The Way It Is [#OpenNovellaContest2019]

• Chapter Five •

After a few minutes, Anna joined Faith over at the snack table.

Faith looked at Anna, concerned. "You okay?"

Anna nodded, half smiling. "I'm fine, really. I just needed a moment."

Faith was silent. Grabbing some more chips, she motioned for Anna to follow her back to the picnic blanket. "C'mon, Taran and Lily are waiting."

Anna followed Faith back to the blanket. Taran avoided her gaze, while Lily coughed and said she was going to go talk to some more old friends. She squeezed Anna's shoulder before she sauntered off.

Taran cleared his throat before speaking. "Anna... I'm sorry."

Anna waved her hand and smiled. "It's okay, Taran. You didn't know, and I'm fine. I just needed a moment. I haven't heard conversation of my sister in a long time."

Taran smiled softly. "Well, you really have matured, haven't you? You're not the crazy meme loving boy magnet you used to be in elementary."

Anna laughed coldly. "I did attract some creepy guys, that's for sure."

Taran winced. "I- uh... frick, sorry. I kinda... um, I wasn't thinking about... the whole creepy dude in the forest thing. Sorry. I keep screwing up."

Anna smiled sadly. "It's fine. Forget about it. Let's get the rest of the people here and have a pool party."

Jumping up from the blanket, she and Taran whistled loudly and yelled "chicken fight!"

People cheered and jumped into the pool, getting on each other's backs and finding another pair to wrestle with.

Marina grabbed Anna's arm, laughing. "Let's crush these nerds."

Anna climbed onto Marinas shoulders and they approached Taran, who had Faith on his shoulders.

"Scared, Faith?" Anna shouted, grinning.

"You wish", Faith smirked back.

Lily, who had decided to not participate, began to lifeguard the fights.

"Three, two, one... go!" She yelled, and everyone leapt at their opponents.

Faith and Anna grabbed arms, each trying to wrestle the other off their partners shoulders, while Taran and Marina struggled to keep their balance.

Eventually, Anna shoved Faith particularly hard, and her and Taran toppled backwards. As their heads broke through the water, they splashed a shrieking Anna and Marina until they got out of the pool to dry off.

Taran dragged Faith onto the diving board, knowing she didn't like heights.

"C'mon Faith, it's really fun! Do it! Do it!"
Taran started chanting. Faith took a deep breath, looked around, plugged her nose, and jumped.

Cheering, Taran went to follow her in.

Anna looked away for a moment, studying a particularly pretty bird that had landed on the tree, when there was a sickening "CRACK", and a scream.

Anna leapt up. "Faith!" She knew that scream from countless nights at the movies watching horror films. "What happened? Are you okay?"

And then she saw it.

Taran.

Lying face down in the water, blood pooling around him, mixing with the water.