Posted this short chaptered fic online.
The children of Huotari lead a fairly normal life but one night, they sneak into the woods near Cauldron Lake and find shadow figures stalking the surrounding which will change their lives forever.
The kids play a couple of rounds until they’re dirty and sweaty and tired.
“We should take a rest,” Baba pants as she falls down to the ground.
The others follow her lead. Even Jaakoppi who mainly had to watch and keep notes in the sand is tired because of the summer heat.
“I don’t know if I can survive this weather,” he exaggeratedly claims.
“We’ll just go skinny dipping at Cauldron Lake and we’ll be fine,” Ilmari retorts.
Everyone looks at the younger Huotari.
“My parents tell me to avoid that place,” Baba says in a cautious voice. As if something bad would happen if someone or something would hear her.
“M-mine too,” Aleksi affirms.
Some adults in town are twitchy about certain areas around the towns, including the lake. They say it’s no place for children. However, they never bother to specify why exactly.
“Now that you mention it, we’re pretty close to the lake, huh?” Thomas remarks.
“I bet the only reason we’re not allowed there, is because that’s where the adults go be sappy and kiss and do other yucky stuff like that.”
The comment makes all the kids cringe and pull faces as if they bit in a super sour lemon.
“Or ghosts,” Jaakoppi dryly adds which makes everyone get on the edge of their imaginary seat.
Aleksi, who had strategically thudded down next to her, notices how she subtly shuffles closer and he leans in as well as emotional support.
Jaakoppi nods. “Heard some teachers talk about it in the teacher’s room once when I had to bring in some homework. They didn’t expect me, so then they quickly changed topic.”
“That’s strange,” Tom peers and rubs his chin.
Jaakoppi then nonchalantly shrugs his shoulders. “Or I could be imagining things.”
