The Lights on the Lake

The creature waded out across the water, tracing her hands lightly over the surface, as if searching for something underneath. Undistracted by the sounds and lights around her, she parted the silky surface in a great V, chopping the sparkling lights above into reflections of red and gold in the inky blackness behind her. She waved away one of the glowing lights as it drew itself tentatively towards her. Pausing for a moment to stoop and lower her face closer to the pool, she listened to the small sound beneath. The splashing stopped. She watched, close enough the see the skin of the water shiver beneath her breath. Somewhere it was here. It would show itself only at this time, and in this place.

Suddenly her eyes lifted and she whipped her head around. She felt the air shift and electricity ran through her body. She was found, she knew. There was no time to debate it or curse the chance she would now miss. Her instincts told her to leave before it was too late, and already the lights waving around her had changed and the sounds were oscillating into a low universal hum.

Taking from her back a long stick, twice her height and slightly curved, she vaulted into the air. Upward she continued, the hum now reaching deafening volumes as she tore away from the sparkling surface, cleaving a dark space in the lights clearly visible from above. Her Pole urged her higher still, higher than was possible she seemed to fly. The icy air burned her wet skin – she focused on the pain and tried to ignore the vast plane of light that was revealed as she rose above the lake. From this height she could see the extent of the colony. The beautiful glowing was vast, but she knew it held a sinister purpose. And she didn't think that this time, she could outfly them.