The Reservoir (4) : The Destiny City Reservoir opened about two years ago and is an easy escape from the big city. It’s a five minute drive outside of the Eastern side of town and features clear water and sandy beaches--although, the sand here is notorious for squeaking when you step on it. It’s a hot spot for all fun summer activities, but it’s been in the news for mysterious reports of some strange, aquatic monster. Some accounts say they’ve spotted a twenty foot long, snake like creature capable of rearing a long neck high above the water. It’s hard to tell if the videos are doctored, but there are too many rumors to dismiss easily. Something strange might be lurking deep in the water. Or it’s just a hoax to get people out to the Reservoir!

But…Sometimes, people feel like something is grabbing their ankle, even if they are just wading in the shallow end. In the deeper parts of the water, it gets a little more intense: something has been said to grab onto ankles and pull. People have been warned about dangerous pranks, but so far no one has been caught. In the shallow end, anyone unfortunate enough to be targeted may feel themselves being knocked off their feet and tugged into the water; anyone in deep water may feel a firm grip on their ankle, tugging them lower and lower. Somehow, anyone it targets is freed--either by wriggling and fighting, or because someone intervenes and pulls the would-be victim up. No one has drowned in the lake. Yet. It's impossible to see who, or what, is doing this, but it usually gives up after one failed attempt. Usually.

While you may find yourself harassed by the supposed cryptid, or see something visibly odd in the distance, you cannot take any pictures of the creature. Who knows if you’re even being attacked by the cryptid–or just another youma?


The rumors of the local Loch Ness monster were enough to draw him in. What? He was curious. Not curious enough to come here as a civilian though, so there he was. Dead of night. Powered up and slinging pebbles into the water with his handy dandy slingshot. His superiors might argue that he was wasting time looking into what was likely a false rumor, but. Well. He did as he was asked when they demanded his time, and this? Right here? This was personal time.

Plunk.

“C’mon,” he said impatiently. He’d only been at it for about ten minutes, and so far nothing had come of it. He thought disturbing the peace with pebbles would be enough to get its attention, assuming it existed. If it didn’t exist, well. He wasted his personal time. The world wouldn’t end, but he’d wake up a bit more tired than usual. Nothing an extra cup or two of coffee couldn’t fix.

Plunk.

Five more minutes passed, nothing. At this point the lieutenant was ready to count this as a loss for the night and turn in early, but it occurred to him after another few pebbles that he hadn’t actually tried getting into the water yet. He was hoping he wouldn’t have to, but clearly this method wasn’t working so what other choice did he have? Besides leave, that is.

Slowly, begrudgingly, he waded into the water. He regretted it immediately but didn’t stop until the water got to about his mid-thigh. Now he was cold and wet, and for all the disturbance his wading caused he still had nothing to show for it. Local Nessy was still hiding–again, assuming it existed–and after a few more minutes he splashed the water, cursed his luck (and Local Nessy), and turned to head back.

He felt something take hold of his ankle just as he was about to take that first step of retreat. He grinned then, and was about to turn to see if its body peeked out above the surface of the water when he felt the grip suddenly tighten and pull.

Everything went dark as soon as he got dragged in. He felt a sudden, sharp pain on the side of his head first, though it only registered for a few seconds before the panic started setting in. He could feel the strong grip around his ankle still and the water rushing around him as it dragged him into deeper water. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears as he fought the urge to take a breath. He flailed around desperately, hoping to catch onto something he could hold onto to keep from getting dragged even further in.

There was nothing. Just water and sand.

The more he flailed the more he needed air, the more he panicked, the more his heart pounded. His chest was starting to burn and his head was getting light but he kicked and fought to get away. Finally, mercifully, it let him go. At that moment he couldn’t be bothered to try and get a look at what it was. Living was a bit more of a priority than satisfying some stupid curiosity, so he righted himself and raced first to the surface, then to dry land before finally stopping to desperately catch his breath.

It hadn’t been a waste of time, but it hadn’t been worth the risk. The phrase “curiosity killed the cat” came to mind as he lay there on the sand, exhausted but relieved that he was alive. The thought made him smirk; he knew more than one person who never failed to remind him of the second half of that phrase.

“Not a cat, so. Satisfaction probably wouldn’t bring me back.”

630 (gdocs)