The Reservoir by Rosemarie Naramore Page A

breath.
    Zack burst out laughing, and Holly gave Daniel a puzzled glance.  Did Daniel like Kendall?
     Kendall’s eyes shot to Daniel’s face, as the implication of his words registered with her.  She seemed as surprised as anyone by his declaration.  When she took the seat beside him, she suddenly realized what she had done, and leapt from the chair as if her butt had been scorched. 
    “Hey!” Daniel cried.  “I don’t have cooties.”
    Kendall simply stood silently by, her eyes widened in stunned surprise.  After a moment, in which she said nothing, she took the seat beside him—leaving the others in stunned surprise.  Finally, she turned to Daniel and spoke, “I’m glad you’re not crazy.”
    “Yeah, I know,” he said.
    “Enough sweet talk,” Niqui said drolly.  “Breakfast is served.” She turned, crossed the room, and carefully forked bacon onto everyone’s plates, and then retrieved the scrambled eggs.  She spooned a heaping mound onto each plate, and then hurried to the fridge to pull out orange juice.  “Kendall, would you mind getting the toast?” she asked.
    Kendall nodded and left her seat at the table.  She pulled the two slices of toasted bread from the toaster and put another couple into the antiquated appliance.  After toasting six slices, she returned to the table.  She passed the first slice to Daniel.
    “Thanks, babe,” he said, smiling cheekily at her.
    She glared at him, prompting him to rearrange the expression on his face.  The smile that followed was genuine and contrite, and Holly was certain she saw some communication pass between them.  Daniel straightened in his chair and then asked Kendall if she needed anything.
    Holly smiled at Zack, who smiled at her, and then smiled at Niqui, who smiled at Holly.  As if on the cue, they turned toward Daniel and Kendall and said, “Ahhhh, sweeeeet!”
    Kendall promptly staved off the sentiment by raising a fist and holding it threateningly for all to see.  “Shut up.”
    Breakfast time conversation ensued, and everybody refrained from mentioning the events of the day before.  It was as if all was right with the world and the reservoir. 
    Holly glanced around the table at her friends.  It was odd, everybody talking as if everything really was okay.  She experienced the same feeling now that she often felt after having woken up from a terrifying nightmare.  She’d lay in bed, frightened to move, the blankets pulled up to her chin—convinced nothing would ever feel the same again.  Yet, morning always came.  The sun shone again.  A new day beckoned and the night before was forgotten.
    It was morning now.  Today was a new day.  A new day in which the group would have to decide what they were going to do about the ghost.
    On one hand, Holly was grappling with whether or not to suggest they simply cut their trip short.  They could leave and pretend nothing had happened.  Maybe it hadn’t happened.  Maybe it had been a bad dream. 
    But when she looked around the table at her friends, nothing had ever felt more real than this very moment—this moment of camaraderie when they had come through the other side of a terrifying experience and could still smile and laugh together.  No.  They had a job to do.  She didn’t have a clue what that job was—but, for whatever reason, the ghost had chosen to reveal herself to them.  She had sought them out, and some inner voice told her, the ghost needed their help.  Deserved their help.
    Suddenly, Zack nudged her with his elbow, drawing her out of her reverie.  “Are you okay?” he asked softly.
    She gave him a tremulous smile.  “Just thinking…”  She didn’t have to tell him about what, since he nodded in understanding.  He glanced up and at the others.
    “Guys, we have to talk,” he said.
     
    ***
     
    “Okay, if you guys are right, and this girl was murdered and her body dumped in the reservoir, then her unfinished business is obvious,” Kendall stated