"Sam" my brother's voice came through in a crackle that most old phones like mine do – made worse by the sheer loudness of his voice might I add – it gave my head a painful ringing sensation.

"Yes, what is it Lucas" I tried to keep my phone to my ear; readjusting the bag of groceries I had picked up on the way home from a long day at work. It wasn't easy to move while on the phone, but not like this old flip phone can use Bluetooth – nor can we afford to buy headphones with Bluetooth for that matter – "I will be home soon if that's what you are going to ask me."

"I need you to go to the park," he demanded; a few years back he got the idea that radio signals were somehow linked to our parents' disappearance – they died but his hope was somehow better than my despair –

"Lucas it's late I need to cook dinner I can't just go to the park" I sigh, Lucas may be older, but he is not ready for the truth. Looking up into the night sky, I know I will give in and yet I still needed to protest.

"But I have a feeling this could be the one it's in the same radio range as the reports" Lucas starts "you know the same ones that happened when mom and dad vanished." It's a sad fact he keeps trying but I can't just bring myself to break the illusion.

"Lucas, mom and dad left us, there is no way that a signal that happened on that day means they came back." I tried to block the memory that Lucas was beginning to dig up – the fact he doesn't remember that day is my only gratitude for it – pushing it down is hard but I managed it.

"Please Sam just this once" he begged.

There wasn't much I could do when he begged, maybe I gave in from the guilt of lying but this will be the last time "ok, but Lucas this is the last time" I looked to the sky "but you haft to meet me there and carry the groceries home." At least I could get some help for my trouble.

"Yep, I will be there," Lucas says before the dial tone replaces his voice and it's still as crackly as it was when Lucas was on the other end.

I made the detour to the park where they had died, the walk was shot and painful; the memories were calling me, and they wanted to be heard and receive the attention that a painful memory always expects. Reaching the gate, I could see that no one was there – and why would they be, even I shouldn't be here – just as I thought.

"I was right there not here" I approached the lake – the centrepiece of the park – a park bench faced it, I sat finally letting the bags fall from my grip as I try to relax into the wood, hoping I become as unfeeling as it or face the harsh reality. The memories surfaced from the depths of my mind and as I looked out to the lake which gleamed in the moonlight almost as if it was creating its own light, I knew I could not escape them anymore.

###

The day was bright, sunny and the most perfect day a kid could hope for. I was playing with Lucas, both of us smiling; while chasing him he stopped and I almost tumbled into him, he looked scared. Like a good big brother I looked to see what scared him the very ground beneath me felt as if it was shaking – or was I shaking that day, I'd never know – the sight of my mother's arms had silenced me as it probably had done to Lucas, they darkened as if they were charred by an unseen fire, the smell of something rancid filled the air as they grew and what looked to be tar seeped from her arms. Her hair became branch-like as if the softness it had once been when she kissed my forehead that morning was but a dream – one I wished I was still living in – but reality was now a nightmare.

I moved – not well – I had to grab Lucas, I needed to run and run far. I had no idea where my father was and I didn't know what was happing with my mother but all I did know was I needed to get far away, every part of me was screaming at me to run.

I felt strange running, my body felt light as if I was flying, but then I wasn't "wh ... what just happened" My mind was racing every thought was coming and going; where was Lucas he was no longer in my arm, I looked up and there he was, Lucas was crying, crawling towards me – I need to keep him safe – I reached out with my hand then I saw it, I understood why, why I collapsed. Red, crimson red; then the pain started it brought me back – though I wish it didn't – I heard a growl it was low and it was behind me and reminded me of when my father used to play monster and silently wished for him to pick me up like he did when I fell over "help ... please" my voice was a whisper as I watched Lucas reach out to me his eyes full of tears, something I wasn't privy to.

My body rolled over, not by my own doing but whatever was behind me wanted me to watch "I'm sorry Lucas" I saw a creature that looked like the big bad wolf from a storybook, it had my father's clothes draped over it and suddenly I didn't want him to be there I wanted him to be gone like he was before. I could manage to move only an inch before pain shot through me and it froze me, I would die here and then Lucas would die and that would be it. Before the wolf could move my vision was clouded by a bright blue light it was as if the light surrounded me and I felt safe and warm, the pain was now gone; is this what death feels like am I now free from it all.

A shadow appeared in the light, it looked human, an arm outstretched hand me reaching though my arms felt like lead I still tried but they didn't respond. My vision cleared and the shadow took form, I must be hallucinating because the man before me looked unreal, his face slim and his hair was oddly white despite how young he looked and his eyes, they reminded me of blood as they stared at me and any sense of worry faded as my mind began to slip away and just as I had gained clarity my mind grew clouded once more and the black took over.

###

A few days had passed since I woke up in a hospital bed, Lucas laying in my bed next to me his body small as he curled up towards me, I wept knowing he was safe. Now I sit up not feeling the pain in my side with my injuries mostly healed; it was fast and it could be thanks to the new advancements in medicine, but I know it was because of him. The red eyes occupied my thoughts, so much so I'd just get lost thinking about how they looked, the memory of them was my obsession. No one could tell me what had happened that day, inspectors came every day to ask me questions but after recounting my story they just took it as me trying to come to terms with what happened to me – they didn't believe me – they left me alone to recover, Lucas didn't remember and it pained me so when he asked when our parents would come and find us – he cried every night though, the memory nothing but a nightmare to him – I could only tell him they were missing, the truth was hard to believe and even harder to bare but I needed to for I was the big brother.

###

Reality came rushing back and pain rushed through my old wound – memories had a way of bringing back old pains – as soon as it came it faded and relief washed over me. Looking out towards the lake I watched as it glowed in the moonlight, it was beautiful, but something was defiantly strange about how brightly it glowed. I looked to the sky but there was no moon, if there's no moon then how can the lake be reflecting moonlight.

There was ice covering the water and it glowed from under its frozen surface – what could make it glow so brightly – The heat from the summer air was now replaced by a sharp cold that made my body shiver. I knew I needed to get out of here but I was drawn to the lake – I should call Lucas and leave now – against all my better judgement I got up and approached the lake that glowed brighter the closer I got. I reached the edge of the lake; I looked closer and could see that there was a boy about my age under the ice, he wasn't moving either. Before I could think to call for help I was on the ice, trying to get above him but two steps in and I fell – not gracefully either – luckily I was able to shield my face from the impact as I fell.

"shit" I needed to do something, I examined the ice and it looked thin, thin enough for me to see the boy clearly so I should be able to break it. I lifted my hands into the air, clasping them, I brought them down with as much force as I could to the ice that separated me from the boy – it hurt but the cold ice numbed the pain – I hit the ice, again and again, I could hear the ice cracking. The boy's eyes opened, they glowed crimson red and my heart thumped in my chest, memories came flooding back but I couldn't shut down, not now "hang on I will get you out of there" I tried to yell loud enough so that the boy trapped underneath the ice could hear me but as he began to hit the ice from his side I don't know if he heard me. The cracking of the ice grew louder as massive cracks became visible; cracking faster than I've ever seen ice crack before, the ice began to shift under me, and the boy was no longer below me but now his body was right in front of me. It took only a few seconds before my body was no longer able to move; the cold water crept into my bones as the air in my lungs was replaced by icy cold water, I tried to reach for something, anything but my vision faded, and everything went black.

###

The thought of cold started to drip away, my mind coming back from the black emptiness I had fallen into "wha.... What happened" I coughed expecting water to block my lungs but it didn't. I felt my body warm once more as a tingle ran across my mouth, something soft was pressed against them and I felt my lungs breathe as if I wasn't doing it and it relaxed me; opening my eyes I could see the silhouette of someone over me their face was completely shrouded in darkness.

"I saved your life" The voice come from in front and the shadow moved back to reveal a pale boy, the same one from the lake – he looked pretty – I couldn't help looking at how delicate his face looked. His eyes locked with mine and I was right they were the same crimson red as the eyes that had stuck with me all these years since that day; but the eyes didn't look as kind as the ones I remembered, instead they were filed with a hidden rage, one that didn't show on the slim face that looked to be devoid of anything emotional.

pulling myself up from the ground, the boy stepped back; he wore a black robe, I hadn't noticed in the lake, but it really stood out, especially with his skin, the clothes made it look sickly pale skin. "Who are –" the boy collapsed to the ground, it was sudden and almost funny how he stood there as if nothing was wrong and next he was on the ground; I stood there stunned.

"Sam, Sam where are you" my attention was pulled from the collapsed boy; over by the entrance I saw Lucas, still in his school uniform – can't he ever get changed I don't need to keep washing his one and only uniform –

Before I could call out to Lucas the hand of the boy grabbed my leg as he struggled to say "ne...need" his face looked strained as he held his head up and my heart thumped at the sight – why is it thumping? Am I sick? – "energy..." and just like that he passed out.

I looked over him confused for a moment before Lucas's voice snapped me out of it "Sam there you are" he looked down to the boy laying at my feet "who's that?" and I could not agree more with that, who is this boy and why was he in that lake and why did I not drown.

"Lucas go grab the shopping from the bench and I'll... I'll carry him home."