The Lake

In these chapters, Kayla’s backstory is revealed, casting new light on her earlier mix of charm, denial, and visible anxiety, and showing how those traits stem from long-standing fears. Kayla had a car accident as a child, which led to her grandmother’s death and years of therapy to overcome her fear of danger. This history helps explain her caution and reluctance to accept Esme’s suspicions or help her. The return of Kayla’s panic when she finally acknowledges the danger around them shows how her trauma resurfaces under pressure, making her earlier dismissiveness appear more like denial than genuine optimism. Meanwhile, Esme becomes increasingly suspicious of Rebekah after noticing burn marks on her body, which leads Esme to believe that Rebekah might actually be Lillian. This turns out to be a red herring, as Rebekah is not Lillian, but she is helping her. The burn scars function as an ambiguous visual symbol, both an emblem of past suffering and a narrative clue that misdirects Esme and the reader. Kayla gradually begins to come around to Esme’s theories, showing a shift in her attitude and willingness to engage with the darker possibilities of what might be going on. It also demonstrates growth on her part, as she finally realizes she will have to face up to The Weight of Secrets, Guilt, and Lies. At the same time, Esme herself becomes more daring and reckless, taking risks such as snooping through Rebekah’s belongings to uncover the truth.

The narrative style reflects Esme’s escalating fear and disorientation through short, choppy sentences that mimic her panicked flight through the woods, with flashing lights and confusion: “But no one is here. A chill travels down my back. Where am I? … Where is everyone? Where is camp? I’m lost.” (172). This clipped rhythm pulls the reader into her embodied fear, allowing form to mirror psychological state. Esme’s unreliability as a narrator becomes increasingly evident as she leaps to conclusions, naming the figure in the forest Lillian without proof: “If I stop now Lillian might catch me” (176). Her quick jump from perception to certainty illustrates how paranoia distorts judgment, a key feature of unreliable narration. This growing unreliability adds to the tension and uncertainty in the story. Additionally, Esme frequently repeats that Kayla would never do anything dangerous, emphasizing how alone she feels. Her thoughts become frantic and obsessive as she speculates about Rebekah’s burn treatment: “Cream for her burns? Does she use it daily? I close my eyes. We did that to her. Well, if she’s Lillian” (196). This moment reveals her internal struggle and guilt. The circular logic—assuming guilt, then questioning it, then reasserting it—demonstrates how trauma fractures linear thought.

The use of the axe and the message “I SAID NO COPS” escalates the threats into unmistakable violence. Unlike the earlier carved initials or painted warnings, this act cannot be dismissed as a prank. The physical destruction combined with the note raises the stakes, demonstrating the antagonist’s control over space and narrative. It also forces the counselors to recognize that the situation is no longer just psychological terror but a direct confrontation with authority and power.

Suspense intensifies as Kayla adopts Esme’s perspective, agreeing that Lillian is likely responsible for the threatening events. The tension builds when another threatening note is found on the shed door; since Olly is not present to witness this, it raises questions for Esme about timing and who might be involved. Olly’s unexplained absence introduces doubt into his trustworthiness, casting suspicion on his role while simultaneously deepening Esme’s conflicted attraction to him. Esme’s theories become increasingly intricate and somewhat implausible, as she speculates that Lillian may have infiltrated the camp as a counselor the previous year to get close to them, though it remains unclear how Lillian would have done this. The paranoia escalates when more photos are taken of them in the woods, followed by a warning broadcast over the radio instructing the counselors to head to the cabin and avoid contacting authorities. This threat not only heightens their fear but also amplifies the urgency and danger surrounding the camp. The radio warning is especially chilling because it collapses the boundary between the external world and the camp’s interior, showing that surveillance has penetrated every layer of supposed safety.

The camp horror movie trope is used to deepen the eerie atmosphere, with Esme describing Lillian as being “like an evil paranormal presence in a horror flick. If she began to float and disappeared in a puff of black smoke it wouldn’t surprise me” (174). This metafictional comparison calls attention to the way Preston uses horror conventions knowingly, blurring the line between cliché and lived terror. The woods become an increasingly important motif as Esme’s desperation for answers continually leads her back there. The motif of fire remains a powerful symbol of threat and destruction, especially when the voice over the radio warns that fire will be used to ruin the camp’s reputation if anyone calls the police. The memory of flames is vivid and haunting to Esme, who recalls, “[…] the orange reflection in her eyes from the flames and the look of terror in them” (188), reinforcing the trauma and fear connected to fire throughout the story. The eyes reflecting fire also operate as a gothic image, fusing memory, guilt, and supernatural suggestion into a single haunting detail.

The discovery of Rebekah’s diary, complete with a drawing of fire, further externalizes the motif of burning as a constant presence. For Esme, the diary functions as both evidence and projection. It confirms her fears yet also reveals how interpretation can be shaped by guilt. The secrecy of eavesdropping under Rebekah’s bed underscores how little distance exists between private thought and public exposure. These moments mark a turning point in the narrative: Esme’s investigation begins to replace speculation with concrete signs, yet the evidence also deepens her psychological turmoil. Kayla’s willingness to believe Esme after seeing how far the clues have progressed signals a shift in their alliance, setting the stage for them to confront Lillian together as the story grows darker. By binding proof to personal history, the chapter sequence shows how the mystery surrounding Lillian is inseparable from the emotional cost of uncovering it, preparing the ground for the escalating confrontations that follow.