Surrounded by a clear blue lake, forests and valley is a beautiful village named "Long Ashton". Mornings in the village starts with the chirping of birds; sweet fragrance of flowers filling the entire village with divinely feeling; butterflies fluttering, rustle of leaves murmuring in the wind ...
Such was the village and right in the middle of the village used to stay a small foresters' family. A family of three: father, mother and a son.
Bret... Bret... Where are you? Come on son, dinner is ready..." Bret comes running inside the kitchen sniffing the smell of his favorite dish wafting in the air!
"Don`t sit for food without washing your hands darling! Go and wash your hands first!"
"Yes, mom... And there comes Bret back after washing his hands, getting ready for dinner with a napkin on his lap and a spoon in his hand... Serve me more mom..."
"You know it`s my favorite! Finish this first boy and you will get more, said father!"
"Ok dad," said Bret in a soft voice.
"Hey, mom, what`s so special today? Why have you prepared Apple Pie! "
"Darling, your dad is getting promoted tomorrow and now he will be looking after a team of 15! So, cutting rotten trees by self and stuff is now over! He will get his job done from others while thinking better about forest!"
"Wow, mom, that`s great news! Congratulations Dad, I love you so much... Bret hugs his father and returns back at his chair... Mom, give me more, it`s a reason to celebrate," everybody laughed.
The next morning, as his father was leaving for duty Bret came rushing and urged his dad to take him along to visit as he had an off from school. He agreed and they both went off to the forest! Bret saw the small celebration people did to welcome his father. Everybody was greeting George and Bret was beaming with pride. Once everybody started working and got busy with their jobs Bret went to his father and asked him what he should do as he was getting bored! George told him to go towards the lakeside closer to the forest where other kids were playing. Bret went there and joined them. They all enjoyed playing the whole day and towards the evening Bret left for the forest to go home with his father. They reached home, changed their clothes, freshened up, and had dinner.
Next morning Bret woke up, brushed his teeth, took shower, had breakfast and left for school. His father also went to the forest with his lunch packed in the box. Their routine life was going perfectly fine, when at around 1:00 pm Bret`s home's` doorbell rang. His mother opened the door as she was alone and saw few officials from Forest department standing outside. They all were looking horrified and tensed and no one was ready to say anything when one of the officials gave news to Merry.
"Merry, when the labor department was cutting rotten trees as directed by Mr. George Geissler, one of the trees fell on him and he died on spot!"
Merry broke at the very moment and tears started flowing down her cheeks! It was 1:15 pm and Bret was returning home from school when he saw people standing outside his home. He saw his mother crying out loud and asked what has happened. When Bret came to know about the incident he rushed to the forest to see his father! He saw a group of people in the forest, discussing something. Bret went there and saw his father lying dead on the ground with blood all around. He lost his senses at the very moment and went numb. He did not say anything and did not even shed a single tear! His father`s words were echoing in his ears "Darling; cowards are those who cry! You are my strong boy and you will never cry for small or big things! You will always act brave!" Remembering his father`s words he left the place with George's` body and did the necessary rituals.
Now due to lack of money, Bret stopped going to school. Looking at his mother crying day in and out, Bret felt sad too as he was not able to help his mother overcome all their troubles! With the situation getting worse day by day he stopped going home and started spending his entire time by the lake.
He started talking to the lake and sharing the incident that caused his father`s death, how his mother is not keeping well, his father's teaching and other things. He left early in the morning, spent the whole day by the lake, discussing things; and coming back late at night became a routine! He saw his mother getting weaker day by day, but whatever money was coming home was not sufficient for getting her treated! Finally, Bret started working in the same forest where his father used to work and started looking after his mother! Though the situation was improving on the financial front, his mother's health was deteriorating!
One fine day, when Bret reached home he found his mother lying on the floor dead! Now Bret was all alone and the only motivation he had to work was also gone! He again started spending his entire time at the lakeside!
Days and years passed but sitting at the lakeside and discussing things did not! Now Bret was a handsome man in his mid-twenties! Once during his routine visit to the lake, Bret suddenly heard someone calling his name! He turned back and found a beautiful young woman standing behind him. The young woman in her early twenties, twinkling eyes, sharp features, slender body with long hair kept loose was staring at him with a smile at her lips. They started talking and now the only sympathetic ear around Bret was her. They both started sitting there for hours and discussing things. After days they both planned to get married and now Bret with his wife was leading a good life.
They had successfully completed two years of their wedding and they were now preparing to welcome their first child in the world. They were very happy about the newborn to come in months. Time passed and Ashley was admitted to the hospital for her delivery. The doctor came out of the operation theater and told Bret that it was a baby boy! Asley and Bret were very happy. Now it was time for Bret to work more and earn more so that they could bring up their child fulfill all his wishes
Months passed by, and Bret kept on working hard for his family. He was promoted and was earning a handsome package. Their child had started crawling and Bret had already started buying things for him! They hired a babysitter for their little boy. Now, they were able to go to the lakeside regularly, as they used before Asley got pregnant.
Once, when they were sitting and discussing things in the warmth of a bonfire, Bret saw a glimpse of the lake in Ashley's face! The frame of a face with no eyes, nose, ears but only a glimpse of the lake (water)! Bret was shocked and he shook his head! When he looked at his wife again, she looked exactly the same as before, normal. He felt that it must have been his imagination. Bret left his thoughts at the lake, took a short stroll with his wife and went home! Little Samuel was playing with the babysitter. As soon as they reached, the babysitter left for home! The three of them sat together, played, had dinner together and went off for sleep.
The next morning as routine practice, Bret left for work and Ashley was preparing things for Samuel. An hour later the babysitter came running to the forest looking for Bret, and told that his wife was lying on the floor, dead with water all around and Samuel was playing in the water! Bret rushed home and saw his wife lying on the floor. He saw Samuel playing in the water next to her and cradled him in his arms. The moment he was about to kiss him, he saw the same image in Samuel's face, the one he had seen on his wife's the previous day. He was now sure what was happening to him. At that moment of realization, he hugged his son tight and cried out loud...!!!