

Nathan: “Josh! Wake up! This ain’t the time to fall asleep!”

Toby: “Josh’ll be fine, Nate, she’s already come to talk, *cough*, talk with him. But, I, I gotta swim to her. She says she’ll guide me. She’ll keep me safe. My god, her voice, it’s, it’s so pretty. Everything about her is so d-mn pretty…”

Wed. Nov 1 (10:42 p.m.)

Nathan! Come back to us, please.

I’m sorry, I-I was just thinking back a bit more. Sorry. I’m here now.

Can you tell us anything about the person you say Toby saw? What did they look like?

I-I’ll try. I don’t remember much, other t-than she, I mean, it. It wasn’t human. There’s no d-mn way that thing was human. I-I remember Toby said she was…

Tues Oct 31 (11:44 p.m.)

Toby: “… she’s got light blonde hair, and those blue, *cough*, blue eyes. They’re, they’re shining, Nate. I g-gotta meet her, I just gotta.”

Nathan: *glances toward the water* “Toby! What the f--k is that? Get the h-ll away from the water. That’s not a p-person, I don’t know what it is, but you gotta get away from it. I-I’m gonna get Josh’s g-n!”

Josh: “Mmm? Don’t, no, Nate. It’sss MY g-n.” *slumps, hard*

Nathan: “Josh! Wake up! T-this ain’t the time to play games. WAKE UP! I’m getting the g-g-n. TOBY, GET BACK FROM THE WATER! It’s gonna grab you!”

Toby: “Nate? What, uh, what am I doing here? *hand grabs his ankle* Sh-t! Help me, Nate! HELP!

Wed. Nov 1 (10:47 p.m.)

What happened then, Nathan?

I dunno really. I ran to grab the g-n from Josh’s truck, and the door wouldn’t open. It never does on that d-mn truck. When I finally jammed it open and turned around Josh, he was, he was dead… throat s-slashed right the f--k open. And then I saw it again. Receding into the water like a f----ing coward. A COWARD, I TELL YOU! It k-lled Josh and Toby, and it just slithered away.

Nathan! We’re going to have to ask you to calm down. We know it’s hard, but just try, please.

Okay. o-okay. I-I’ll try. I grabbed the g-n, and I started shooting at the thing. It didn’t even flinch. It just looked at me, and I saw it. Its reptilian face started to meld into this beautiful girl. Amber eyes, brown hair. I, I looked away, and just got in the truck and drove off. I didn’t know what to do, I mean… Josh was dead, and Toby was dead or dying. I couldn’t do anything about it.

Okay, Nathan. I think you’ve given us all we need. Officer Di’marco will escort you out. We’ll be in touch.

O-okay. Thanks? I guess?

*BANG!*

SUBJECT 18: Nathan Bargetzi. Witness terminated, please retain feedback. 10-4?

10-4. Nathan Bargetzi is terminated. Please correspond.

Okay. Di’marco. Get Units 17-21 out to the lake. Dispose of SUBJECT 18 at the following location…

*CLICK*

Something Across the Water - a short story composed in around an hour. If you don’t know what the profanity is, well, too bad. Thanks for reading.

Work of Schrodinger's Katze

Made On: Monday, Oct 30 - Tuesday, Oct 31 

Final Version + Censored: Nov 1

2023

Where I am From

 Where I am From

I am from stuffed animals and halters

From John Deere spray and Hocus Pocus

I am from the long gone crab apple tree and maroon window panes

It felt like heaven on earth

I am from the boxelder in the front lawn

The volunteer bush that covered the volleyball poles

An eyesore to some, but a centerpiece to me

I’m from the family holidays and ginger hair

From Eva Trausch and Irene Wellensiek

And Harvey Maricle

I’m from the Sunday morning church after parties and 

Icing cookies with my cousins

From “Did you hear what happened to the boy who cried wolf?” and

“Goodnight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bedbugs bite!”

I’m from rosaries and Sunday morning mass

I’m from Albion, Ireland, and Luxembourg

Wagon wheels and corn beef

From almost burning the house down

To Cody almost burning the house down

To Carson almost burning the house down

The finger that Carson chopped off in the grain vac

I’m from the Salber pasture

The original settlers of Boone

The 4 corners

I’m from these

Experiences, 

Places, and

People,

This is where I am from.

- Cass

Shoopy Doop

 Everything is getting so busy. Playoff football, ACT Saturday, homework, and quizzes coming out of my ears, ugh. I'll make it, I always do. Just tired. Tired of constant stress, bills, anxiety, and overthinking. I know it will all work out though. It always does. 

Ode to the Clock

O clock in your mechanical form,

In your eternal state, you tick tick away.

Your tiny, fashioned wings go round and round,

Reminding us of every moment that passes.

You force us to make quick decisions, 

And, in a flash, our lives change forever.

From dawn to dusk, you whisk away,

The diminishing time limit on our brief lives.

You stare down at our every move, 

Like an angel watching over us from room to room.

Searching for a moment of pure serendipity,

In a world full of extraordinary circumstances.

As a carousel shows a collection of time,

So does the clock.

For if only it could speak,

O the stories it could tell.

O clock let your hourglass run free,

Because the only thing stopping my life,

Is the internal tick inside me.

<3 Miss Toe

a hug from you

     to the hand on my back, the head on my shoulder, and to the text for just checking up. I'll never not miss you even when you're just a few steps away.

    I'll never know the last day I even get to say hey, I want you to know that I love you and I never want the day to come when I can't tell you that to your face. As your daughter, I'm glad I have someone as amazing as you to call mom.

-s

Life is Tough

 Life is Tough

Life is tough, but we got this:)

Persevere!

Much love- WWJD<3

Nothing

It’s funny how we automatically say nothing. It’s just the easiest answer. We think nothing of it. Nothing, Nothing, Nothing. Response to just another mindless wyd text. They don’t really want to know. Just acting as if they care. But how do you explain why your life is so bare?

It’s funny how if they changed the words to their three-letter text and maybe asked me about my day I would actually say. But nobody wants to hear the whole deal or feel the heartbreak I feel. So maybe I’ll just go with nothing instead.

-Bug

Nothing To Do

“Nothing to do” during the summer looks like…

Reading a book in the shade of my house.

Putting a sprinkler underneath our trampoline.

Going for a bike ride through town and on the trail.

Creating an obstacle course in our backyard.

Going to our farm and helping my Dad.

Traveling to our grandparents and spending time with them.

“Nothing to do” during the fall looks like…

Taking a walk in the cool afternoon with my Mom.

Opening the windows and watching a movie.

Turning on our electric fireplace and eating supper by it.

Roasting marshmallows on our fireplace under the stars.

Making a cup of hot chocolate and watching more movies.

Going to a pumpkin patch with my family and making memories.

“Nothing to do” during the winter looks like… 

Cuddling up inside with blankets and watching some movies.

Sleeping by the Christmas tree when it is getting closer to Christmas time.

Going sledding when the fields are full of snow.

Traveling to the mountains to go on a family ski trip.

Making a cup of hot chocolate and making gingerbread houses.

Taking a trip to my Grandparent’s farm to spend time with them.

“Nothing to do” during the spring looks like…

Opening the windows to hear the rain falling peacefully.

Baking cookies with my Mom.

Reading a book by the open windows.

Going for a walk in the cool afternoons.

Helping my Mom do chores around the house.

Thinking about what to do when summer comes.

Jesuslover1

Nothing to Do

 Nothing To Do Poem

Ughhhhhhhh!

I’m BORED!

What do I do?

Homework? … When is it due? … Thursday? … No, it can wait.

Study? … Test is Friday? … I’ll study on Wednesday and Thursday.

Read? … Maybe?

Watch a series? … I’ll probably never finish it.

Watch a movie? … Not that one, not that one, ew, definitely not, etc… Yes! This one is

Perfect!

Should I ask a friend to watch? … Are they busy?

Ugh! No more popcorn!

Go to town? …What do I get? What sounds good?

Soul

My Life as a Pirate

     My crew would do all of my work while I sat and drank coconut water. I would make all of my enemies walk the plank. Then my ship will run into Caption Hooks (From Once Upon a Time. Killian Jones). We will fall in love and then sail the rest of our days together on high seas. 

--ALG

How it used to be.

Life used to excite me, every day was a new adventure,

But now it feels like my life is on repeat. 

I used to get excited by little things,

Like butterflies and little bow ties,

but now, 

I’m not even excited about my birthday,

Like how lame is that?

I used to love school, used to love learning.

Now, it just feels like a chore.

I used to skip all the way to math class.

I would get excited when I got a problem right.

I used to stay up late hiding a small light just to read one more page.

But now,

Math is the death of me, like seriously get me out of there.

Since when did they put letters in here, I think I missed a memo.

Now, every page I turn in a book reminds me of the days when I loved being immersed in another world.

Page by page a new mystery, a new problem that wasn’t mine. 

Now I can’t afford that pleasure,

Getting to escape to a new land.

Getting to leave my head. 

Life is too hard now.

I used to live every second,

You couldn’t slow me down.

Now I stare at a clock,

Waiting for the next bell to sound. 

I used to go outside.

Climb a tree,

Eat some dirt.

Those were the good days.

These days, I wish I could have it again.

Carefree days when I wasn’t stuck inside staring at a page of spinning numbers.

We always take those days for granted,

Spent them wishing to be older,

But little did we know,

Being younger was so much better.

-   : )   -

Nothing to Do

A weekend with nothing to do?

What could I possibly do?

Sleep in? Of course!

Watch TV? Certainly!

Maybe I should bake something…totally!

What should I do now? Take a nap!

How refreshing. 

I can not believe how fast this day has flown!

Back to school tomorrow, with a busy week. 

It sure was fun, I can't wait for the next weekend I have nothing to do.

~P. A. M.~

Bored

Bored.

What should I do?

I have nothing on my list

My mind roams

Empty

I know, I’ll read

Reading

Word after word

Page after page

What am I even reading

I know, I’ll Go outside

Outside

I guess I will just soak up the sun

Ugh. So many bugs

Ugh. The outdoors

I know, I’ll bake a cake

Baking

Stirring and mixing

Spreading and tasting

It's not even that good

I shouldn’t make anything else

I know, I’ll take a nap

Napping

Twisting and turning

Checking notifications

I’m not even sleeping

I know, I’ll watch a movie

Movies

What to even watch

So many options

I guess this one will do

I know, I’ll just sleep here

Sleeping

Refreshing and nice

Time to wake up

Looks like I’m bored again

Bored.

~Cass

Luh Calm Fit

 Luh Calm Fit nun to extreme

The notion of a luh calm fit encapsulates a paradoxical phenomenon where the attire on adorns effortlessly exudes an extraordinary aesthetic appeal

Luh calm fit, nun to preposterous. may be subtle to the abstract mind. Terms and conditions may apply.

-Shlime

Two to Tango

 I landed myself a pretty sweet deal. When I say sweet, I mean sweet. I shot my shot and asked a girl from my old school to color day. She said yes. Soon later, I found out my friend needed a date, and it just so happens that this girl has a twin. So this girl and I worked some magic and got those two talking. Now instead of flying solo for color day, my friend and I will be taking two stunning twins and impressing literally everyone. 

Anything is Possible

The sea of stars winks at the audience down below

As if every soul, breathing or perished, stopped to witness their show on Broadway.

Flowers on the beach glow brightly, almost blinding to the eye.

I feel myself writing my name in the sand, tasting the tears running down my face.

Rain, rain go away, my rain never evaporates.

Hearing my voice talk to myself for hours, saying things you don’t understand.

Be a goldfish.  

Do you know why?  

They have a 10-second memory.

Miley Cyrus is Younger Now, singing songs in Malibu

As her body travels back in time.

But Taylor Swift will always have the edge, smelling Blank Space through Lavender Haze.

The flowers’ petals are so dull and lusterless.

The rocking crib of Nebraska has never seen anything like it.

Oh, how John Cook must’ve felt in that thick sea of red.

Heavy, dry tears fell in Lincoln as records were broken.

92,003 volleyball fans in a football stadium? No cap.

The Stars of Nebraska will hoist the gold trophy when the final kill is struck.

Every time you doubt the Chiefs, Super Bowl banners are hung.

Den fine vinden blåser                                       The fair wind blows, 

selv om sjømannen ikke ser den.           even if the sailor does not see it.

Stars whisper secrets

While Toe Toe listens intently, searching for the answer.

There is no place like Nebraska no matter where you are in the world.

Lose by thirty, sweep ‘em like a broom, we are still here, cheering,

Because tonight, the impossible is possible.

With twinkling dots in the sky, we orbit along, watching the stars in space and on Earth fly high.

<3 Miss Toe

When They Left

Notecard Journal

-Song lyric from They Leave

No matter what you do or say, it's there and then it's gone away.
Those were the last words they said to me, but it still hasn't gone away.
I try, each and every day.
To let them go, but I can't it's too hard. 
You don't know what you got 'til it's gone.
You're worth it anyway.
The late-night calls were worth it anyway.
To hear your voice and love you for another day.
When we get to hang, it's such a slay.
I wish we could have another May.
Just one more day.
Another day to spend time with you.
But it's not what I need, I just need to walk away.

s