Lake House Escape - Episode 1
by Cade Scott
Hey girl! You headed to the lake soon?
Sure am!
Thanks again for inviting me and Tyler.
Of course!
Ben and I are excited to get to know you two a bit better šŸ˜€
Weā€™re already on our way.
Perfect! Tyler and I are just about to head out.
Before you doā€¦
Can I ask you a favor?
Sure thing. Whatā€™s up?
Could you pack a knife?
A knife?
I know, weird request, right?!
Ben says we forgot to grab oneā€¦
He claims heā€™ll need it for some outdoorsy stuff šŸ™„
LOL okay, sure.
Wait, what kind of knife?
I donā€™t think I have anything outdoorsy.
Just kitchen knives.
Thatā€™ll actually be perfect.
Just grab the biggest one.
Got it!
Great! See you soon!
1 hour later
Hey babe, Iā€™m outside your apartment.
Need help with your bag?
I think Iā€™ve got it. Be out in a sec.
Janet grabs her duffel bag and goes downstairs.
Sheā€™s about to walk out the doorā€¦
But she remembers Kateā€™s request.
Janet makes her way to the kitchenā€”
Grabs a knifeā€¦
And tucks it safely in her bag between two articles of clothing.
Later that afternoon
Janet sits in the passenger seat of Tylerā€™s carā€¦
Fiddling with the radio.
So, weā€™re really doing this?
Oh my God, would you stop?
Kate was nice enough to invite us on this trip.
Can you please be grateful?
Grateful?! I just want to make sure I donā€™t get murdered in the woods.
Well, if you keep this up, I just might murder you myself.
Iā€™m just saying. That night you met Kate?
Do we have to do this again?
Weā€™ve talked about this SO many times.
Because it was weird!
I try not to think about itā€¦
The fact that you donā€™t remember the entire night?
Itā€™s strange, babe.
For the last timeā€¦
I had too much to drinkā€¦
And that probably didnā€™t mix well with the meds I take.
I blacked out. It happens.
Rightā€¦it happens.
I just feel like normally, people donā€™t wake up the next morning with a new best friendā€¦
Who they donā€™t even remember meeting.
I shouldā€™ve been thereā€¦
Donā€™t beat yourself up about it.
You were 2 states away.
Not much you could do.
And like you said, I made a new friend out of the whole ordeal.
I think it was fate.
Janet thinks back to the party she attended a month earlier.
She doesnā€™t remember a thing about that night.
She only remembers waking up in a strangerā€™s bed.
Before she could panic, Kate had walked in with breakfast on a tray.
Kate claimed Janet had passed outā€¦
And that she had taken care of Janetā€”
Made sure she was okay.
Well, weā€™re almost there.
Just 10 more miles and weā€™ll hopefully be able to relax.
The next day
Janet lounges on a floaty in a lakeā€¦
Kate floating along by her side.
Both have drinks in hand.
Janet watches Tyler and Ben play Frisbee on the shoreā€¦
Her boyfriend looking much less coordinated than Kateā€™s.
So, have you enjoyed the lake so far?
Are you kidding?!
I canā€™t think of a better way to end the summer than this.
Thank you again for having us.
Iā€™m so glad it worked out!
I wouldā€™ve done anything to get you up here.
Janet takes a sip of her drinkā€¦
Soaking in the sunshine.
All of a sudden, she remembersā€¦
Heyā€¦that knife.
What about it?
Oh, I just brought it.
Does Ben need it?
Wellā€¦not yet.
Ha, okay. Should I just leave it in the kitchen or something?
No. Keep it for now.
Kate smiles and closes her eyes again.
They float in a heavy silence for a few seconds.
So, remind meā€”
How long have you and Tyler been together?
4 years now!
We met our freshmen year of college.
We both lived in the same dormā€¦
And after the first week of schoolā€”
We just kind of knew we were right for each other.
Thatā€™s so sweet!
Yeah, I guess so.
I dunnoā€¦
Sometimes I wonder if heā€™s getting bored of me.
Please, how could he ever get bored of you?
Look at you! Youā€™re amazing!
Janet blushes.
How long have you and Ben been together?
Weā€™ve been partners in crime for 10 years now.
Wait, what?! 10 years?!
How is that even possible?
We met in middle school.
Awwwā€¦same class?
Kind of. Our first date was in detention.
HA! No way?!
Yep.
What did you guys do?
It was dissection day in all the science classesā€¦
Ben and I wanted to give the frogs a fair chance.
A fair chance?
To run.
Iā€™m sorry, I donā€™t understand.
Well, they kept the frogs locked up in tanks.
Whereā€™s the justice in killing a creature when itā€™s got nowhere to run?
Like, whatā€™s fun about shooting fish in a barrel?
So we let the frogs loose.
Ohā€¦and what happened to them?
Not sure. Supposedly the janitor had to hunt them down.
But Ben and I have been together ever since.
Weā€™re so close.
Sometimes I think weā€™re the same person.
They sit in another bit of silence.
Kate, can I ask you something?
Sure thing.
Why did you take care of me after that party?
It was so nice of you, butā€¦
You didnā€™t know me or anythingā€¦
Thereā€™s something you should know about meā€”
I donā€™t like most people.
But youā€”
Well, letā€™s just sayā€¦
I knew you were just the type of person Iā€™d want to have around.
A loud crash sounds from the direction of the shore.
Janet whips her head around.
Tyler is frozen, his arm outstretchedā€”
As if the Frisbee just left his hand.
And he has a panicked look on his face.
Janet follows his gaze to the houseā€¦
And sees the window he just broke.
I am SO sorry!
I knew I was bad at throwing a Frisbee.
But I didnā€™t know I was that bad.
Kate laughs, waving her hand.
Donā€™t worry about it!
Weā€™ll get it fixed.
There isnā€™t any rain in the forecast for the next few daysā€”
We should be just fine.
Kate paddles to the shoreā€¦
As Ben stands near the water, waiting for her.
Whoā€™s ready for some margaritas?!
Later that night
Janet sits on the bedā€¦
While Tyler roams around their roomā€¦
Looking at the different animal heads mounted on the walls.
Having fun?
A blast.
Is that sarcasm I detect?
Other than breaking a windowā€¦
And trying to make conversation with someone who doesnā€™t talkā€”
Iā€™m having a GREAT time.
No luck with Ben?
None.
I think itā€™s pretty obvious he doesnā€™t like me.
Heā€™s just quiet.
Sureā€¦
Janet pouts prettily.
Oh, Iā€™m sorry baby.
Thank you for coming here with me.
Tyler grunts in response.
Janet lies back on the bed.
Come here.
Why?
Come over here.
Reluctantly, Tyler goes over and lies down beside Janet.
She pulls him on top of her and begins kissing him.
She sighs as he moves to kissing her neck.
Then thereā€™s a knock on the door.
They break apart, Janetā€™s face turning red.
She tip-toes to the door and gently cracks it open.
At her feet are a bottle of wine, some glassesā€¦
And a folded note.
Reaching down, she grabs the bottle and reads the note.
Who was it?
I think Kate left us this.
She holds up the wine bottle.
What does the note say?
ā€œGet ready for a night you wonā€™t forgetā€¦ā€
ā€œHereā€™s a little something to get your blood flowing.ā€
What does that mean?
No idea.
Youā€™ve made some weird new friends.
Sheā€™s just trying to be nice.
Letā€™s just try to enjoy ourselves, okay?
Fine.
Want a glass?
Is it a red?
Yeah.
Then nah, Iā€™m good.
More for me then.
I just need to find a bottle opener.
There wasnā€™t one with the bottle?
Guess not.
Janet looks around the room.
She opens the dresser and nightstand drawers.
You really think one will be in there?
Look at thisā€¦
What?
Janet pulls out a binder labeled ā€œguestbookā€ from one of the drawers.
I guess we can sign our names.
She opens the book and flips through page after pageā€¦
Each one showing a different smiling couple standing next to Ben and Kate.
Wowā€¦they have a lot of friends.
Tyler hovers over her shoulder, looking at the photos with her.
Wait, go back one.
Janet turns back the page to a blonde coupleā€¦
Their skin slightly burnt from the sun.
I know those namesā€¦
Tom Holt and Ali Cooper?
Yeahā€¦Iā€™ve heard those names beforeā€¦
I just canā€™t remember where.
Do you recognize them?
Kind ofā€¦
But I donā€™t remember meeting them.
Ugh, itā€™s gonna bug me.
Let me look it up.
Tyler tries to click on his phone, but he is met with a black screen.
Shootā€¦mineā€™s dead.
Did you bring a charger?
I forgot mine at home.
In my bag, but I donā€™t get much service out here.
Worth a try.
Tyler digs through Janetā€™s bag.
OW!
What?! Whatā€™s wrong?
What theā€”
Janet, what is this?
Tyler gingerly lifts a kitchen knife from Janetā€™s bag.
Oh that!
Oh my God, did you cut yourself?!
Just a nick, but it couldā€™ve been worse.
Why did you pack a knife?!
This is going to sound weird butā€¦
Kate asked me to.
Wait, really?
Yeah she said Ben needed one.
That he forgot his and wanted to do outdoorsy stuff.
Butā€”
That actually might work as a bottle opener!
Give it here.
Tyler hands Janet the knifeā€¦
Which she sticks into the corkā€”
Slowly turning until the cork comes out with a pop.
She pours a glass and takes a sip.
A familiar, earthy taste sticks to her tongue.
She continues flipping through the guestbookā€¦
Marveling at all the different faces staring back at her.
Janetā€¦somethingā€™s not right.
What do you mean?
That knifeā€¦
What about it?
Look at me for a second.
Janet turns around and sees Tyler leaning over his bagā€¦
Heā€™s holding a pocket knife.
A couple days before we came hereā€¦
I got a text from an unknown number.
Turns out it was Benā€”
And he asked me if I could bring somethingā€¦
A knife.
I mean, that makes senseā€¦
Kate said he needed one.
He probably didnā€™t know Kate asked me for one too.
He didnā€™t say he needed it for anything.
He said I needed itā€¦
For an ā€œoutdoor activityā€ we all were going to do.
You worry too much. Iā€™m sure itā€™s nothing.
Janetā€™s fingers tingle.
Her thoughts slow.
Just a couple sips and sheā€™s already feeling the wine.
She didnā€™t know she was such a lightweight.
She turns to the last page of the guestbook.
Thereā€™s no photoā€¦
But thereā€™s a pair of names written on the pageā€¦
Names she recognizes.
Umā€¦Tyler.
Yeah?
Come here.
Tyler tentatively walks over.
Weā€™re in the guest book.
What?
Look.
Tyler looks at the last page.
And there, written in the same manner as all the other pagesā€¦
Are Tyler and Janetā€™s names.
Guess theyā€™ll add our photo after the trip?
Oh Godā€¦Janetā€¦
We HAVE to leave!
What?! Why?
I just rememberedā€”
The blonde-haired couple.
I know why their names are so familiar.
Janet flips back to their entry in the book.
Thatā€™s the couple that went missing.
Remember. In the news?
They supposedly left to go on vacationā€”
And were never seen again.
Go back a couple more pages.
Janet flips the pages to a couple named Kyler Lock and Marie Claire.
My Godā€¦remember them?!
Janet nods her head.
They also went missing a few months ago.
They were traveling across the country.
Janet blinks hardā€”
Trying to erase the dizziness thatā€™s clouding her brain.
Knives, a secluded lake houseā€¦
Pictures of missing peopleā€¦
Janet, we need to go.
Now.
Janet canā€™t speakā€¦
So she offers a quick nod.
Tyler stuffs their things into their bags and throws them over his shoulder.
He grabs Janetā€™s hand and leads her to the doorā€¦
Placing his finger over his mouthā€¦
Communicating silence.
He opens the door.
The house is dark.
He pulls Janet into the hallwayā€¦
Moving carefully, trying not to make the floorboards creak.
They pass the broken windowā€¦
Wind howling through the holeā€¦
Filling the house with cold air.
As they reach the living roomā€¦
Janet can see the front door.
She fights the urge to break into a run.
But before they can take another stepā€¦
Light floods the hall.
Standing across the roomā€¦
Is Ben.
And in his handā€¦
Is a large Bowie knife.
And a faint smile on his lips.
Tyler pushes Janet behind him.
Hey manā€¦
Sorry if we woke you upā€¦
Ben doesnā€™t respond.
He just stands thereā€¦
His hand tightening around the knife.
Janetā€™s not feeling wellā€¦
So I think weā€™re going to head home early.
Benā€™s smile widens.
He takes a step forward.
What are you doingā€¦
Tyler takes a step toward the doorā€”
But Ben mirrors his movementsā€¦
Blocking the way.
Quit messing aroundā€¦
Youā€™re freaking us out!
Suddenly, the hallway is plunged back into darkness.
Janet screams.
The sound of footsteps rushes toward them.
Janet, RUN!
Tyler pushes Janet toward the broken windowā€”
She stumbles over the rug.
GET OUT OF HERE!
Before she gets to the windowā€”
She quickly unzips her bagā€¦
Retrieving the kitchen knife.
Her limbs feel sluggishā€¦
But she manages to use the handle of the knife to punch out the rest of the window.
She hoists herself upā€¦
Through the windowā€¦
And outside.
As she hits the groundā€¦
She twists her ankleā€”
And lets out a shriek.
As she tries to stumble to her feetā€”
She hears a crash come from inside the house.
Tyler?!
TYLER?!
Janet stands and stares back through the window.
Nothing but silence from the house.
She panics.
Not knowing what to do.
Go back in for Tyler?
Or run?
Before she can decideā€¦
A sing-song voice rings out from the front of the house.
Jaaaa-net.
Whereā€™d you run off to?
A dark figure emerges from around the corner of the house.
Good. You got your knife.
Janet bursts into a sprint in the opposite directionā€”
Tears blurring her vision.
She doesnā€™t know where sheā€™s goingā€”
She just knows she has to get away.
She reaches the woodsā€¦
And frantically looks back for Kateā€¦
But her foot catches on a root and she falls to the forest floorā€¦
Her outstretched hand landing on the knife.
Her ankle throbs.
The wound on her hand gushes with blood.
Janet crawls behind a large bushā€¦
Hugging her knees tightly to her chest.
Are you feeling okay sweetie?
Janet tries to steady her breathā€¦
Trying to still her shaking body.
You know, you really shouldnā€™t accept a drink from a strangerā€¦
You made the same mistake that night at the party.
A glass of wine from me and you were out like a light!
Janet holds her breath as Kate walks by the bush.
Kate scans the area around her.
I knew thenā€¦
Youā€™d be perfect for our little game.
You seeā€¦
Letting those frogs loose was how Ben and I fell in love.
We both knew we had to give the frogs the chance to runā€¦
So we could hunt them down.
Janet feels like her heart is going to burst out of her chest.
She can hear Kateā€™s feet crunching on the groundā€¦
Circling herā€¦
We have so many shared interests, Ben and I.
The same interest in huntingā€¦
Well, a particular type of hunting.
We like to let our animals go firstā€¦
Itā€™s more fun that way.
But of course, hunting animals got too boringā€¦
Kate prowls closer, checking behind every tree.
So, we found new preyā€¦
Prey that is much moreā€¦
Unpredictable.
Kateā€™s footsteps start to fade.
And then thereā€™s silence.
Janet is unable to move.
After a few moments, she takes a breathā€¦
Chancing a glance from behind the bush.
Kate is nowhere to be seen.
Janet waits for what seems like hours.
Then she begins to crawl from behind the bush.
She stands, her ankle and legs aching, as she moves back toward the house.
She has to find Tyler.
There you are!
Janet spins around, her heart stoppingā€”
As she sees Kate making her way down the dockā€¦
And toward her.
I was silly enough to think you might have jumped in the lake!
See, unpredictable.
Janet spins around, sprinting back toward the woods.
Kateā€™s laugh follows close behind herā€¦
Echoing off the trees.
Youā€™re faster than I thought you would be!
How fun!
Janet feels a sharp movement fly past her earā€”
An arrowā€”
Which lands with a thud in the tree in front of her.
Oopsies! Looks like I missed!
Janet swerves to the rightā€”
Ducking beneath a tree branch as she continues to sprint.
Kate laughs again, a girlish giggle that sounds closer than before.
Suddenly Janet clears the trees.
Sheā€™s running down the road that leads to the house.
Janet dares a look over her shoulder, but sees nothing.
No use in running anymore.
I got you.
A stabbing pain shoots through Janetā€™s calfā€”
And she falls to the ground, sobbingā€¦
Staring at the arrow protruding from her leg.
She hears a crunch behind herā€¦
And slowly turns around.
Kate stands in the middle of the roadā€¦
Another arrow pointed directly between Janetā€™s eyes.
Looks like you werenā€™t a hard catch after all.
Oh well.
Kate draws her arm back, tightening the bow.
Janet closes her eyes and takes a breathā€¦
Picturing Tylerā€¦
And wishing sheā€™d never insisted on this lake house trip.
A dull light begins to fill her vision as she clenches her eyes shutā€¦
Waiting for the moment the arrow is let loose.
But then the light gets brighter.
What theā€”
Thereā€™s an explosive, sharp thudā€”
And Janet opens her eyes.
Car headlights soak Janet in a bright yellow.
Kate lies motionless atop the windshield.
Tyler stumbles out of the carā€”
A large gash across his armā€¦
His nose splattered with blood.
He runs to Janetā€™s side, grabbing her into his arms.
Butā€”
Whereā€™s Ben?
I dunno, dead maybe.
He had his knife against my throatā€”
But I grabbed a shard of glass from the broken windowā€¦
And stabbed him.
Then I ran to find you.
Thank God I could hear Kate from the road.
Just then, Kate lets out a groan.
What do we do?
We tie them up and call the police.
Janet nods as Tyler makes his way back to his carā€¦
He grabs some cables from the trunkā€¦
And starts wrapping them around Kateā€™s wrists and feet.
Kate wanes in and out of consciousnessā€¦
Her mouth moving to form one word.
Unpredictable.
2 days later
Janet runs her fingers through Tylerā€™s hair, her computer on his lap.
The online article reads, ā€œKiller couple captured, dozens of missing cases solved.ā€
Janet stares at Kate and Benā€™s mugshotsā€¦
Bruises and cuts etched on their faces.
You know, itā€™s funnyā€¦
What is?
I actually told Kate I was worriedā€¦
That you were getting bored with me.
Tyler snorts, shutting the laptopā€¦
And turning toward Janet.
Babe, even if you didnā€™t take me to that lakeā€¦
And if we werenā€™t almost murdered by 2 maniacsā€¦
I could STILL never be bored with you.
Janet smiles as Tyler kisses her lips.
Iā€™m dating the most interesting person I know.
And I wouldnā€™t have it any other way.
App