Mirror Lake Ch. 02

When we finally made our way downstairs forty-five minutes later, we found Nat lying on the couch watching a tv show on her phone, seemingly completely unaware of our absence.

"Hey." I said, patting her on the head. She reached up to smack my hand. "Took you guys long enough."

Alex smirked unabashedly.

"So." Nat turned off her phone and turned to look at us, putting her hands on the couch like an excited child. "What are we going to do now?"

Rain continued to patter down the windows, so going out again was out of the question.

"Play cards?" I suggested.

"Hell yeah." Alex said. "But only strip poker." She produced a deck of cards from her pocket and tossed them onto the table. "Meanwhile, I will fix us some drinks."

"I'd like an old fashioned." Nat said as Alex started pulling bottles out from our box of booze.

"Coming right up." Alex said as she got to work measuring the ingredients. "And you?" She asked.

"Rum and coke." I said, eyeing the bottles that we had.

"Sure thing." She said. Alex made no attempt in hiding that she was making doubles for all the drinks.

"So...who's ready to play strip poker?"

***

"Man, my cards all suck." Nat complained as she was forced to fold. She was on her third old fashioned already and was down to panties and a bra. I laughed, my tipsy mood made everything funnier than usual. The two drinks I had were hitting me hard too, but I still had my jeans on. We had turned on the fireplace after the two off us had complained about being cold without shirts on. Alex was the most clothed of us all, and much more sober. "Maybe you should have shuffled the cards better then."

"Bah!" Nat said as we all revealed our cards and Alex had the best hand again. "Fine, I know you really just want to look at my tits." She said to Alex, sticking her tongue out.

"On three?" We both unclasped our bras and tossed them at Alex, who let out a cry of surprise as she caught them both.

"Happy?"

Alex eyed Nat's pink nipples and grinned. "Well...maybe just a little."

I smacked her on the arm as Nat flushed.

"Ok ok, I'll make you guys a treat." Alex said, standing up.

"Not another alcoholic drink, I'm done." Nat said, swaying gently.

"No no, this will be good. It's my special ice tea. No alcohol!" Alex took out the ice tea bottle and a bottle of pineapple juice. I eyed it dubiously but took the drink when she offered it.

"Hmm...not bad."

"Tasty." Nat said, sipping it. "Ah fuck, I need to pee now." She hopped up and ran out of the kitchen.

I got up and started preparing pizza rolls for us to have as a snack. Alex got out her phone and started looking through things. "Can you even get reception here? Mine is so spotty."

"Your carrier sucks." Alex said without looking up from the screen.

"Gee, thanks." I said sarcastically. I put the rolls in the toaster oven and looked at my own phone. A text I had sent earlier in the day had failed, and I resent it. Then a message popped up that was dated several hours ago. It was my friend Shawna asking if I was attending Julie's birthday party next week. I looked over my schedule before I started typing a reply. Finally, I looked up after I sent the message. Alex was in an all too familiar phone trance, completely unaware of what was happening.

"Where's Nat?" I asked.

Alex looked up at me with a doe-eyed expression. "No idea." She shoved her phone in her pocket and stood up.

"I can go look for her. Maybe she's texting on the toilet again."

"Nat? Nat?"

I could hear Alex calling Nat's name, growing louder and softer as she went through the various rooms.

"I can't seem to find her." Alex returned to the kitchen, looking confused. "She's not in the basement or the garage either..."

We looked out the window at the rain as it splattered on the window. It was already dark out, a result of the upcoming winter season. But that couldn't be where Nat was, was it?

"Maybe she wanted to get something from the car?"

"Without the keys? I don't think so." Alex said, patting her pocket for emphasis.

Still, as if going through a silent agreement, we both put on our jackets and walked outside.

It didn't take long to find Nat. She was standing in the driveway, raining pouring down on her half naked body, water dripping down strands of soaked hair.

I rushed over. "Nat! Nat! Natalie!" I ran up and shook her. She stared right through me at a point past the road. I waved my hand in front of her eyes and finally she blinked, her eyes snapping to focus on me.

"Jessie? What are you..." her eyes were confused and suddenly wide with shock as she realized she was standing in the rain and had been for quite some time. She let out a noise that was halfway between a gasp and a cry as she registered the cold. Her skin was icy cold and my heart skipped a beat in concern. "Come on." I said, leading her back to the house as Alex followed behind us.

"I don't even know what I was doing out there. I didn't think I drank that much..." Nat said somewhat tearfully and embarrassed as Alex returned with a towel. Nat was dripping water onto the carpet and I grabbed the towel and started wiping her down.

"Happens to the best of us." I said gently.

"Maybe a hot shower." Alex said, ushering her up the stairs. "Try out the jacuzzi." She suggested. I returned to the kitchen and soon Alex joined me.

"No idea what that girl was doing out there." Alex said as she washed her hands in the sink.

"Well I wouldn't be thinking straight after all those doubles either."

Alex turned around, surprised at the angry tone in my voice.

"Oh Jessie, I had no idea that she would go outside. She's drank a lot more before." She shrank back at my seething gaze.

"That was very stupid, what you did." I said, low and stern. "I know you don't think so, but like it or not, you invited her here, and she's our responsibility."

She ducked her head. "I know, I'm sorry."

"Sorry guys, I have no idea what I was doing out there." We both looked up as Nat walked into the kitchen, still drying her hair with a towel.

"Do you remember what happened before you went outside?" Alex asked.

"Hmm...nope." Nat took a seat next to her.

"Ooh pizza!" She grabbed a handful of pizza bites and started eating them greedily.

"What about the poker game?"

"Oh ya I remember that. You won." She stuck her tongue out at me before eating another pizza roll.

Alex was looking at her seriously, no doubt as suspicious of the casual amnesia as I was.

"Alright, deal em up, Jessie." Nat said, tossing the deck of cards at me.

After a few more rounds we decided to call it a night. Nat bid us good night and went downstairs to her bedroom. I was glad that she looked fine now. Alex looked at me reproachfully. "I really am sorry, you know."

I sighed. "I'm tired, lets go to bed."

"Alright. I'll make it up to you tomorrow, I promise."

I crawled into bed and closed my eyes. I was just about to doze off when SCREEEECH! A shrill ear-piercing sound danced across the left side of my head to my right, jolting me awake. My eyes opened as my half-asleep mind struggled to comprehend what was going on. It sounded like a car breaking, but that was impossible, there was no car around for miles. Still, I looked over to see Alex's sleeping form. Good, she was still there.

I closed my eyes and was just about to fall asleep when SCREEEECH! I jolted awake again. Fuck. This time I was sure it was definitely in my mind. I took a few calming breaths and closed my mind. After the third screech I finally got up, annoyed.

I walked downstairs and put on a jacket. Maybe some fresh air would make this go away. I flicked the porch light on and stepped outside. There was still a light drizzle of rain as I stepped out onto the porch, my feet immediately feeling chilled on the cold, wet wood. I shivered and hugged my chest.

The trees were so thick around the house, and it was completely dark, the lights shone on the nearest trees but reached no further. I couldn't see anything beyond those trees. And then the thought came to me, out of nowhere.

I couldn't see anything, but with the light on, anything could see me.

The thought was so ridiculous, but perhaps my exhaustion was getting to me. My heart started beating quickly and I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me and locking it, even pulling on it to make sure it was locked. I headed back upstairs, convinced that now that I freaked myself out that I would definitely not be getting any sleep. And yet, the next time I opened my eyes it was daytime.

I flipped over to tell Alex of the weird night I had but her side of the bed was empty. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was already ten am. Oops. I got dressed and went downstairs. "Hey!" Alex waved at me from the stove area.

"Alex made french toast!" Nat said, patting the chair beside her. "Have a seat."

"Nice. Thanks Alex. "I said as Alex slid a plate holding three large pieces of French toast towards me.

"I made these for myself but you can have them, I'll make more."

"These look amazing." I said as I grabbed the maple syrup. Nat had gotten up and poured me a cup of coffee.

"I feel like a queen here" I said with a chuckle.

Nat had already astonishingly finished her food, and she went outside, coffee in hand, to enjoy the fresh air.

"Am I forgiven?" Alex asked softly with uncharacteristic timidness.

"Yes." I said, and she smiled in relief, taking my hand in hers.

"Good."

"Alright, I'm going to go outside." I said, letting go of her hand and grabbing my coffee.

I walked over to open the glass door and my foot stepped in cold water. I let out a cry as I moved my foot from the wet stop on the carpet.

"Something wrong?" Alex asked from the kitchen.

"Oh...no." I ran upstairs and grabbed a towel to soak up the water. Guess I should be more careful when I step out next time. I tossed the towel onto the carpet and stepped on it to soak up the water, then stepped outside.

Nat had cleared most of the water off the top step and was now sitting there, sipping her coffee.

"You look comfortable." I said as I joined her. She rested her head on my shoulder. "I am actually. I had a shitty sleep though. A super loud screech kept waking me up right as I was about to fall asleep."