Cursed Cove

Into choppy waters

Delilah’s throat stung as she reluctantly swallowed some salty lake water after falling from the canoe. Fully submerged and disoriented, Delilah took a moment to calm herself and figure out where she had ended up in relation to the canoe and her sister, Kimberly. Panic began to set in, despite the lessons they had received over their summer years growing up around the water. Once a haven from the demands of her mother, now a place where she couldn’t discern top from bottom.

Once Delilah had found the direction of the surface, she rose swiftly, taking that moment to embrace the comfort of her second home once again. The only area of town that had requested nothing more from her other than respect. Giving her the freedom and belonging from her family that she so desperately needed.

Nature was still in full party mode, and the water had become even choppier; the remaining light that pierced through the cloudy water cut through at odd angles.

The image that Delilah had pictured where she expected to be was no longer clear. She was closer to the Maze Reef shelf. Breaking the surface, she realised was further out of Pine Island than she had thought.

Kimberly broke the surface of the choppy waves with all the grace and power she had drawn to herself from the bay. She coughed up a small amount of lake water and pushed her water darkened strawberry-blond hair out of her eyes. She began twisting around while effortlessly treading water, worriedly looking for Delilah. The other half of her complete set. She did not spot her mirrored face. Kimberly took a deep breath, preparing to dive under the surface once again, hoping her eyes would adjust. Stroking through the cloudy water, Kimberly thought she saw Delilah’s tangle of red hair fighting her way towards either Kimberly or the surface through the murky water. Yet, Delilah was nowhere to be seen. Kimberly spied a reddish-haired person swiftly hurtling towards her, out of the corner of her eye.

Instantly there was a sting of pain radiating up her leg. Seconds later, a scarlet cloud blossomed around her, becoming thicker as the red-headed figure circled back to her. She could hear a muffled scream rising from the figure. She felt her ankle being grabbed. She was being pulled her down. Kimberly let out a cry, bubbles rising towards the surface light, slipping away. Something strange aligned with Kimberly’s view. A long ebony snake-like limb swam them deeper into the lake under the Maze Reef shelves. Her lungs and eyes burned as the creature dragged her into the depths of the lake. Kimberly’s ears popped as her eyes burned, and her lungs begged for more air.

After re-orienting herself, Delilah noted the canoe had drifted out of sight in the rough water, nor could she see any of the other racers. Shivering and tired, her thoughts returned to her sister, and she made one last dive with diminishing hope of finding her and making it back to shore. The race was now a secondary thought. She would handle their parents’ opinions later.

She went to kick back towards the surface of the lake. Yet felt a tugging followed by a scraping sensation along the lower half of her leg where her ankle met her calf. Looking down, Delilah saw that her foot had become lodged in the reef, unaware she had ventured so close. She had spent multiple summer’s snorkelling around the various coves and reefs of Devil’s Bay with the cautioning voice of adults not to get herself caught on the Maze Reef shelf. Blood mixed with the water, drifting off in pale pink ribbons. Absently, it occurred to her she was glad the fishing season had not truly kicked in. It meant the large fish wouldn’t come looking for a snack.

Delilah felt a burning sensation inside her chest. She knew she was running out of air. Delilah began drifting into the shadowy arms of unconsciousness, beckoning around the edge of her vision, luring her to stay in a dance of death. If Delilah didn’t gain more air into her lungs, she would blackout. Before Delilah could give in to the temptation of her unfamiliar dance partner, there was a frantic tugging on her ankle.

Panicked, Delilah looked down, praying not to see any shelf-dwelling bottom feeders such as crabs or eels making a meal out of her ankle. Only to watch a cloud of strawberry-blond hair whipping around in the water’s current. Straining to keep the last ounces of oxygen, Delilah was thankful of Kimberly’s help, despite the venom they had both been spitting toward each other. Finally, admitting that sharing the label of ‘Neruda twin’ wasn’t the most terrible part of their lives. However, it was too late - Delilah lost consciousness. The shadowy spectra took her away into its warm embrace. It returned her to see the vision of soft lights playing over the pebble strewn shore of Pine Island.

Delilah rolled on to her side, feeling the gritty sand and broken shells scraping along her body. Pine Island came into focus. The sun had begun its crawl towards the horizon. Mother Nature was painting the sky with her pastels for the second time that day. A tacky feeling had settled on Delilah’s hands. It pulled her back to the reality of what was happening around her. Dazedly, Delilah looked down at her hands to find a horrifying sight of a rust-coloured film covering her hands. Inches away from where Delilah had re-entered the waking world was a jagged piece of glass coated with the same rust-coloured liquid. Slowly she gathered herself and stood. She wandered down the shoreline of Pine Island. Delilah hoped Kimberly was okay and praying that she had also, somehow, made it to the unsettling security of Pine Island. The sun’s light was leaving the island, taking its warmth with it, leaving Delilah cold and shivering. She slowly made her way to the side of Pine Island that faced Devil’s Bay, so that she might get help back home. The pain bit up her ankle, inching its way up her leg. Stopping, Delilah took the time to stem the bleeding. She sat on a rock, tearing the lower half of her damaged aqua-sport shirt, creating a makeshift bandage.

Spotlights shone over the route of the regatta race from a range of townsfolk used boats. A good deal of townspeople was out helping in the search for the twins, who had grown in two different, yet equally valued, members of Devil’s Bay. People were yelling over the top of each other, drumming up a considerable level of noise. The voice that rang out loudest for Delilah, the petite red-haired twin, was Dom, her Turtle boy. Dom, who had spent many shadowed nights jumping in fear at the television screen, seeing the gore that often-amused Delilah. She was desperate to reach one of the few people of Devil’s Bay who had seemed to have a disinterest in the step-ford perfection that was Kimberly. Ignoring the scream of pain that tore up her leg, Delilah moved quicker. Dom came splashing through the shallows, scooping her up into that cuddle that made her feel entirely seen.

“Oh my god, Vixen! What happened? How are you? Are you hurt?” Dom asked rapidly, looking her over. Dom took her weight and waded out to the rescue boat. Returning Delilah to her father’s arms, which had never gripped so tight around her. The time that had passed since the start of the race had seemed to age him a decade.

Sitting in the boat’s front wrapped in blankets, Delilah joined in the search for her sister. Shining the spotlight over the water of the lake. The night dragged on as the search party were about to return to shore to attend to any other injuries that Delilah might have. “Ouch!” she said.

“Sorry sweetie, I’m just cleaning your ankle,” Jones said, kneeling in front of her, first aid kit open on the boat hull next to him. Delilah smiled to see her boss squatting there. She turned her attention back to the water, shining the spotlight over the lessening waves. Delilah caught sight of a strawberry-blond head bobbing to the port side of the boat. Before reason, or anyone, could grab hold of her, Delilah was diving over the side of the boat back into the lake.

After hitting the water, Delilah squeezed her eyes tight briefly to let her eyes adjust to the water. Her head spun around trying to peer through the cloud of bubbles surrounding her. After the bubbles cleared, she found herself alone in the water. She looked up at the shocked faces of the search party. They pulled Delilah back into the boat. She met her father’s face, a mixture of rage and panic.

Delilah’s stomach dropped. “I thought I saw…never mind. It must have been a trick of the light.”

“You thought you saw what?” her father asked.

“I thought I saw Kimberly.”

“Delilah you are shivering. Let’s get you back to Rouges Jetty and into some warmer clothes. Jones cleaned your ankle. But your mother should check if you need stiches,” Mr Neruda said, as he placed a towel and blanket around Delilah shoulders again.