The Lake

In this section, the writing style in the novel changes course, building suspense through short, sharp sentences, especially during moments of sudden darkness and uncertainty. Visceral detail is used to describe the story’s goriest moments, such as when Esme has to clean up blood: “The sponge glides gracefully, picking up a line of gloopy blood as it goes” (254). The elegance of the description contrasts grotesquely with the content, highlighting how ordinary actions become horrific in the altered atmosphere of the camp. The setting in these chapters takes on a tense and unsettling tone. One particularly significant scene involves a disturbing discovery of a deer carcass in the food hall, which leads to Olly and Esme demonstrating the extent of their bravery.

The deer reminds Esme of the first time she met Lillian, linking past events to the current atmosphere of unease. This connection underscores how Lillian’s cruelty is cyclical, as though she is determined to replay the original trauma until someone acknowledges it. When five dolls with their eyes crossed out appear in the lake, it adds a mysterious element to the symbol of the lake, directly foreshadowing the deaths of everyone but Esme. The dolls externalize Esme’s fear of being watched and judged, transforming childhood toys into emblems of mortality. The campground horror motif becomes more pronounced, symbolizing the ongoing tension and unresolved issues connected to the camp’s past.

Esme’s internal struggle deepens as she deals with guilt and self-doubt. She continues to feel ashamed of her past because not only is she refusing to be honest about it, carrying The Weight of Secrets, Guilt, and Lies, but she also feels that it defines who she is: “I drop my head. Am I not a good person? Can one stupid decision really define you?” (219). The rhetorical question captures her need for moral absolution, while also exposing the danger of allowing identity to be shaped by a single moment. Despite reassurance from Andy, who tells Esme and Olly they’re valued members of the camp, Esme continues to carry a heavy burden of responsibility. Olly shares in this feeling of regret, as it is revealed that he was at the fire too, which adds complexity to their relationship but ultimately brings them closer together. His admission reframes him not as an outsider but as a witness, binding him to the same cycle of secrecy and guilt that ensnares Esme and Kayla. The push and pull between Esme and Olly is an example of The Effects of Fear on Human Bonds; while they both share the same fear of their lives being at risk, which brings them together, they also fail to trust one another, which causes conflict.

Tension builds as Olly mentions not wanting to live anywhere like here, which causes Esme to suspect he might have known Lillian and grown up nearby. This suspicion creates a distance between them, making it difficult for Esme to fully trust or enjoy their interactions. When Olly discovers Esme looking through his things, she explains it as jealousy, but Kayla notices that Esme is often involved in incidents around the camp and frequently brings them up, which could lead to others becoming suspicious. Esme admits to Olly that she was responsible for a past incident but keeps Kayla’s involvement secret. This selective confession reflects Esme’s protective instincts toward Kayla, while also complicating her own search for honesty. Despite lingering doubts about Olly, Esme and he decide to work together to face the challenges ahead. A quiet, intimate moment between Esme and Olly is captured with delicate detail: “I hook the blind with one finger, wincing as I shift it out of the way. Olly’s temple touches mine as we lean closer and look out” (266). The juxtaposition of intimacy and surveillance in this scene emphasizes how even love is shaped by the presence of threat. This subtle physical closeness contrasts with the surrounding tension, illustrating the complicated emotions at play.

Olly’s revelation that he witnessed the fire marks a major structural turning point. Until now, Esme believed her guilt was isolated to herself and Kayla, but Olly’s confession expands the circle of responsibility. His silence mirrors theirs, showing how fear of exposure paralyzes multiple characters. This collective failure deepens the theme of complicity, suggesting that guilt is not only individual but shared.

Kayla’s role becomes quieter but no less significant. She tries to steer Esme away from obsession, yet her own nerves—visible in tense remarks and in her alarm at the camp’s growing chaos—show that denial is slipping. Her unease mirrors the rising danger, proving that secrecy protects neither of them once Lillian’s presence is undeniable. Kayla’s caution and Esme’s compulsion therefore meet at a crossroads, hinting that they must eventually align if they hope to survive.

The carved initials “LC” reappear at this stage, reinforcing the motif of the camp as a site inscribed with memory and warning. Just as the dolls in the water foreshadow death, the initials on the floor anchor Esme’s fear to physical space, as if Lillian’s presence has literally marked the camp. Together these symbols create a gothic layering of signs, where objects become haunted by meaning and ordinary locations are charged with menace.

These chapters mark the point where suspense hardens into open peril, preparing the narrative for its violent climax. The layering of blood, dolls, and carved initials signal that Lillian is no longer a rumor at the edges of the forest but an active force shaping the camp’s reality. The story’s focus shifts from hidden guilt to survival, and each character’s choices—Esme’s partial confession, Olly’s admission, Kayla’s wavering resolve—define how they will confront the threat closing in. By the end of this section, the camp is transformed into a fully haunted space, its ordinary rooms and lakefront bearing the weight of memory, fear, and revenge, positioning the next chapters for an escalation from psychological unease to life-or-death stakes.