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Chapter Sixteen

I gracefully sat down on the deck, looking into the lake and studying the murky water.

"Beautiful isn't it?" He commented.

The sunset reflected on the water was indeed beautiful.

I nodded my head in response.

"Not as near beautiful as you." He stated, playing with my braid.

"Thanks." I whispered.

I lightly touched the murky water.

Pretty cold. I can do it though.

"You're welcome baby." He said, massaging my shoulders.

It was decently warm and humid outside. I think I would be okay.

I observed the other side closest to me and spotted a bunch of trees grouped together.

That would be my spot.

I stood up and tightened the string on my sweatpants as tight as they would go.

I gently pulled off my shoes to avoid suspicion and internally cringed as I knew my feet were about to be a wreck.

Lorenzo watched me in confusion.

I grinned and then jumped in the lake.

The cold water hit my body like little needles.

I resurfaced quickly just in case he was in panic.

I would need time.

I grinned at him as I stayed afloat, keeping my head above water.

"What are you doing jay??" He questioned.

"Swimming. I love to swim." I replied.

"You're going to freeze to death get out." He demanded.

I panicked, knowing I couldn't miss this chance.

I squinted behind him.

"Who's that??" I questioned faking a worried expression.

He turned around quickly.

"He was behind those trees looking at us. Does someone live nearby?" I questioned.

"No, there shouldn't be." He answered, turning around towards where I pointed.

I quickly acted on my plan, not wanting waste any of my time.

I went under the water and kicked off the deck swiftly, heading straight towards the area I was hoping to end up on.

A pain erupted throughout my head due to the water pressure. I continued to push on.

My lungs burned as I continued to swim from lack of air.

Suddenly I got stuck. Something was attached to the bottom of my sweatpants, preventing me from going anywhere.

I tried to refrain myself from panicking as I pulled on my sweatpants leg with my hand.

I was stuck.

I started untying the sweatpants as my head began to spin from lack of air.

I really needed it soon.

I rejoiced in my head as I untied my sweatpants successfully and began to swim up.

I took a deep breath of air as I resurfaced and looked around.

I still had a while to get to my spot I wanted. I was a little in the wrong direction.

"JAYY!!!" I heard Lorenzo scream.

I quickly went back under just in case he did see me and swam towards my spot.

I kicked my legs as hard as I could and moved my arms as quickly as possible, fighting to get away.

I was leaving.

I continued to swim, it felt like I had been under for forever as my lungs began to burn again.

I pushed on anyways.

I felt the bottom of the lake knowing I was close to the surface.

I yelped, inhaling water as something slimy brushed against my bare leg.

I clawed at the water blindly desperately trying to get away from whatever was under the water with me.

I resurfaced, choking water up as I climbed the muddy bank.

I slipped and landed beside a log.

I continued coughing the nasty lake water up, eager to get it out of my system.

Once I could finally breathe I laid beside the log on my back.

I heard Lorenzo faintly calling my name.

Good. He was in the wrong spot.

I decided that this log would be what I would stay under for the night.

I could cover myself in the mud around it and blend in if he came this way to look for me, which would also keep the bugs off of me for the night.

I wiped mud all over me, covering myself head to toe.

The mud was actually warm, warming my cold skin.

I pulled another log beside mine and sat it over the other one to make it look natural, but also give myself a hiding place to curl up.

I dug in the mud, making a hole under the logs for my hiding place.

Once I felt like the hole was big enough, I crawled inside.

I grabbed handfuls of the warm mud and placed it over my curled up legs, completely covering them along with my stomach.

I laid my head under the log and closed my eyes, laying there.

"Jay!" I heard him yell, extremely close to where I was laying.

I held my breathe as a flashlight swung quickly over where I was lying.

Panic erupted throughout my chest.

He had to have seen me.

The flashlight skimmed by me and I heard him walk away.

I relaxed and breathed lightly relieved.

I covered the rest of my body in mud in case he walked back by later, leaving my head under the log to cover it.

I closed my eyes and allowed myself to peacefully fall asleep, feeling safe for the first time in a while.

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