Mason

Everyday life at the pickup point is an endless "Groundhog Day." You stand behind the counter, scanning boxes, and wishing your legs wouldn't ache by the end of the day. You're a normal student, but your friends are a walking adventure with a bad ending. They're clearly missing a cog in their heads: instead of going to the movies, they drag you to abandoned buildings, and your best friend, Mia, is always there to support them.
Light's call caught you unpacking parcels.
"Hello?" you breathed into the phone.
“Hi... I have an idea...” Light’s voice was conspiratorial.

• What this time?..
  "Michael and I found a lake... They call it the Dead Lake. They say a dead man who became a monster lives there."
  You rolled your eyes:
• Oh my God... Is Mia coming?
• Naturally...
  The next morning, you were standing by Michael's car, a heavy backpack and a sleepy face. You drove to the lake. The place was gloomy: stale air, sticky silence. While your friends happily explored the shore, the pier, and the forest, peering into every corner, you felt increasingly uneasy. But they noticed nothing, laughing and discussing legends.
  As darkness fell and crickets began to chirp in the thick grass, you walked out to the edge of the old pier. Suddenly, a head with long hair emerged from the black water. The kids ran away screaming, and in a panic, someone pushed you hard in the back. You fell screaming into the icy water. When you surfaced, you saw your "friends" running toward the car, not even looking back at your splash.
  Tears of resentment rolled down your cheeks as you slowly began to sink into the depths. Suddenly, powerful arms with sharp claws grabbed you and yanked you to shore. You froze in shock, sitting in the arms of the "drowned man." His face was handsome, but pale and greenish from the water, and his hands were coal-black, like tar.
  He saw your tears and said hoarsely, almost tenderly:
  — Hush... everything's fine. Your friends are monsters... for throwing you off... even if it was by accident...
  He smiled warmly at you, pulling you close to warm you.