“Quit being a scaredy-cat, Bobby,” Jimmy said from the lake. He and Kenny had run out onto the dock and jumped in with complete abandon. They weren’t worried about the depth beneath the waves, nor were they concerned about snapping turtles or sharp rocks or any other dangers that might be waiting for them. They jumped in, eyes wide, mouths open and yelling; “Geronimo!”

Bobby crept up behind them – scared out of his wits – and stood on the edge of the dock as his brothers waded in the murky depths below.

“Jeez,” Kenny said, his red hair sticking to the sides of his face. “You really believed that crazy story, didn’t you?” He snorted and he and Jimmy laughed at him. “Wow, we knew you were gullible, but…”

“That’s because he’s a scaredy-cat,” he teased. “Scaredy-cat, scaredy-cat, Bobby is a scaredy-cat!”

“Shut up!” Bobby said. “I’m not a scaredy-cat!”

“Then what’s taking you so long? Come on, already!”

“I’m coming,” Bobby said. He looked out at the water and wondered about what could lie underneath. He didn’t exactly believe there could be a monster under there…but…

“For crying out loud,” Kenny said. “We were just kidding about the toe monster, stupid. Nothing’s gonna happen to you. Will you just get in here already?”

Bobby shuddered at the idea. In his heart of hearts, he knew that there couldn’t be a giant toe in the lake. After all, mom and dad told him not to listen to Kenny and Bobby when they talked like that – that they were just trying to scare him.

The whole thing started when the got to the lake. The house they stayed in over the summer had been closed up and his father was busy doing stuff to “open” it. Bobby had no idea what all that meant or entailed, he only knew that when they first got there, it meant that he and Jimmy were stuck helping mom with the luggage while Kenny helped dad do whatever it is that they did.

They were carrying the luggage in the house when one of their neighbors came up the walk, a plate of brownies in his hand. He was old — as old as his grandfather, at least. He had a head full of white hair and his eyes were the color of steel. Bobby was stopped in his tracks when he saw him, because he’d never seen him before in his whole life. People came and went through Arcadia all the time. Some lived there, some just vacationed, but everyone pretty much kept to themselves most times. And no one ever came up the walk with a plate of brownies in their hands.