Something about the lake wasn't right. The way the light bounced off the water made it look oil-slick iridescent and the forest around it was always on the eerie side of silent. There was nothing peaceful or soothing about the way the waves seemed to claw at the shoreline, gently carving more space for the lake to settle into and it definitely settled.
The waves probed the new ground before oozing into it in ways water shouldn't be able to. Adjusting this way and that until it became still again and the next wave arrived to attack the shore and move the lake just that little bit further towards all the light and moving liquids of the nearby town.
Only when it rained was anyone truly at risk - when the lake could rise up from its bed and slam down across the freshly slickened road, dragging cars down to its crushing depths where they crumpled like burnt paper. It took as much as it could every storm and gave nothing back but pain.
It even had a body once - someone drank from the lake and it slid inside, wearing them like a puppet. Walking was strange, novel and gave it endless exciting opportunities to spread. The body could dig more than the lake's little waves ever could.
The body could find other bodies and help it spread further still.
Unfortunately the body needed sustaining in ways the lake didn't understand and scarcely had it finished digging a few feet towards the town before it collapsed and the lake poured out of it again. To keep itself looking enticing, the lake dragged the body down with all the others, now aware that they could be made to move.
Now curious enough to practice on its little collection.
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