Growing Up in Ferngrave [A Seventeen Fanfiction]

Chapter 6: Third Grade and the Haunted Lake

  The communication system that Seungkwan, Seokmin, Mingyu, Wonwoo, and I had formulated quickly became a nightly endeavor.  The questions we'd ask each other one night would often determine the topic for the day that followed.  One of these nights, I pulled away my curtain to see the words that Mingyu had written out.  'Meyer's Lake'.

-

  "Why on earth would we want to go there? That plathe ith tho creepy!" Mingyu demanded, biting into the Korean Vienna sausage that his mother had packed for him that day.

  "I heard the ghost of a kid who fell into the lake is around there," Seokmin added fervently, opting for Seungkwan to scoff.

  "Seokmin, you've been here the shortest time. How do you know that's true?"

  "The kids here told me!" Seokmin defended immediately.

"Either way! Doeth ith matter? I don't wanna go!" Mingyu sputtered, talking over a large piece of food, opting for Seungkwan and Wonwoo to grimace at the sight.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Wonwoo scolded softly, "and we never said we had to go—it's just—well, don't you want to know what's over there?" It might've not shown much, but Wonwoo was one of the more adventurous of you lot, with his inward passions and ambitions buzzing about his head twenty-four-seven. Seokmin often shared the same streak, but his shown brightly. Seungkwan was simply stubborn, not wanting to admit defeat.

"Yeah, exactly!" Seungkwan was swift to add. "Stop being such a big baby, it'll be cool!"

"Where is Meyer's Lake again?" You asked, taking tentative bites out of the sandwich you were eating for lunch. "I don't think I've ever been there."

"Oh, well, obviously! It's at the direct end of town. You know where that big scary dog lives?" Seungkwan responded.

"The big, brown one?" Seungkwan's fervent nod at your question made you wince, memories of peeking over the fence at the solemn end of the block reocurring.

-

The end of the our town wasn't exactly the end, per say. It was more like the turn at the end of the block that was home to the old folks of the neighborhood. Now, because those folks were—indeed—old, their living section was quiet. Too quiet for a child's comfort. Not to mention, the big, brown dog that belonged to cranky old Mr. Sullen was less than nice to trespassers.

-

"Thith ith thuchth a bad idea..." Mingyu whimpered, hiding behind Wonwoo's back. Ultimately, the vote at the end of your lumch discussion ended unanimously, you courteously opting not to vote, only to leave Mingyu alone in defeat against the other three. Now, the five of you stood at the end of the fence, the farthest towards the "scary section" any of you had ever gone.

  Seungkwan gulped, feeling sudden regret at his past enthusiasm.  However, he would rather be mauled by the big, brown dog that guarded the area than admit that he was scared.

  "Would you stop worrying? Let's go already!" The chubby-cheeked boy began stomping ahead, Seokmin hot on his trail.

  "Hey! Wait up for us!"

  You heard a sniff from beside you, and you turned to see Mingyu with wobbling lips.  Wonwoo silently patted the boy's shoulder before pressing forward, beckoning you and Mingyu to follow as well.  You took a shaky breath, Eomma always says spirits are not as nasty as they seem.  You repeated that comfort in your mind; but still, you found Mingyu's hand on instinct as you followed Wonwoo.