Silently, I resign myself to my room.
The lights are off, and there’s no hum from the electricity.
Damp footsteps are the only sound I hear.
I lay there in bed, staring to the ceiling,
fading in and out of consciousness.

I blink, suddenly a buzz rings through the room.
I pull out my phone,
the screen illuminates my face,
casting my shadow on the wall.
My friend left a message,

“Ready to head to the lake today?”

I pause, carefully examining the phone.
Through my squinted eyes, I gaze at a message that didn’t seem strange,
yet something felt wrong. I didn’t know why.
Absentmindedly, I respond.

“Yeah, when are we leaving?”
“Soon enough.”

I blinked.
Tears ran down my face, I remembered why.
I opened my phone, checking the news.

“Young Man Drowned in Lake, Saving Friend.”