Narrative Text: The Lake

 The Lake

“Thousands of years ago, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, lies a beautiful island. With flourishing vegetation, various exotic creatures, and beautiful interactions between living things as they go along in harmony, but what makes this island special is the huge volcano in the middle of the island that can be seen miles away. Everything was perfect, for everyone living there, the creatures, the plants, and also the humans who lived there, up until the day came when the volcano exploded. It kills all the living things there, thousands of lives have been lost, including the exotic creatures and humans. The eruption eventually caused its death. The explosion was so big that even the volcano was destroyed by it, leaving a big hole in the middle of the island, leading to the center of the Earth. However, as time goes on, rain starts pouring into the hole. After years, it finally fills up the hole, creating a beautiful lake leading to the center of the earth. No doubt, anything that falls into the lake can never be seen or retrieved anymore.”

            “Well, I don’t believe that!” exclaimed the sixteen-year-old. The sixteen-year-old, also known as Pedro, has the personality of a cat. Confident, sociable, but extremely stubborn. Which explains why he is in denial when hearing the news of his father's passing away. “I’ll find father, no matter the cost.” He continued. “Think what you want to think, Pedro, but it’s the truth, and no matter what you do will change the fact that he’s gone,” answered Pedro’s older sister, Sasha.

            No one could’ve foreseen the unfortunate incident that took place during their small trip. As Pedro, along with Sasha and their father, was venturing along the island, their father got lost and has yet to be seen. After 2 weeks, the rescuer managed to find one of his belongings, a piece of cloth from the shirt he was wearing on the day he went missing, right in the middle of the lake. After the discovery of the new evidence, their father was immediately announced dead, the cause of death was drowning.

            “There’s no definite proof that proves that father is really gone, does anyone see him drown, or is his body found?” asked Pedro, in denial. “Well, no, but what other explanation can you come up with?” answered Sasha. “Anything but him dying, I won’t believe it until I see his dead body.” Said Pedro. “Like I told you earlier, anything that falls into the lake can never be seen anymore.” Replied Sasha. “I beg you, don’t do anything stupid, I don’t want to lose you too.” Sasha continues, while holding back tears. Pedro approached Sasha. “Sis, I won’t do anything stupid, I promise you,” Pedro reassured her as he hugged his sister, trying to calm her down.

***

            In the dark night skies, accompanied by the stars and moon, along with the sound of waves. Slowly but surely, the island started to look bigger and bigger as Pedro approached it using his speedboat, duffel bag in hand. Inside the duffle bag are diving gear, all packed and ready for use. “I’m sorry, sis, but I’m still keeping my promise since I don’t think this is a stupid plan,” Pedro mutters to himself.

            After a few minutes of a speedboat ride, the boat finally hit the dock. Pedro stepped out with more determination to find his father. He approached the lake and set up his gear. After making sure everything was ready, he took one more final step and jumped into the lake.

            The lake was dark, with no light, no sound, and no sign of life. However, his mind has been made up, as he dives further down the lake and still finds nothing. The deeper he goes, the darker it is, and the darker it gets, the more the pressure from underwater, but despite that, he keeps persevering and refuses to give up even when all odds are against it. Finally, his oxygen tank broke due to all the pressure. Combined with the feeling of fear and shock, Pedro started to panic, causing him to lose even more air as water started going into his body. Not being able to make it up the surface, at last, he breathed his final breath as his body continued to dive further down the lake.

***

            Old memories flashed through my mind. The sense of nostalgia is around me as all the memories play back one by one. I can sense the smell of petrichor, it’s soothing and relaxing, as if I were in heaven. The ground, I can sense it as well, it’s soft and comfortable, as if I were sleeping on a cloud. Have I finally reached the bottom of the lake? Why are my senses working? I died.

            “Pedro.” I heard someone call out my name. Apparently, my hearing works now. What a weird situation I’m in. “Pedro.” They called my name again, “What is happening?” I thought to myself. I slowly open my eyes. It’s bright, I can see it, the bright skies, the fluffy clouds, and my father.

            “Father, is that you?” I asked. “Long time no see, son.” My father answered with a smile on his face. I got up and hugged him as tightly as I could, “I know you’re alive, I was right this whole time!” I exclaimed while bawling my eyes out. Father hugged me back, but then looked at me with a serious look. “Well, not exactly.” He replied. “What do you mean, you’re here, I can see and touch you, so what in the world are you talking about, Father?” I asked him. “You see, son, we can see each other here, not because I’m alive, it’s because you died.” He answered.

            “What?” Right after I said that, I looked around. Beautiful angels with a white robe and golden harps in their hands are flying around, not far from there, a huge golden gate leading to the dark side. “I don’t understand, I really died?” I asked. “I’m sorry, son.” My father answered. I look around once again refuse to accept the reality I’m in. “You’re joking, I can’t die, not now, I’m still young, there are a lot of things I want to do before I die, so I can’t die just yet,” I exclaimed as I tried pinching myself, hoping that it was all a dream. Father stayed quiet.

            “Please, this isn’t reality, I refused to believe it, I’m alive, I’m not dead!” I continued. “Pedro.” My father called me as I kept on rambling. Eventually, my father got tired. All of a sudden, a slap rang out. In a matter of seconds, I felt a hot sensation on my cheeks as I looked up and saw the angry look on my father’s face.

“You see, Pedro, this is the reason why you ended up here.” He yelled. “You have to face reality, stop being stubborn.”. “I appreciate your determination in trying to see me again, but you should’ve just accepted the fact that I died back then,” Father continues. “But Father, it hurts me to see that you’re really gone, I barely spend a lot of time with you, I need you in my life,” I cried out. Father sighs, then looks back at me. “Let me tell you something, Pedro, back then, during the explosion that created the lake thousands of years ago, do you know why so many people lost their lives?” he asked. I shrugged, not knowing the answer. “Volcanoes always show some signs before an explosion, for instance, smoke should’ve come out of it before it exploded, right?” He says, “So why didn’t people evacuate?” he asked me again. Once again, I stayed quiet, not knowing the answer. “People are stubborn; they refused to believe the reality they’re in, no matter the signs and warnings given to them before the eruption, they chose to deny the reality they’re in,” he answered.

“How are you supposed to know that?” I interrupted. “That was thousands of years ago, you wouldn’t know.” I continued. Father stood up and lent me his hand, “Well, son, there are more things you can do in heaven than you think, come.” He replied. I stood up and walked after him. Everything I see there is surreal, flying angels with beautiful feather wings, exotic creatures I never knew existed, and some historical figures I recognized from decades ago; it was too much to take in.

After a while, we finally reached our destination. “We’re here.” My father said, as we stood in front huge building, with shiny marble walls, and a beautiful garden right outside of it. “Come in,” Father said as he entered the building, and I followed after. The interior of the building was indescribable, a cloud-like device monitor allows us to see everything that happened on Earth at any time and anywhere. My father points at the device, which plays the moment of the eruption. I saw the moment before the eruption, when the volcanoes start acting up, and how people are in denial about what is going to happen. At last, the device showed the moment of the incident, I witnessed as people slowly dying, desperately trying to get out, but failed to do so as the lava slowly ate their whole body up, turning them into stone and ashes. Everything my father said was true, and I was speechless.

“You see, son, you’re here because of your stubborn personality,” Father said as the device kept playing the moment of the incident. “Once again, the volcano has successfully taken another precious life away.” He continued. I look down, with a face full of regret, and everything he says is true.

“What do you mean you can’t find him? Go find my brother now, please!” a voice rings out. I looked back to see another device, this time belonging to my sister, in the present. “I know he’s out there; he promised me he won’t do anything stupid.” She told the rescue team. “So please, you better find him, he’s the only family I have left, my father is gone, I can’t lose him too!” she continued.

By Gracelycia Angeline Serat

26th April 2024