Divagate

Chapter 13

                                              Lia
                                             •••••
   I scream, but it's not like anyone's going to hear me.

   I squeeze my eyes shut, my ribs feeling like they're on fire each time I slam onto the sand. Sharp plants that do nothing to stop my fall scrape against my skin as I land on them.

   I'm airborne a couple times. I definitely am just before I feel my body hit the edge of the water. A freezing cold wave smacks my face, making me sputter and cough.

   I try to lift myself up, but a throbbing pain shoots up my left leg, causing me to fall back down and cry out in pain. Tears prick the corners of my eyes and a lump forms in my throat. Fuck, that hurt so bad!

   I look over my body. My sweater's ripped in several places. Through the holes, I can see a map of bruises and a few bloody cuts. My leggings have tears in them, too, and my left ankle is swollen and slightly bruised. I wiggle my toes in my shoe, sighing with relief that my ankle isn't broken.

   I bring a hand to my face. There are a couple stinging cuts on my cheeks, a bruise just under my right eye, and my lip's busted.

   Shivering, I put my weight on my right foot instead and stand. After making my way out of the lake, I collapse onto the sandy shore, looking up at the steep incline that I was pushed down.

   There are some indents in the dune where I had landed, and a few bushes are crushed from me crashing through them. My eyes trail to the top of the dune.

   Siggy's no longer there. Neither is my beer. "Fuck you, Sigmund!" I scream at the top of my lungs. That son of a bitch better be ready for me to beat his fucking ass.

   As if things couldn't get any worse, a rumble of thunder rolls over the lake. I've got to find a way to get back up to the house. And fast.

   I try to climb up the sand dune, but I keep sliding down thanks to my sprained ankle and the sand that keeps sliding. I groan.

   I'm going to have to walk down the beach until I can find an easier place to get up.

   Glancing to my left and right, I decide to go right. There's a faint light shining down onto the shore. I limp towards it, wincing with almost every step I take.

   Why did I let Siggy sit by me? I should've trusted my gut and said no. No, I should've stayed in the guest bedroom instead. Now, because of my own stupidity, I have a sprained ankle, bruises and a whole bunch of cuts.

   I look at the scratches on my arms, having to bring my arms closer to my face to see in the dark. The smaller, less deep cuts have already started to heal, and a few bruises have started to fade away.

   I hope that my ankle will start to heal, too. I won't be able to get away with a bad ankle if someone tries to catch me.

   I approach the light I saw. "Oh, thank God!" It's two small solar lights on the end-posts of a flight of wooden stairs. I happily ascend the stairs, overjoyed that I don't have to try to climb the wall of sand again.

   My happiness instantly drains away when I reach the top.

   An older man and woman are stacking adirondack chairs and placing them in a shed by a decent-sized lake house.

   Although it's hard to tell in the dim lighting, they look oddly familiar.

   I try to stay in the shadows, but the man spots me,

   "Hey!" His voice is gruff and sharp. I freeze. No no no! Please, no! "Who are you and what are you doing here?" Hearing her husband shouting, the woman comes out of the shed,