This story features characters from The Birthright, a young adult science fiction series.
Lachlan and I pulled into our driveway and I just hoped the house was visitor safe. And I don’t mean clean. I mean free of anything that screamed “alien.” Granted, most everything was locked away in the secret basement. But stuff happened occasionally.
Lachlan lingered outside, turning in a circle in the driveway. “Wow,” he said. “This is where you live?” I nodded, feeling sheepish for some reason. He smiled and wandered toward the lake, rocking the canoe on the bank, and looking inside it. I hung back, watching him study it.
“My mom likes to row,” I said. “It’s how she gets quiet time. But we have a small motor boat too.”
Lachlan gazed out at the lake. “Fascinating,” he said to himself.
“Have you been landlocked?”
He kept his eyes fixed on the water. “Yeah.”
“Would you like to go out in it?” It was something to do. Something that didn’t involve going inside where certain parents might or might not be waiting for us.
Lachlan whirled around. “Can we?”
“Sure. I can’t promise we won’t flip over, though. And the water’s cold now.”
He grinned. “Let’s go.”
I got him to help me push the canoe into the water beside the dock, and then we both managed to climb in without tipping it. But that was the easy part. I could row us out into the middle of the lake, but it was the turning and stuff that I always had trouble with. But we’d see how it went. I could always call my dad to come out and tow us in.
Lachlan was like a five-year-old boy on an amusement park ride. He leaned over the side, watching his reflection, dipping his hand in the water, then tasting it with the tip of his tongue. It was like he’d never seen water before. Or maybe lake water?
I rowed out into the middle and stopped, where you had the best view. It stretched out on both sides, and squished into a smaller inlet behind me. The waning sunlight danced on top of the water, the foliage along the banks adding to the beauty. I understood why my mom found this a good place to get away from us.
Lachlan stood, causing the boat to tilt dangerously on its sides, and ripped off his jacket and shirt.
“What are you doing?” I wasn’t sure if my eyes were wide because I was surprised, or because I had a front row view of his chest and abs. I was ninety-nine percent positive I’d never been that close to the naked chest and abs of any guy I even found remotely attractive, and I wasn’t quite sure it was okay to look, so I kept averting my eyes. But can I just say holy hotness, Batman?
Holy. Hotness. Batman.
“Trying it out.”
“Uh, Lachlan. That’s not a good idea.”
He yanked off his shoes and socks. I just hoped he left his pants on. I wanted a little something left to my imagination. “Why not?”
“Because it’s cold. It’s below freezing at night now.”
His eyes betrayed puzzlement for a split second, like he didn’t know what that meant.
“You put your hand in there,” I said. “It’s freezing.”
He shrugged. “I won’t be in long.”
I couldn’t stop him. He got up and jumped in the water. Almost cannonballed, actually. For a split second, I wondered in horror if he could even swim. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to find him in the murk.
I leaned over the side, my heart racing, wondering if I should call my dad. Then, Lachlan’s head popped up right in front of me, spraying my face and scaring me to death.
And he smiled.
Wider than I thought his mouth could stretch.
He reminded me of Xavier when he finally nailed a new invention. It was like jumping in the cold lake was his best day ever. I couldn’t help it, and I smiled too.
“This is awesome!” he said. “You should come in.”
I laughed. “That’s okay. I’ll wait until next summer, thank you.”
He looked puzzled again, and it seemed to me like a question almost slipped off his tongue, but he bit it back. “I think it’s great.”
“Good for you. Now get back in the boat before you get hypothermia.” I knew I sounded like my mother, but I didn’t want Lachlan’s first and last lake experience to be at my house.
He grabbed the side of the canoe, and I thought he was just going to lift himself up inside, but he plunged back down again, capsizing the boat. My head hit the water first and it was like a frozen knife stabbed my brain.
Then, like lightening shooting around inside of it. And when the blinding light and pain passed, what remained was bright and clear. An image of a desolate field of gravel, charred black. Under the gravel, something glimmered–metal?
I wanted more time to examine the object, but as quickly as the image appeared, it vanished. I felt someone lift me up out of the water and I started to cough, water pouring off me into the boat. I gasped for breath and stared into Lachlan’s blue eyes. He swiped over me. “You okay?” he said.
I nodded, unable to talk as I shivered uncontrollably. The water was freezing, but I wasn’t positive that was the only reason I trembled. That image led somewhere. And I didn’t think it was that quiet lake.
* * *
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More Birthright Shorts:
Struck
Good twist at the end with the image she saw!