Written on 23 May 2019
The lake twinkles and reflects, still and with that perfect deep blue that only seems to happen in the morning.
And the sun is just breaking over the top of the mountains, bathing the sprinkled snow that dusts the peak in brilliant rays. The sun immediately thaws the thick frost left from the night.
And I'm stood on the dark mahogany decking in front of my wooden cabin. It's been a long time since I shaved, spoke to anyone, left the lakeside. The decking is still slippery, and the morning is cold. My breath hangs in the air as I drink coffee out of the tin mug. My thickest jacket keeps me warm, my boots keep me stable, my hat keeps the cold from escaping into my ears and affecting my brain. The day will only get warmer.
And, for the time being, this is where I exist. The keeper of the lake. Not that it needs keeping. It's doing just fine without humanity interfering, but nevertheless I feel a duty to it. It cleanses me, so I watch over it.
And as I stand there, breathing in the beauty, letting it embalm me, the first one appears. Walking slowly past the cabin towards the lake, coming from the endless heather that spills out over the hills. A faceless, genderless figure, alien, but also unmistakably human. Naked, but unafraid. Head bowed, walking with purpose towards the water. And as it approaches the shore, I shout at it, but I haven't spoken for so long my voice is weak. The figure does not break stride as it enters the water. The water steadily engulfs the figure as it walks deeper and deeper.
And now I'm removing my jacket, my boots, my hat. As the keeper of the lake it is my duty to save the figure, but even as I pull off my sweater, the figure has disappeared beneath the surface, and more figures are arriving.
Hundreds of them.
And one by one they enter the water and disappear.
And I know I can't save them all.
Do they even want to be saved?
They keep coming, a never ending parade of faceless, blameless figures. Disappearing. And there I am, freezing in just a t-shirt and my underwear. Completely powerless.
It goes on for days, and although I want to help, I just can't. There are too many.
So I just watch. Watch them all disappear. And I do nothing.