Haunted Lake

    Esbi and Jill waited in the office of the Summer estate. Along the wall of the room awards for Julie and Richard Summer’s very notable acting careers were displayed beside a variety of books and whiskey. 

    “Ooops, Im so sorry I’m late!” a very beautiful blonde who was well placed within the Paris Hilton archetype entered. Esbi could easily picture this woman doing blow in the bathroom like an 80’s supermodel. “I got held up at a charity event, it took longer than it should’ve because they didn’t have anyone recording. Like hello, we have to post this! Like lets get some cameras in here. Hmmf, the ignorance of some people!” Esbi immediately eyed the whiskey, Jill stayed professional.

    “So! You’re them? The two who deal with the supernatural?”

    “We deal with a lot of conflicts, not just specific to the supernatural but, yes we’re the people you heard about, miss?” Jill motioned to shake her hand, and was met with a grasp of petite royal finesse. 

“Mellissa Summer, maybe you’ve seen me in my most recent role as the Handmaiden in Joana the Knight?”

    “Im not familiar.”

    “Oh ok, thats fine, or maybe you’ve seen me in Haunted Lake, horror movie about campers who-”

    “We don’t watch a lot of movies.” Esbi interrupted. It was a blatant lie, they’re practically cinephiles. 

    “Oh, ok. Well just so you know, I’m a rising star, kind of a big deal. When my character died in Haunted Lake, audiences cheered. They just loved watching me die. Fan favorite.” She said very proudly. 

    “Uh huh. Right. Can you tell us what this is all about? Why get in touch with us?” Jill wanted to move things along before Esbi popped a blood vessel.

    “Well where do I start. Ok, like I said, I’m a rising star, but I want to be more than just a star, I wanna be an icon. So, I got on my phone, and started looking up how to be more famous. I got bored with that, and ended up looking up self enchantments. Don’t ask how I got to that end of the internet because I have no clue, but thats where I found it! Something that could take me to the next level, something more permanent than a silly enchantment. The site said If I could survive being submerged in a Abyss Pit, I would come out enlightened, a better version of myself. Its just what I need, the secret ingredient to be an icon! I has to be. So, I hired some investigators and found one, and now that I found it I would like your help to make sure I survive going in.”

    Esbi and Jill exchanged looks.

    “Well, shit.” Esbi got up and helped herself to the whiskey.

    “Mellissa, I don’t know what you read, but the Abyss is extremely dangerous. Its a bad idea for you to go in, It might just be suicide.” Jill tried to put it delicately as she could.

    “Thats why I need you! You have experience with the supernatural, I’ll be fine!”

    “Listen, my sister and I have been in the Abyss before and-”

    “You survived!? Even better! I read that most people die, so if you made it your perfect for the job!”

    “Let me finish. Just because we went in and made it back out doesn’t mean anything. It’s a tailored made experience, a tailored made mind game. Not everyone can go in, not everyone should. For one person it could be a reflection of their life, for another its a fiddle match with the Devil. When you stare into the Abyss, whatever stares back will be specific to you, and I don’t know much help we can be with that.”

    “But did you come out enlightened? Was it worth it?”

    “Enlightened isn’t the word I’d use. But, it was character defining. I don’t regret it.”

    “But was it worth it?” 

    Jill took a moment before answering, she didn’t want to encourage her, but she could tell she would probably go without their help anyway.

    “Yes. In the end, it was worth it.”

    “Then please, I have to do it, please help me go through with it.”

    “Ok. We will.”

    “We will?!” Esbi downed her glass of whiskey to try and ease her disdain.

    Mellissa’s private investigators left them directions on how to get to the pit. Five hour plane ride to an Island right off the coast, meet with the indigenous people, ask a guide to take them the rest of the way. Simple enough. Mellissa’s anxiety kept her quite and fidgety the entire trip. On the Island the locals where hesitant to help them find the pit, to them it has always been a bad omen, none of their people have ever returned from it. They tell cautionary tales to children of how the pit will swallow you whole, and never spit you out. Every few years despite the warnings, rebellious teens would venture to the pit out of curiosity and in false confidence dare one another to go in, whoever was bravest enough to go in was lost forever. They learned the hard way that the stories where true. 

    They convinced one of the locals to take them, he put them on the right path but soon turned back letting them venture the rest of the way on their own. The sky was ashen, the forest was brisk. The path was starting to become slightly overgrown. Esbi and Jill were no strangers to treks like this. The eeriness of walking towards what could possibly be your inevitable doom, however Mellissa was as anxious as ever. She flinched at every snap in the trees, and tried to stay as close as possible to Esbi, sometimes invading her personal space. 

    “We’re here.” Jill led the way, the path had taken them to the Abyss, nothing more than a pond of black liquid. Mellissa was practically clinging to Esbi’s arm as she led her down to the bank.

    “Im so nervous. This is it huh? What was it like for you? How did you make it out?” 

    “I don’t want to talk about it.” Esbi was not fond of this place, or of Mellissa. Jill tried to ease her mind.

    “Its a different experience for everyone, so I cant tell you what to expect, but relying on your beliefs, or your values can help. I believe that everyone can find their own purpose, and do good. That helped me get out. Esbi, she’s just a nihilist so that helped her get through it too. So think about what matters to you, and that should help.” 

    Mellissa nodded acknowledging her advice, and then stared at the pit.

    “Ok, lets do this. Esbi and I will go in first and make sure it doesn't care about us, we’ve already done it so it shouldn’t. Then, we’ll guide you in, and at any point you want out, we’ll try and pull you out.”

    “Ok.”

    Esbi and Jill cautiously walked in. They eased their way to the center of pond, submergedlittle more than waist deep. Mellissa watched closely as the sisters tested the pool.

    “Im not a nihilist.” 

    “What?”

    “Im not a nihilist. Y’know, I enjoy, things. And people.” 

    Jill ignored her sister and examined the pond for a few more moments. They stood dead center, yet nothing happened.

    “Ok, it doesn’t care about us. You ready Mellissa, we’ll walk you in.” 

    They went back to the bank to hold her as she stepped in. She submerged one foot, she went to take the next step, it was slightly deeper. Another step, deeper. She was submerged chest high, while the sisters were only knee deep. The bottom was getting lower only for her and it frightened Mellissa, they weren't even near the center yet. She started to panic, breathing harder. 

    “I don’t think I can do this. Can we go back?”

    “Yeah, come on.” 

    Just as they were about to take her to the bank no more than a two yards away, the bottom gave out for Mellissa, her head went under for a moment and she began to panic as she thrashed out her legs to swim and clenched onto Esbi and Jill.

    “Theres no bottom!” 

    They tried to hustle and haul her up and out of the pit, but it was too late. Within a moment the Abyss rushed into a whirlpool, dragging Mellissa back, the current had little effect on Jill or Esbi, the Abyss only wanted the her. The current dragged her farther and farther back. During the struggle, a woman slowly emerged from the center of the whirlpool, and hovered. The Abyss had personified itself, and gave a look of disappointment at the sisters.

    “I admire you both. You have strong convictions, however, you both should know, I am not a picky eater.” 

    It was the only warning Esbi and Jill where going to get, now they could feel the bottom starting to give out slowly from beneath their feet. Jill ignored her, only focused on pulling Mellissa, and Esbi took the moment to let go of one hand and flip her the bird.

    “Very well, you may come too.” 

    The bottom fell out from beneath their feet, and now all three of them were caught in the whirlpool. It took them around, and then submerged them deep within the Abyss before crashing through a bubble and slamming on a hard marble floor. Mellissa coughed up liquid trying to catch her breath, Jill stood tall taking in their new submerged surroundings. They were inside of a dome, a big gothic snow globe surrounded by tar. Dim lights embedded within the floor illuminated the room just enough to see one another. They were designed in patterns of vines and flowers, twisting and stretching across the marble. Esbi rolled over on her back.

    “Great, now we got flushed into this broad’s nightmare.”

    “And I wonder who’s fault that would be?” 

    The voice came from the other end of the dome, the Abyss. Esbi reluctantly got up, and helped Mellissa to her feet. 

    “I admire you both very much, however don’t you think helping the shining star here is a bit beneath you?”

    “We don’t judge.”

    “Is that a half truth coming out of your mouth Jill? I know you both too well for that.”

    “-We try not to judge.”

    “Thats more like it.” 

    The Abyss was very pleased with herself knowing that both sisters were equally annoyed. Mellissa peered at the personification, she seemed familiar.

    “I, I think I know you?” Mellissa muttered.

    “We’ll get to that soon enough. If you’ll excuse us, Im going to talk with our star here, in private.”

    A transparent wall built itself within the dome, caging the sisters into a sound proof glass box. Esbi kicked the wall in frustration, and started cursing at the Abyss. Mellissa couldn’t hear any of it, but the body language made it easy to read.

    “Pleasant one isn't she.” The Abyss joked. She put her hand on Mellissa’s shoulder and started walking her to the other end of the dome. 

    “So, you came all this way to take the plunge. Taking notes, preparing for whatever mind games I would play. You seem so desperate to become enlightened.”

    Mellissa said nothing, she felt intimidated, and powerless. 

    “Thats ok, I’ll do all the talking. I only need you to watch.”

    She placed her in a chair that had just appeared, Mellissa began to realize that this reality was completely manipulated and conjured by this woman. The black liquid outside of the dome started to change colors, and brighten. The colors took shape, the image showed the interior of a SUV. The back passenger doors opened, and her parents Julie and Richard Summer entered, and slammed the doors shut.

    “Are you waiting for seat belts? Fucking retard, get a move on it.” Julie commanded their chauffeur. They were younger, before Mellissa was born. Both were frustrated, her mother more so.

    “Julie, I suggest you get your attitude in check before we meet the press.” 

    “Remind yourself that Im a professional. Oh, did you do that? Thank you.” She cocked her head and glared out the window.

    “Just remember that this is for both our careers. Announcing that we are having a baby and getting married will give us a boost. The media and marketing will open plenty of doors for us. It will generate more buzz than an adoption would so-”

    “Shut the hell up Richard. You’re not the one having the baby.”

    “As long as you know that I'm right.” She bit her lip and didn’t respond. “-Good, I'm glad we agree on that.”

    The image faded, the colors mixed and swirled into a mirky grey. Mellissa grew up with her parents always being shallow towards her, but she never knew that her conception was entirely out of business. It was a hurtful revelation, yet, not surprising. Color returned, and began to make a new image. It showed the director of Haunted Lake arguing with a studio executive. 

    “Please don't make me cast Mellissa Summer, not only is she a terrible person she can barely act!”

    “Listen, I get it. This is your movie, and you have a vision. I get that. But, I'm paying for it. I paying for your cast, your crew. You need a set built, I take care of it. You need a special effects team, I got it. All that I ask of you, is to cast someone in your horror movie, that people would pay to see get murdered in it.”

    “But its a gimmick.”

    “I don’t care! Thats money back in our pockets so that we stay in business and keep food on the table. Any other person in my position would be telling you to do this, just remember Im being nice and asking you too.”

    The image faded again. Mellissa’s heart sank and agonized within her chest, and the tears rolled. It was one of her fondest memories when the director asked for her to be in the movie. He gave her high praise, told her how extremely talented she was and perfect she could make the film, she would bring something unique and special to the movie. Lies. He only casted her to make the studio happier, to sell more tickets. 

    “Are you crying?” The Abyss was grinning ear to ear, Mellissa barely made eye contact.     “Ha! You see those two back there in that glass box,” She pointed at Jill and Esbi sitting against the walls of their cage.

     “you wouldn’t believe the shit I had to do to push them over the edge. But you, all I had to do was show you two little snippets of the truth and you’re already balling like a baby! Ha! You know what, maybe its because you’re a passive person. Y’know, your parents manufactured you, and your career, to boost their own image. Others give you work to manufacture and boost their own careers. Its almost as if your entire life has been completely fabricated just so you could be used. Hmmm. Why did you come down here again?”

    Mellissa didn't answer, she felt humiliated. She had no argument, and no counter for what she was saying.

    “Oh I remember, to be an icon! To have an triumphant legacy! To be, important. Thats what it really boils down to doesn't it? To be important. The root of your icon obsession. You see, you’re so passive you haven't said a word! Things just happen to you, your fabricated little life just allows you to be privileged and passive to bob around with no destination. You don’t take any action or responsibility of your own because, you don't have to. Your fabricated, manufactured life benefits the people around you, and thats why they keep you around.”

    The colors swirled and began creating a new image.

    “This is the last one, and its the most special too! This personification I'm using, this lovely woman you find familiar, her name is Teresa, this is her story.”

    She was a makeup artist, or just a great artist in general. She spent her years in college working part time at an amusement park. She started her day doing the makeup for the character actors and depending on who was working, she’d take up the caricature, face paint, or henna stands. She was good with people, she loved her job, everyone on the staff loved her. They paid her more than what was required and continuously asked her to come full time after graduation. 

    But after years of helping her friends cosplay and working on intense Halloween costumes, she always wanted to do it professionally. For the movies; horror, she could make vampires, zombies, or any monster she could think of, sci-fi, she could make aliens and other assorted spacemen. Even in a spy movie, she could give an actress the best hair and makeup so she could sashay proudly as a femme fatale. She wanted to do it all. Before she graduated Teresa got a shot at a break in gig, hair and makeup for Haunted Lake. The actress she was assigned to work with,  Mellissa Summer.

    Unprofessional, rude, and arrogant Mellissa Summer. Working with people and children at the amusement park was challenging but rewarding. Working with a stuck up actress however, was a exhausting experience. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Mellissa would ask, hungover. Some days Teresa would have to spend extra time helping her wash up because of the wreck she became the night before. “Sometimes I swear I could just do my own makeup for this, like, why even bother having you around.” Other times she would come hours late and Teresa would just hope she wouldn't come in at all. At the end of the shoot, Mellissa never even got her name. 

    Teresa got advice from the other makeup artists and they told her how common place it was for actors and actresses to be egregious. She lost the inspiration to continue. If it was going to be a common trend of constantly working with people like Mellissa, why even bother. After Haunted Lake she gave up on her dream and went back to the amusement park. The image swirled away, and faded to the black liquid it once was. Almost every fiber of Mellissa’s being had been deconstructed and she was left humiliated and ashamed of who she was.

    “You wanna know what I admire about Teresa? She commits to action. Every day she goes out there and works on something she’s passionate about. Then I look at you, miss passive, who just sits there and things just happen for you. Hmm, funny how life works.”

    Teresa’s abyssal doppelgänger grasped Mellissa’s hand and walked her back towards Esbi and Jill’s cage.

    “Before you go there is something I want you take with you. Guilt.”

    The cage rapidly filled with black tar, Esbi and Jill sprawled up and tried to break the cage. Mellissa ran up and put her hands to the glass.

    “No no no, why are you doing this? They didn’t do anything to you!” she pleaded.

    “Thats somewhat of the point. Those two have done a lot of good in the world, and have impacted many lives, and they came down here to help you. They are going to die for you, unimportant, meaningless you, which is the equivalent of dying for no reason at all.”.

    The liquid reached the top of the tank, they kept trying to break the glass as they drowned. 

    “Please don’t, take me instead!”

    “No. I prefer this outcome.”

    Thud, thud, thud. Blows to the glass got weaker, and soon it was silent. Their lifeless bodies eased against the glass. The doppelgänger grabbed Mellissa by the shoulders and began pushing her to the edge of the dome.

    “Well, miss Summer I hope your trip was, enlightening. Bye bye.” She pushed her against the bubble wall and it absorbed her back into the current. It rushed, swirled her back to the surface and spit her out onto the bank. Mellissa caught her breath, she looked around. The black pond was nothing but still water, as if nothing had happened. She rushed back in. 

    “No! Give them back! Take me!”

    She stood in the center little more than waist deep.

    “Trade me! Im the one who's not important, give them back!” 

    She splashed and ravaged the water looking for a way back down, only it was no longer the bottomless pit it was mere moments ago. She stayed in the pit for minutes begging, and soon came to the realization that nothing was going to happen. She stood in silence, defeated, not knowing what to do. Maybe it was over, maybe it was time to leave. She took steps towards the bank, but, a thought interrupted her steps. Something that the doppelgänger said kept going in her head, commit to action. No, she couldn't leave, she had to keep trying, she had to do something.

    “You’re right. I am a terrible person. I am meaningless. Im not important. But, you took two great people from the world. No, wait, not just two, hundreds maybe even thousands of victims! And for what? To play games with peoples lives? You’re not better than anyone else. You’re just as meaningless as I am. So I'm not leaving, because right now saving them is the most meaningful thing I can do.”

    She stood there hoping that maybe, just maybe she could get them back. Nothing. Only the silence of the forest accompanied her. She closed her eyes.

    “Im not leaving. Not going any-“

    The bottom abruptly gave out and the Abyss sucked her back in. The current swished her around and around until finally thrusted the three of them onto the bank. They coughed black goop from their throats.

    “Ugh, for fucks sake. Hate that thing.” Esbi’s irritation expelled with every curse she muttered under her breath. Mellissa was first to her feet, and helped them up.

    “Are you both ok?” 

    Jill was surprised to hear that from Mellissa.

    “We’ve been through worse. So how was it?”

    “I don’t want to talk about it.”

    “Well, welcome to the club.”

    About a month later, Teresa had just finished painting the twenty second face of the day. The park was alive, children on summer break, families on vacation. Every ride was in operation, lines formed at food stands and novelty shops, character actors walked around to take photos and selfies with patrons. She went to take a sip from her canteen she left behind the stand, the water break was cut short when she made eye contact with a familiar face she despised.

    “Teresa, hi. I don't know If you remember me but, I’m Mellissa, we worked together.”

    “Yeah. We did. I remember you.”

     There was scent of awkwardness that neither one of them could shake.

    “I, I came to offer you a job. There’s a movie I'm working on, a fantasy about two sisters who fight the supernatural and we could use a makeup artist. I promise it wont be like last time, I'm only hiring and casting people that are professional, respectful and kind so that we can enjoy what we do.”

    “Wait, you’re not starring in it?”

    “No, no I'm just writing it and makeshift directing it. I have a pen name attached to it and funding it with my own money so it wont be a big deal publicity wise but, I think it will be fun to do. Here, take my card. I’ll pay you everything up front and if any moment you decide its not for you, you’re more than welcome to go, but I think you would be great doing it. Anyways, I wont keep you.” 

    Mellissa moved on, leaving Teresa to her work. Later when the park closed, she took another look at the card. A small note was written on the back, ‘If I can give you your dream job, maybe you can forgive me’. Teresa shook her head in disbelief, the Mellissa she knew would never extend this kind of a gesture. Millessa’s phone buzzed, a text message read,

    “if you mean it, I’ll forgive you. Deal?”

    “Deal ;)”

The End