"What the hell. Not cool, Sis. Not cool at all." But he says it with a huge grin and splashes her back.
"Can't we just stay here? I don't even want to deal with Mary tonight. She's such a bitch!"
Luke flops down and looks up at the canopy of trees. "She's... yeah, she's not great, but she's not so bad. I mean, her power doesn't affect me, so it's not such a big deal. I'm un-seducible."
"Ha! Right! Well, by her at least. But I recall some seduction happening with Carey, and with Elizabeth."
"Sister! Not at the same time, at least. Give me some credit."
"Fine, not at the same time. Still, you're quite the lady's man."
Luke sits up, touches his finger to his chest and makes a hissing noise. "With hotness like this, how can the ladies resist?"
Lucy rolls her eyes, but enjoys the teasing—a perfect moment on a perfect day. Can life get any better?
Another wrist flick and she sends another stone into the water. It skips a few beats, then hits something emerging from the lake. Uh-oh.
An alligator's head surfaces, its eyes staring into Lucy. She's seen it somewhere before, knows it somehow. But that makes no sense; she's only ever seen alligators in books and television.
"Um, Luke, we gotta get out of here. We have company."
She grabs her brother, her heart pounding in her chest.
The alligator swims toward them. It wants them. It's taking revenge. They must run.
Luke stands there, staring at the creature as it approaches. The scene reminds Lucy of a horror movie. The killer's movements are slow and methodical, yet he still catches his victims. How does the killer always catch up?
"Luke, what the hell? We have to move, now!" She pulls at him again, but it's as if he's planted in cement.
The alligator's mouth opens, revealing its sharp, blood-stained teeth. It will rip them apart piece-by-piece.
Luke's voice comes out low and monotone, like a zombie. "What's the point? What's the point of any of it?"
His hopelessness crashes into Lucy, pulling her down with him. No! She can't let him go. She grabs his arm and uses all of her strength to dislodge him from whatever is holding him.
The alligator approaches. Its mouth gapes wide.
Lucy can almost feel the sharp tips cutting into her skin... but no, not hers. Luke!
"Luke!" she screams. Tears stream down her face.
The alligator grips Luke's foot between its massive jaws, and blood spurts out. The alligator grinds Luke's ankle until it's red and raw with bits of bone sticking out.
Luke does nothing—says nothing—as the alligator pulls him into the lake.
"No, no, no, no!" Lucy can't process this, can't believe this. It can't be happening. She sobs and looks around for a weapon—something, anything, to stop the monster from stealing her brother. She can't say killing, can't face that. No, Luke's not dead. He's just underwater, waiting for her to save him.
Suddenly a gun appears in her hand. Perfect. She searches for the alligator, but the lake ripples placidly. Finally, a bit of tale splashes up. Lucy sees the beast in the water, and aims at where its heart should be, trying to avoid the mouth and her brother. She shoots, over and over, emptying her gun into the water.
The alligator disappears.
Her heart races faster and faster. She can't breathe, can't think. All she can do is react. She splashes into the shallow water and calls out, "Where are you? Luke? Please! Splash or something!"
She pauses to listen. The river is still and deathly quiet. No, not deathly. She won't use words like that. Not with Luke down there. But then the water bubbles as something slowly surfaces. "Luke? That you?"
Fear surges through her. If it's Luke, she needs to grab him before he drowns. If it's the alligator, she'll die.
She's willing to risk it. She moves forward, set to either run or grab.
Her breath hitches. A hand. "Luke!"
She darts forward and grabs him, and starts pulling him to shore. His hand feels cold, too cold. She can't get his head above water.
His whole body floats up, pale and ghostly.
She drags him in, not seeing—refusing to see—the rest. But she can't look away, or deny what's right in front of her.
Luke. His chest full of bullet holes.
Dead.
Lucy killed him.
She screams.
***
Lucy jolted awake. A dream. It was just a dream. Relief poured through her.
A familiar voice called to her. "Lucy, Lucy." She responded to it, cautiously, moving slowly to assess her whereabouts. Her subconscious trusted that voice.
Desirai lay next to her. They both rested in a large, comfortable bed in a fancy house.
The mansion.
"Des, it's you!" Lucy gave her a hug. "Oh my God, I can't tell you how happy I am to see you. I don't even know what's going on! I've had the craziest dreams! First, Luke and I were stranded in this crazy jungle, and then Luke was killed by an alligator. I'm just so glad to be home."
Desirai smiled sadly. "Lucy, you're still dreaming. I brought you here to show you something."