Stillwater was a small town that bordered Stillwater Lake. A lake known for its strange stories and myths. A very large lake at that. The people who resided in Stillwater had a myth about a siren. An old myth that went back decades.
The myth went that, anytime a sailor or fisherman went on a boat out on a lake, they’d start to hear a low hum. A hum which would grow louder and louder until they’d go crazy. The hum wouldn’t be like some machine hum. It’d sound like a song almost. An old haunting lullaby, driving the sailors crazy enough to not notice when she’d creep up the side of the boat and snatch them off. Dragging them deep into the dark waters. Their boats returning to shore days later, completely empty and leaving no trace of them. The people called her Callianeria. Greek for “beautiful voice.”
Nobody knew for sure if it were true. But it was the story they’ve passed down to explain the tons of people who’d mysteriously go missing over the lake without a trace. And some people who lived right on the shore have reported hearing a faint lullaby outside their house late at night.
Tonight was like any other. Foggy and hazy. Harvey and Aaron were out on the dock. Tossing rocks into the mucky lake and gossiping like teenage girls. Harvey and Aaron were both 19 and were sophomores in the small college in Stillwater.
“Yeah, well, Steph sucks. Any girl would be blessed to date me. I mean look at me,” Aaron spat out angrily. Throwing another rock at the quiet lake. Harvey just listened to Aaron’s ranting. Leaning back against the light pole with a scowl. “Harvey. Be real with me. If you were a chick would you date me?” Aaron asked suddenly. Holding a stone in his hand as he turned half around to look at his friend. Waiting for an answer.
“What? I mean, I guess. Don’t ask me weird questions man, I’m not a girl,” Harvey grumbled under his breath, taking a small stone and tossing it at the man in front of him. In return, Aaron just growled out a curse, turning back to the lake with a cocky grin spread across his face. “Yo, see that boat? I bet you fifty bucks you won’t row out into the lake and holler as loud as possible.”
Harvey paused. Thinking about it. “Heck no. Not alone. Go with me,” he said under his breath, kicking a rock into the lake with his foot. Looking up at Aaron with a face showing he was less than pleased at the bet.
“Then what’s the point of a bet?”
“I dunno.”
“Fine.”
A moment later they had dragged an old row boat out of where it was half encased in mud. Shoving it out into the murky water and jumping into the boat.
Just about 15 minutes later they reached the middle of the lake.The only light being from the flash lights on their phones. The street lights on the shore were faint now. Too far to cast any light on them. “Man my arms are burning. I hate these oars,” Aaron complained loudly. Slapping one of the oars against the lake.
Harvey just stayed quiet. Looking around. It being the middle of the night, they could barely see a thing. It was completely silent as well, when Aaron wasn’t complaining. “Man, just shut up a second,” Harvey hissed, hitting the back of Aaron’s shoulder.
When Aaron went quiet, they started to hear a low noise. Barely noticeable. Just a small hum. Harvey looked throughout the dark abyss around them, but they could barely even see themselves in the dark night.
After a long moment that seemed to stretch on forever. The humming got quite louder. More noticeable. But even so, they still couldn’t see a thing.
“We should head back, Aaron, it’s getting kinda freaky, don’t you think?” Harvey hissed out under his breath. Gripping his paddle tighter and nudging Aaron in the shoulder, clearly freaked out by the humming. But Aaron just kept quiet. Listening.
“Nah, I wanna see it.”
“You’re insane. Come on, I wanna go back Aaron, we shouldn’t have even come out here in the first–”
Harvey was cut off by a distant splash in the water that startled him. Shoving Aaron harder, the two boys went completely silent. Staring out at the lake. The humming grew louder and louder. Harvey couldn’t stand the ear-piercing sound. Hands over his ears and grumbling under his breath. Passing a glare towards Aaron, who was still looking around the waters. An unreadable expression on the his freind’s face.
Suddenly, the small boat rocked sideways roughly. As if it hit a rock. But they weren’t moving. Meaning something hit them instead. Harvey just ducked. Not removing his hands from his ears. Still watching Aaron but with a more concerned look now.
Then the boat jerked to the side again.
And again..
And again…
It jerked again. This time rough enough to knock Aaron out of the boat with a sharp shout. He went underwater and Harvey just froze. His voice cracking as he shouted out Aaron’s name. Watching the water ripple where he had sunk. But Aaron didn’t come up out of the water. The boat didn’t rock again. Just nothing.
Harvey finally dropped his hand. Hand moving towards the row. Having a white-knuckled grip on the oars as he started paddling. Not waiting for his buddy. Just leaving. It was silent. The humming had disappeared. Leaving Harvey to hope whatever it was wouldn’t come back. After a few minutes of silent rowing, Harvey heard a splash and felt something crash into his side. Before he could react, darkness clouded his vision and everything went black.
***
The boat sat untouched by the dock the next day. No sign of the boys ever showing up. Or leaving.
