Francis

Hi. My name’s Francis, Francis Randawine and this is my story. The story of how it all ended. The story that acts as a warning to all others… I wished I had listened!

 

I was 17 when it happened. 17 when it all went wrong. 17 when the world changed for me. Known for being quite reckless and an adventurer, I was camped in a remote and lonely part of the park on the edge of one of the deeper (300 feet or so I was led to believe) and more mysterious lakes. Stepping out in the middle of the night with only torchlight to guide me, I felt haunted and taunted by the shadows that seemed to be dancing all around me, warning me, telling me not to go any further. But being fearless, I ignored the quiet warning voices that were steadily filling my head and I reached the shoreline where the trees parted.

 

At the shore, there was a rowing boat: a tempting rowing boat, a tempting rowing boat that seemed to beckon me inwards. That was mistake number 1. If I had turned back then, perhaps everything would have been fine.

 

With vigour and power in my arms, I rowed out to the middle of the lake and found a quiet, secluded spot that was perfect for me. Perfect for relaxing. Perfect for some peace and solitude. Lying back on the rowing boat, I admired the night sky and the pretty patterns that were made by the speckled stars that adorned its dark canvas. Eventually I closed my eyes and started to drift to sleep, the rhythmic rock of the boat soothing me into deep relaxation. It was at that moment that it happened- a knock. A quiet knock but a knock nonetheless. I looked up and assumed I had drifted back to the shore, back towards my family but that was not the case. Cautiously and warily, I looked over the edge of the boat and tried to discover what it was but nothing was there. Suddenly, my relaxation had been broken, had been shattered, had been torn away from my soul. Shivers ran through my body and my blood started to run cold. What was out there? What had made that knock? What was lurking menacingly beneath the boat….?