Lake Effect

Patrick still lay asleep while Pete panicked. Where Patrick’s legs should have been was now a bright blue tail and fin which shimmered in the sunlight, just like Pete’s.

He needed Joe and Andy. Now.

He left Patrick as he climbed out of the boat as quietly as possible and swam as fast as he could to the house. Luckily, it was about a mile from the island where the boat was tied up, a different one from the one Pete‘s cave was, so it didn’t take that long.

When he got there, he found a few stones on the bottom of the lake and threw them at the windows, trying to wake them up.

They soon emerged onto the deck.

“Pete, we’re in the middle of Rock Band, what is it?” Joe asked.

“Where’s Patrick?” Andy asked, frowning.

“There’s something really wrong.” Pete said. “Can either of you drive the boat?”

“Yeah, why? What’s happened to Patrick?” Joe asked.

“I need to take you to him.” Pete said. “He’s on the boat, and it’s tied up by the island.”

Andy jumped off into the water, Joe following him. “Come on then, take us.”

Pete grabbed both their hands and swam as fast as he could while pulling two people along with him.

Within 10 minutes, they were at the boat, and Pete was exhausted. “Climb up, but don’t yell or anything. He’s still sleeping.” Pete explained.

Joe climbed up first, followed by Andy, and then they pulled Pete up.

“What the fuck happened?” Joe asked.

“I don’t know. He fell asleep human, woke up like this.”

“Shit.”

“What are we going to do?”

“Pete? Andy? Joe?” Patrick grumbled, coming out of his sleep.

“Trick, please don’t panic or anything.” Pete started.

“About what?” Patrick opened his eyes. He looked at his friends before spotting something new about him. “What the…”

“Trick, please don’t freak out.”

“Don’t freak out? Don’t fucking freak out? Pete, I have a freaking fish tail, and you’re telling me not to freak out?” Patrick yelled.

“Patrick-” Pete put a hand on his shoulder, but Patrick shoved it off.

“Fuck off. Leave me alone.” Patrick climbed off the side of the boat and fell into the lake, disappearing from view.

Pete sighed, closing his eyes.

“So, it’s contagious then.” Joe said after a few moments silence.

“I don’t know.” Pete grumbled. “I’m heading off. I need to find him.”

“Good luck dude.” Andy said as Pete jumped back into the water.

He went under and looked for Patrick, but couldn’t see him. He began to swim around, fast as he could, trying to find him.

All he could find after a couple of hours was his hat, which he took back to the beach.

He swam to the bottom of the lake, needing to think about where Patrick could have gone to. Pete knew this lake like the back of his hand. For 2 months, it had been his home.

He decided to swim over to the house and tell Joe and Andy that he hadn’t found him yet.

That is, until he glanced over at the foundations of the pier and saw a glint of blue and a familiar head of hair.

“Patrick!” He shouted, swimming over. Patrick looked up at him. “Patrick, I’ve been searching everywhere for you!”

“I know. I watched you.” Patrick said.

“Are you ok?” Pete asked.

“I’ll be fine. I was just pretty shocked at first.” Patrick smiled. “I’ll be fine.” He looked down at his tail and touched it, like he still didn’t believe it was there. “And it’s pretty freaky talking under water.”

“I know right.” Pete smiled as he put an arm around Patrick. “Wanna go see Joe and Andy so they don’t think you’re dead somewhere?”

“Sure.” They both swam to the surface and broke through it.

“Andy, I found them!” Joe shouted from above them. They looked up and saw Joe staring down at them.

“Hey Joe, coming down?” Pete asked.