The Lake Part Three: The Lake, #3

By M.D. LaBelle

In the third and final book of this exciting horror trilogy, Laura and Anne find themselves back in Haven.  In a last attempt to right the wrongs of the town, does Laura end up finishing off the monster?  Or does it take her and Anne out before continuing to loom over the town for the rest of eternity?  Find out in part three of The Lake.  But be sure to look under your bed before you go to bed tonight.

As soon as I see her lips turn a dark shade of blue, I turn the car back around and head straight back into Haven.  Remarkably enough, as I speed down main street, she begins to cough and then sits up straight and stares at me eerily.  Then I glance back at the road just in time before I watch little Shannon Root cross right in front of me.  When I slam on the brakes, I hear the rubber squeal before I look over to where Anne is sitting.  

• Language: English
• Publisher: Casper Publishing
• Release date: Mar 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223700746

M.D. LaBelle

M.D. LaBelle is an international award winning, and bestselling author who has her works on all the major online book retailers and even walmart.com.  Also, they are on over 200 paid web novel platforms and several other smaller bookstores.  Her genres include horror, fantasy, thriller, romance, erotica and children's books.  Follow her on her social media accounts o Instagram, TikTok, FaceBook and Youtube.  Also make sure you visit her bookstore at https://www.mdlabelle.com/bookstore

Book preview

To my loving husband, mom, sister and all my family that believed in me enough to push me to make this all possible.  Thank you.  I love you all.

I also want to extend my deepest gratitude to all those who have read my books and to those who review them.  Without your help, they would go unnoticed.  Thank you all.

M.D. LaBelle

Chapter 1:  Carmen

As soon as I see her lips turn a dark shade of blue, I turn the car back around and head straight back into Haven.  Remarkably enough, as I speed down main street, she begins to cough and then sits up straight and stares at me eerily.  Then I glance back at the road just in time before I watch little Shannon Root cross right in front of me.  When I slam on the brakes, I hear the rubber squeal before I look over to where Anne is sitting. 

Mom?  Is she alright? she cries out before unbuckling her seatbelt, as if it were nothing and she hadn’t been fighting for her last breath merely a minute before.

I don’t know.  I yell frantically as I try to open the door before realizing that it is still locked.

When I put the car into park, the doors unlock, and we hurry to check on Shannon.  But when I reach the spot, I had seen her standing in, the only thing I find is a royal blue beach ball slowly rolling in front of the car.

Mom? Anne asks hesitantly before she tugs on my black polyester jacket. 

What? I reply softly while I scan the area.

Where did she go? She asks quietly while cocking her head to the side and looking at me curiously.

By the time we decide to get back in the vehicle, I see a familiar face that I hadn’t seen in several months staggering down the sidewalk, so I yell happily. Carmen.  What are you doing here? while waving my hands over my head to get her attention.

She stops in her tracks and looks up with a furrowed brow before faking a smile and walking over to me.  Her long black, curly hair is tangled.  From what I can see of her clothes, they are wrinkled as if she hadn’t taken a shower in a week or so.

When I meet her a few steps away, I give her a big hug and then step back before asking thoughtfully, Are you alright?

She stutters as she murmurs under her breath, D, d, does it look like it?

At first, I don’t know what to make of her transformation, that is until she speaks up a moment later and asks sarcastically, Haven’t you heard?  No, I suppose you didn’t with everything going on.  Why that monster of yours is the talk of the town.  So, when Abby went missing yesterday, no one noticed.  Not anyone.

Oh, no! I exclaim loudly before hugging her again. 

This time I don’t let her go right away.  Instead, I feel her soft sobs on my shoulder as she begins to cry.  And then I hear Anne behind me ask with concern in her voice, Mom, what’s wrong with Ms. Madison?

When Carmen hears her ask this, she straightens up and inhales sharply before she steps back and looks Anne in the eyes intensely.  She announces sadly, Abby has gone missing.  Hank told me that he would personally oversee her case, but I have heard nothing yet.  I doubt that they will ever find her, just like they never find any of the others.

Knowing this to be sad but true, I keep quiet about it and decide to change the subject for the moment by asking Carmen quickly, Do you need a ride?

She stops and looks as if she is thinking about it, until she slowly nods while closing her eyes.  I know that this must be so hard for her because I had gone through this very thing several times.  It really wears on you when you don’t know what to do, but you need to do something.

Good. I state flatly before gesturing for us all to get in the car. 

With Carmen sitting behind me and Anne next to me in the front, I drive Carmen home before wondering what to do next.  As I sit in her driveway, I watch her take out the keys to the house and then she glances back at me and asks thoughtfully, Do you two need a place to stay?

I shake my head no because I had already decided to go back to the motel.  However, this time I am going to make sure that I watch over Anne every minute.  Even if it means that I do not get a wink of sleep.  And when I pull into the motel parking lot, a strange sense of déjà vu hits me because I am reminded of the first time and what had happened.

Hearing Hank’s deep voice as he asks loudly from the manager’s office, "Hey, what are the two of you doing back?  I thought that you told me you were leaving for good.  You know, making