Silent Lake (Chapter 3)

It's been three days since I last saw my husband, in the rear-view mirror that is.  Now that I've had nightmare after nightmare I've decided enough is enough, it was time to head back home.  1

Kelana threw her two bags in the back seat and I set mine on top.  I strapped her in the front seat and walked around the back to make sure we had picked up everything that had belonged to us.  Reassured enough I got into the drivers seat, strapped on my seat belt, and started the engine.  2

An hour later we were on the open road.  For some reason it takes forever to get home, a good 3 hours and that's a lot to drive at 8:00 at night.  Kelana insisted that we stay until late to watch the fireworks that night over the lake.  Which were absolutely beautiful.  It is now 9:00 and there is barely anyone on the road, actually, I see no one.  Kelana happens to be asleep next to me curled up in a ball with her teddy bear.  I thought to myself, if only i could be a child again, life would be so simple.  I caught myself off guard swerving to the side of the road and holding Kelana back with one hand as the small car spun in circles multiple times.3

Glass shattered everywhere, the car flipped once, all to avoid something I saw in the middle of the road.  I screamed out loud "What the hell WAS that?!?"  Terrified, shaken, and worried about my daughter I looked over praying I wouldn't see something heartbreaking.  With tears streaming down my face, and hers, I saw Kelana look at me obviously shaken and scared.  "Mommy...what just happened?!"  I took her hand and explained that I saw something...or someone...in the middle of the road and tried to move out of the way.  With that I remembered the object and proceeded to open the door.  Stuck.  I started to ram into the side door and still  no luck.  So instead i decided to shatter the glass and climb out of the window to make sure whatever it was in the middle of the road was ok.  Climbing out of the window I saw a body laying in the middle of the road.  I turned back to our car and instructed Kelana to stay in it, I wouldn't want her to see something so traumatizing as a dead/injured person at her age.  Tears began to fill my eyes praying I hadn't just killed an innocent person I slowly walked up to the paralyzed body.  It's back facing towards me, this person wore a long black jacket, dark denim pants, and a red shirt it seemed.  From the looks of it, it was a male, given the short hair.  I took my chances and slowly turned the person on his back and a rush of nausea came over me in an instant.4

"No, no...that's...that's not possible.  NO!!"5

I began to cry hysterically as I looked so desperately into this dead persons eyes.  The eyes of my husband.  6

"He's supposed to be dead!!"7

I stood on both feet and looked up into the sky.8

"Please God.  Please tell me I didn't just kill my husband PLEASE!!"9

I looked down at the body again and I wanted so badly to hold him...and kiss him again.  But I stopped myself and at the same time the tears stopped as well.  "Chad?"  Were my eyes playing tricks on me?  This was surely him a minute ago...now...it's a stranger.  I've never seen this man in my entire life.  I don't understand.  The man lay face up and opened his eyes to meet mine.  The first words that came out of his mouth were to assure himself that myself and whomever else was in the vehicle were safe and sound.  I told him that we were in a shaken voice and asked if I needed to call an ambulance.  He smiled and said no...he'd be just fine...he just fell over when I swerved.  I looked at him in a confusing manner which confused him as well.  "I'm sorry ma'am...did i do something wrong that possibly upset you?"10

"Oh...oh no...I just...Just thought you were someone else."11

With that we both got up, and I called 9-1-1 to get someone to look at all three of us and make sure we were physically ok.  12

Sitting on the edge of the ambulance I began to cry to myself.  I don't understand it...it was him.  It was Chad I know it was.  I know my husband when I see him and that was him.  Am I going crazy?  Surely I have to be...there's no other way to explain something so insanely stupid.  I looked up from the ambulance and looked ahead into the woods.  I shut my eyes and let the cold, wet tears run down my face.  As i reopened them I saw someone slowly walk into the woods...I turned my head and squinted my eyes and sure enough there it was.  Black jacket, dark jeans, red shirt.  I'm not crazy...Or am I?13