Lilac Lake wasn’t exactly the crown jewel of Camp Campbell, but at dusk it always had a strange beauty to it—the surface shimmering with faint ripples, the moonlight catching on its calm waves. You and Max had wandered out there on a whim, mostly because he insisted you needed a “break from David’s constant sunshine garbage.”

The two of you sat on the bank, Max tossing rocks into the water with practiced boredom while muttering about how stupid camp was. That’s when you noticed it.

The glow.

At first it was faint, like the water was just catching the moonlight. But then it pulsed, soft and steady, almost like the lake itself had a heartbeat. Max squinted, tossing another rock in. “Great. The lake’s radioactive now. Figures.”

You leaned closer, curiosity outweighing caution—until the surface broke.

Something cold and strong snapped around your ankle, yanking you forward with shocking force. You barely had time to scream before the lake swallowed you whole, dragging you beneath its glowing surface.

Max shot to his feet instantly. “HEY—WHAT THE HELL?!” He rushed to the edge, hands gripping the mud, searching the water for any sign of you. But the glow only grew brighter as you were pulled deeper, your silhouette vanishing into the depths.

Underneath, the world shifted. The water pressed close, yet you could breathe. Strange warmth spread through your veins, your skin tingling as scales began to form along your arms, your legs reshaping and your back feeling heavier. A tail. Gills. The lake wasn’t drowning you—it was changing you.

Up above, Max’s voice cracked with panic as he shouted your name, pacing the shoreline like he could fight the water itself. He didn’t see you yet, didn’t know what the lake was doing to you.

But he was the first one who’d notice when you finally broke the surface again… no longer entirely human.