The grandson was standing on the edge of the dock, smiling as if he were about to do something completely harmless.
—Grandma, do you remember when you said you didn’t know how to swim and that you always dreamed of learning?
She adjusted her handkerchief nervously and looked at the water. The lake was dark and cold.
—Yes, I remember. But I’m afraid of water. Very afraid. Don’t joke about that.
—Stop being so dramatic —the nineteen-year-old grandson laughed. —You’re just making me nervous.
She took a step back, but he was faster. A slight push in the back made her lose her balance. She fell into the water and sank for a moment.
When she came back to the surface, in her eyes was a genuine fear.
—Help… I can’t…! —she said in a broken voice.
She tried to grab the dock boards, but her hands slipped on the wet wood. The clothes were soaking her and she couldn’t breathe. She struggled to stay afloat, swallowing water and sinking again.
On the dock, everyone was laughing.
—Record this, record it, it’s epic! —the daughter-in-law said, holding the phone in front of her.
—Just try to scare us, all you want is to draw attention —she said calmly, as if she were talking about bad weather.
The woman sank again and for a second, silence reigned. But when she came back to the surface and started coughing, the laughter continued.
—Enough of this circus, get out of here once and for all! —the daughter-in-law said irritably.
No one offered her a hand.
Finally, she managed to reach the edge of the dock. She leaned on her elbows and, with a huge effort, managed to get out of the water. She was lying on the boards, breathing with difficulty, with water dripping from her hair and trembling lips.
Little by little, the laughter faded.
She slowly got up. She looked at everyone for a long time, without shouting, without making a scene. Just with an empty look, without tears or pleas.
And then she did something that left everyone speechless.
(The family’s cruel laughter is about to turn to sheer terror! Click “Next Page” to continue reading…)
