Swimming Monstrosity: BizarreBeings, #3

By Cy Grezoren

While on their way to a fishing destination, four friends discover a secluded lake and are unaware that a huge serpent-like creature is lurking in the water. After their boat becomes marooned on the middle of the lake, the last remaining individual discovers that the vessel is slowly sinking. With communication down, the stranded fisherman must figure out how to get back to shore before the boat sinks all while avoid being devoured by the aquatic monstrosity swimming below.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cy Grezoren
• Release date: Feb 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215945117

Book preview

Swimming Monstrosity

By

Cy Grezoren

Copyright © 2023 Cy Grezoren

All Rights Reserved

SWIMMING MONSTROSITY

A large river flowed through an area of wooded countryside which was vacant of any development.

A hiker-nature photographer in his late twenties walked along the river’s shore, heading upriver. He had a knapsack strapped to his back and a camera looped around his neck.

Further up the shore, the hiker approached a tributary that fed into the river. He stopped to observe the area. He got his camera, focused in and took a few pictures at various angles. Afterward, he proceeded to walk along the tributary’s sun dappled shore, heading upstream.

After a couple more hours of trekking alongside the tributary, observing the natural world around him and taking plenty of pictures, the hiker approached a branching point in the watercourse. The smaller branching tributary curved, leading into a different direction than the larger main tributary.

A hinged chainlink fence barricade spanned over the branching tributary. At some phase, something large in the water had come along and knocked the fence barricade open, severely bending it.

At either side of the branching tributary, adjoining the damaged fence barricade, stood a tall partially vegetation covered chainlink fence that stretched over land. A sign was attached to the chainlink fence which was mostly obscured by foliage.

Along the shore, the hiker walked over to the fence to read the sign. On his way there, he saw a small garter snake basking on the muddy bank. Just as soon as the serpent became aware of the human’s presence, it swiftly slithered into the tributary where it disappeared into the murkiness. Moments later, the hiker approached the chainlink fence. He held aside the obscuring foliage and dozens of mosquitoes flew out from within the cool shade provided by the vegetation. The small insects didn’t land on him as they detected the bug repellent the hiker had applied earlier. The sign attached to the fence read: Private Property. No Trespassing. Keep Out.

The hiker looked the fence over, seeing how it led amongst the vegetation. Considering the greenery grown all over it, the structure appeared as though it has not had any maintenance in years. Curious to see where the branching tributary led to, the hiker began to climb over the severely bent portion of the fence barricade that spanned over the smaller tributary. He jumped onto shore at the other side of the chainlink fence, nearly losing his balance and falling into the water. He had entered the private property. The hiker walked along the branching tributary’s shore, heading further into the land.

After walking a few minutes along the shore, the hiker emerged from within the woods out onto a lakefront where an enormous secluded lake set, surrounded by the woodland. The hiker stopped and gazed over the area. He got his camera looped around his neck, focused in and took a few pictures.

The branching tributary adjoined the lake. A few yards up ahead, a small bridge spanned over the tributary.

The hiker began walking toward the bridge. As he approached the structure, he looked around.

A dirt road appeared to encircle the lake. The bridge spanning over the tributary adjoined the road.

The hiker stepped onto the bridge as he scanned the vast lake. After a few moments, he took his camera once again, focused and proceeded to take pictures. He saw the opposite side of the lake far in the distance. The hiker noticed something. He got a pair of binoculars from his knapsack and looked through them as he focused in.

Setting on the opposite side of the lake, a few yards from the shore was an abandoned building with the door and windows covered with weathered plywood. Nearby set another structure which appeared to be a storage building.

The hiker replaced the binoculars back into the knapsack and proceeded to walk onto the dirt road that encircled the lake. He sauntered along the road, exploring the abandoned property. After walking a few yards, he spotted something on the ground.

Fresh adult bear tracks crossed the road, heading toward to the lake.

The hiker stopped and looked at the tracks. He scanned the area, trying to locate the animal that left the large imprints. No bear was in sight. The hiker took a picture of the tracks. He then checked his pocket to make sure he still had his pepper spray with him. Afterward, he followed the tracks leading toward the lake. Moments later, the hiker approached the lakeshore, continuing to follow the bear tracks. After trailing the imprints for a few yards, he saw they had entered the lake. The hiker looked out onto the lake then back at the tracks on the shoreline. There was no bear anywhere to be seen. After observing for a few more moments, the hiker continued walking along the shore. As he ambled along the shoreline, he didn’t see any more tracks. It seemed as if the bear had never left the lake.

The sun was low in the sky to the west. The shrill sound of cicadas filled the air. At the lakeshore, the hiker approached an area where a small wooden canoe was resting on the shoreline, nearby. He turned his gaze out onto the lake. The hiker noticed something out on to water. He took his binoculars and looked through them, toward the object.

A wooden raft was floating a few yards out on the calm lake.

The hiker thought the raft would be a great spot to take some pictures of the sunset. He walked over to the canoe. Inside the boat lay a paddle. The hiker took hold of the canoe and pushed the small vessel into the lake and hopped inside. The once unruffled water’s surface rippled. He sat on the bench seat, picked up the paddle and began paddling toward the raft.

The sun was beginning to set behind the silhouetted trees that surrounded the lake. The sky was vivid with color. Light reflected off the lake’s surface.

In the canoe, the hiker approached the raft. The structure was ten feet by ten. He put the paddle down and unstrapped his knapsack. He placed the knapsack in the boat and retrieved a length of rope from inside one of the knapsack’s compartments. The hiker tied one end to the canoe and the other end to one of the raft’s pressure treated planks. Afterward, he stepped onto the raft, leaving his knapsack in the boat.

The raft wobbled then steadied. The hiker took his camera looped around his neck. He focused and began to photograph the spectacular sunset landscape. The surrounding woodland was quiet except for the shrill sound of cicadas in the trees and tall grass.

After a few moments, something in the water lightly bumped the underside of the raft. Alarmed, the hiker stopped taking pictures and looked around.

Nothing was visible around the raft or anywhere at the lake’s surface.

The hiker continued to look and listen. As he done so, he swatted at an annoying bug buzzing around his head. Suddenly, something struck the raft harder