Chapter 3

But as he fell down, it was not the ground that his body had hit. He fell into the lake's deep waters. The branch which he had fell from, was facing over the lake's surface, rather than the solid ground

As his body was under the lake's waters, his face and nostrils were inhaling lake water. It was hurting his nostrils and his wide opened eyes. His mind was quickly telling him about how he was gonna die and that the lake monster was going to come and get him.

But after 20 seconds of being underwater, his mind fought back to regain his self-control. He tried controlling his emotions and body, forcing himself to swim upwards. As he swam upwards, his head and upper body managed to burst out of the lake's water. He was gasping very hard for air and was strongly breathing fresh air.

At least he knew how to swim. As he was now floating on the lake's water, he could see that he was at least twelve feet away from the lake's shores.

He saw the tree which he had just fell from.

He heard Miranda calling out to him.

Miranda: (yelling) James??

James used is arms and legs to paddle over the lake's water, swimming towards the shore. When he reached the shore, Miranda was rushing towards him, looking worried and concerned.

Miranda: Peter, I'm glad you are alright!!

Miranda gave him a tight hug. He hugged back.

Peter: Yeah I'm just soaking wet.

His entire body was completely wet. His clothes felt wet and sticky. But Peter looked at her with a smile.

Peter: Hey I'm alright.

He was glad to be alive. If all those bees had swarmed towards him with their tails, he would have been stung to death. And it would have been a painful one too.

The day seemed sunny and fine again. It was only minutes ago, that it was gloomy, cloudy and windy.

As for the tree, it was too bad that he did not make it all the way to the top. It was as much a bruise towards his ago as it was towards not being able to show off in front of his dream girl. She told him that she would be all his if he climbed all the way to the top, which he failed to do so.

Peter: I am soaking wet. Mom's gonna kill me. But hey all the climbing and swimming is making me hungry. Let's get out of here. I don't want something even worse to happen to us, by having the beehive just drop on the ground or something!! Do you where we can get something to bite?

They got back into his car, drove away from the woods and the lake, and Miranda guided him on the road, towards some diner, off the side of a road. Peter parked his car at the diner's customer parking space and they got out. They walked into the diner and found a seat by the window.

Peter: I am so hungry. I am gonna get myself a cheeseburger and some fries. I hope they got chicken wings too.

Miranda laughed warm-heartedly.

Peter: How about you? What can I get for you?

Miranda: Nothing for me, thank you. I'm not really hungry.

A waitress came over to their table. She was a plump blonde in her mid 20s. She addressed Peter.

The waitress: Hi my name is Lucy and I'm here to take your order.

Lucy was carrying a pen and small writing pad. She then gave him a strange look.

Lucy: My goodness, did you fall of a boat?

Peter: Fell of a tree actually.

Peter laughed about being wet. Lucy laughed alongside him. Miranda was just keeping quiet.

He told Lucy that he wanted a large cheeseburger, some fries, a set of chicken wings and a cola. When Lucy was finished taking down his order, she walked away.

Peter was puzzled. He looked straight at Miranda.

Peter: (annoyed) She didn't even ask you if you wanted anything. That was fucking rude.

Miranda: Peter, I am not hungry.

Peter: (in defence of Miranda's honor) She didn't even look at you.

Miranda: Let it go Peter. You are the new face in town. Everyone would be looking at you. Soon she will ask you if you are a tourist passing through. Not many people come to our town and become its latest resident.

After ten minutes of waiting for his order, Lucy arrived with his order, carrying them all on a tray. She placed his drink on the table first, followed by the rest.

Lucy: (trying to be friendly and making conversation) I haven't seen you here before. Are you passing through our quiet little town? We don't get much tourists coming down these parts!!

Peter told him that his family had moved in and that his dad was born in this town but had moved to the city and moved back in again.

Lucy: Well I do hope you, like it here in Serpent's Lake. But one thing I gotta warn you. You said you fell of a tree, right?

Peter: Well yeah.

Lucy: It must have been a tree near one of the lakes and rivers. Since you are new in this town, there is something I have to warn you!!

Peter: (surprised) Warn me? About what?

Lucy leaned over his side of the table, towards him, in a whispering tone.

Lucy: The lakes and rivers are not really safe.

Peter: Are you on about the lake serpent?

Lucy was astonished that he had said it calmly. As she had raised her upper body, she accidentally elbowed his cola drink, splashing coal stains all over the table as well as over Miranda's dress.

Lucy was upset with herself.

Lucy: My God, I'm sorry. I am so clumsy.

Lucy grabbed his one-third empty cola cup.

Lucy: Let me clean this up and get you another one.

Lucy walked away in a panicked way. Peter was upset, about Miranda's clothes getting wet.

Peter: (concerned) Are you ok? I saw some of the drink splashed on your clothes.

Miranda: Look my clothes are all black. No one will even notice it. Now you can say that we are both wet.

Peter and Miranda laughed together at her joke.

When Lucy finally arrived, she had a warm wet cloth on one hand and another cola drink on the other. She cleaned up the table vigorously, before placing his cola drink back again on the table.

Lucy: Enjoy your meal. I do hope you enjoy it here in Serpent's Lake.

Lucy walked away, with a weak smile.

Peter was annoyed that Lucy didn't even ask Miranda if she was ok or if her clothes were wet or offer to help clean her clothes up.

Peter: She is not one good waitress.

Peter was also equally wondering why Lucy was not looking or talking to Miranda at all. Maybe it was because the whole town was pretty much a conservative Christian town, he pondered. But on the bright side, no one was burning Miranda at the stakes, like they used to in Salem, in the old days.

He was sure that no one in class would pick on her because he was around. After all, he was tall and well built, compared to his classmates. He thought that they probably harassed her every single day, until he showed up.

He wanted to show her that he cared about her and so, was going to play it dumb.

Peter: (low whispery tone) Miranda, can I ask you something? I hope you don't take this the wrong way because you do know I care about you. But please tell me this. Is there something going on between you and the townspeople?

Miranda looked at him seriously, and then laughed.

Miranda: Well I am dressed all in black and that can intimidate people around here.

Peter did not want anything to happen to Miranda. That was all.

But thinking about how Miranda was being treated this way, made him angry. That caused him to do something that surprised even himself. He pulled Miranda closer to himself, over the table, and kissed her on the lips.

Peter: I know I didn't make it all the way to the top but I won't let anything happen to you and I am sorry that I didn't make it to the top for you.

Miranda smiled back lovingly at him, with her beautiful brown-green eyes.

Miranda: How about we get out of here!! I know a very nice spot where the view is good and where we can be alone.

Miranda stood up and walked towards the diner's entrance-exit.

Miranda: You better go and pay Lucy up at the counter.

Peter got up from his seat and walked towards the counter. He called Lucy's name up. As he waited for Lucy, he turned around and looked back towards Miranda.

Miranda stood by the doorway, until a couple in their mid 40s walked through the diner's front door. To Peter's astonishment, they did not even look or say "hi" to Miranda at all. They looked as if they were completely ignoring her.

But as their back were towards the door, Miranda slipped out, just as it was about to close. But before the door closed, he heard her yelling at him.

Miranda: I will wait by the car.

When Peter finally turned around, Lucy appeared behind the counter.

Peter: How much do I owe you?

Lucy told him how much he had to pay. Peter took out his wallet and handed her the money. Normally Peter, like many Americans, was a good tipper but because Lucy was rude to Miranda, he accepted his change.