The Lake

“Nerves are swimming lengths in my stomach, though. What if I’m not good at this? What if my little team of campers doesn’t like me? I have to guide them and make them feel safe as well as learn new skills and have fun.”

This metaphor communicates Esme’s anxiety, using imagery that connects to the lake symbolism while also physically embodying her unease. The use of rhetorical questions is common in her internal dialogue, hinting at her insecurity and need for validation. This passage marks early character development by showing Esme’s desire to take on responsibility, while suggesting that there may be a deeper reason for her concern. That deeper reason is the concealed past, aligning the moment with The Weight of Secrets, Guilt, and Lies.

“This summer could pass very slowly if I keep getting up before the sun. Though I like the peace first thing. The lake is quiet, like it’s sleeping.”

The personification of the lake creates a mood of deceptive calm, giving the natural environment a sort of sentience that mirrors Esme’s need for stillness amid inner chaos. Calling the lake “sleeping” foreshadows its later “waking,” when it returns traumatic memories to the surface. This peaceful tone contrasts sharply with later depictions of the lake, foreshadowing its symbolic shift from serenity to haunted memory. The serene and reflective rhythm of the sentence mirrors the rare stillness of the moment, emphasizing the temporary peace