Janie Morlin dashed past her locker without stopping, and burst through the grade seven doors, not bothering to stop and put her outdoor shoes on. She waited, shifting her weight from foot to foot, waiting for her friends to come. Today was the day, the day she would prove to the entire seventh grade of Nelson Heights School that she was not a wimp.
Agitated, she trailed her fingers through her long, dirty blond hair as she waited, wondering for the hundredth time that day if anyone actually believed that she would go through with the dare. Derek Ardin had come up to her a week before and dared her to walk at least 100 metres onto Cold Lake without stopping, and then run back. At the time she had boldly accepted. Even though the lake had just frozen over, Janie figured she could make it that far out and still be safe. Now she was having doubts.
Before she could ponder further her two best friends, Robin Edly and Vanessa Homes burst through the doors. They had both insisted on being in the crowd of kids that was going to watch and had made it clear that they were the only ones to walk to the lake with Janie. She appreciated their support, but it didn't help her nerves much. It's a good thing I didn't eat much, she reflected.
At the lake, a small group of kids from Nelson Heights had already gathered. Janie was surprised that people from all three grades had heard about it so fast. But then, Derek was one of the most popular boys in the entire school and he had brothers in every grade. As the trio of friends approached the beach, the crowd parted in front of them. Derek stepped forward and smirked knowingly.
"You still on for this Morlin? Or are you going to chicken out?"
Derek may be popular, but he was probably the most conceited person on the planet. His mocking tone only made Janie more sure that she had to do this. Janie gave him an innocent grin in answer.
As she carefully made her way to the edge of the ice, Lyndsay Jones stood on shore, waiting to yell to her when she had gone far enough. Janie walked the first few steps slowly, and then with mounting confidence she went faster, wanting to get this over with as fast as possible. She looked back, realizing that every person in the group was holding their breath and watching her every movement. Vanessa and Robin both gave her reassuring waves, and Lindsay yelled that she only had a few more steps to go.
3... Janie thought she heard a crack under her feet, then decided she was only imagining it.
2... This time she heard another crack, then a collective gasp behind her. It was too late to stop, too late to go back.
1... The ice beneath her feet shattered into a hundred pieces, immediately plunging her body into the icy cold water. The currents under the ice pulled her down, her gloved hands clawed desperately at the ice. It wasn't solid enough. Janie tried to get her feet under her, but she knew from swimming in the lake during the summer that she was well past the drop off. The last thing she heard was Vanessa screaming her name and then there was only blackness.

The Afterlife Janie waited, and watched. She had been so lonely, so sad, she had wanted so much to find a friend her age to play with. No one here was even the slightest bit interested in her. So, she decided, she would have to make someone come and be friends with her. She had staged various accidents in the past years since her death but no one wanted to die! Finally she had settled on a master plan that was sure to bring some friends her way. This was going to be fun!

October 31,1990 Vanessa looked over at the lake sadly. She had used to love this rock so much, it had been her private place to think, her own little world. It had also been someone else's place to be, Janie's. Not anymore, Janie's birthday had been on Halloween. It had always been the three friend's favorite holiday because Janie had a Birthday/Halloween party on this very night nearly every year. Vanessa sighed softly and shook the sad memories out of her head. For the past summers since her friend's death she had reused to go swimming in the lake. She had seen the clear green-blue water as a death sign that she had no wish to be a part of.
"Vanessa." That word slapped against her ear drums like a gun shot. The voice seemed strangely familiar, but somehow distorted. Suddenly just ahead she saw something. A filmy figure that stood just ahead, it was Janie!
"JANIE!" Vanessa screamed, the figure extended it's arms, beckoning her to come and follow it.
"Come play with me Vanessa, I've missed having a friend." Janie spoke in a voice that Vanessa knew well, even if it had been two years since she heard it. It continued, "Come on we can have soooooo much fun together Vessy."
Vessy. That had been the nickname that Janie gave Vanessa when they first met. That was all Vanessa needed. She slipped of the rock she had been seated on and stepped out onto the ice, walking swiftly towards the fading figure.
"Run Vessy! I have to go soon, come ON!"
Vanessa started sprinting, she was only a few metres away from her friend.
"Janie, NO! Don't go!" Vanessa choked back sobs, her eyes blurring with hot tears. Then, suddenly, she slipped. Her head cracked the ice hard. She tried to get up, but already the cold water was leaking through the cracks in the ice. Now she had lost the urge to get up, the cold darkness was too soothing, too comforting.
She was like Janie. A ghost. She didn't mind her new life, she had no responsibilities, no worries. Now she had an eternity stretched out before her, to do whatever she like. Vanessa had chosen to stay in this realm and help Janie capture Robin. The three of them could be friends forever. They had tried many times, but Robin had somehow escaped injury every time. This plan could not fail. For it was the plan of all plans. It was fantastic!


October 31, 1992 11:00 PM

Robin laughed again, just for the sheer joy of it. She hadn't laughed at all for so long after Vanessa and Janie had died. Now she was walking home from the greatest Halloween party of her life. On her left a row of expensive houses greeted her vision, and on the right the lake stretched out endlessly. She hummed one of the Halloween songs she had heard earlier on the radio. She smiled to herself and did a pirouette, landing almost dead in the middle of the road. Most of the trick-or-treaters had been called inside by now and she was alone on the street. No cars, no one. Robin shivered slightly and pulled her blue jacket more tightly around her shoulders. She heard the sound of tires squealing behind her. She turned around just in time to see the black hearse that had just rounded the bend. She screamed shrilly, not from fear, but from shock. For she recognized the driver of that car, it was a face that she had finally succeeded in pushing from her mind. Janie's face.
And in the passenger seat sat Vanessa.
Robin fainted then, her head was spinning so badly, she didn't feel the pain of the impact, or the shock of death.

Three invisible bodies hover unseen above the quiet town of Cold Lake, their lifeless mouths twisted into devilish smiles, their eyes gleam with wicked anticipation. They lie in wait. Watching everyone, choosing their next victim. Every two years they come back to haunt the beach, the lake, and the lakefront streets. Every two years some unlucky soul will fall into their merciless trap. Nothing can stop them. This is their after life, death had brought out their true personalities. They had hearts of stone and minds full of gruesome ideas. They seek only one fulfillment.....revenge.

November 1, 1994 (Newspaper Article) Jackie Leroy, a Cold Lake resident, died mysteriously yesterday. Her body was found on Cold Lake beach early this morning.
Jackie, age 18, had supposedly been walking home from a Halloween party, sadly, she never made it home. Around 11:00 PM her parents became worried and called the RCMP. It wasn't like their daughter not to call if she was going to be late.
Investigators are still baffled at who the culprit could possibly be. There was no visible injuries on the girl, and the only evidence found was a scrap of blue cloth that was found clenched in her hand. The police are still questioning lakefront residents for clues.
Was her death related to the three others in that area in the past?
This reporter thinks so.
Isn't it strange that three girls that would have been Janie Morlin's age at their time of death would die all in the same place? Under the same unknown circumstances, on the same night, two years apart? Just a warning, maybe next time you have a mind to go wandering down by the Cold Lake beach on Halloween night, alone. Try thinking the better of it. For maybe they're waiting for you too.

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