The Body in the Lake
They found a body in my lake. Actually, worse: they've found pieces of a body in my lake. It started with someone coming across a floating arm while out on their boat. It's been a very hush-hush investigation so far, but I think they've found an arm, a knee, a torso, and a head. They're circulating pictures of tattoos to see if anyone can identify them. And the DNR is going around on their boat, looking along the shore the rest of the remains.
I was angry, at first, that the investigation wasn't more transparent. They haven't made any public announcement of body parts, just that they're investigating a death. People who have seen the parts are sharing pictures with their friends though. And locals are whispering, so the rumor mill is in full force. I wish there was a source of more concrete information I could turn to. But I suppose they don't want a bunch of folks out on the water looking for things and then tampering with evidence either intentionally or unintentionally. A community effort would probably be more efficient than sending two guys out on one boat to do rounds around the lake a few times a day. But it might also be messier, and expose more folks than necessary to the gruesome sight.
The responses in group chats, comment sections, and conversations at work have been uncomfortable. So many people are making jokes and it feels jarring. Everyone copes differently, I know. But I'm truly shaken, and the laughter and fun-poking is hard for me to swallow.
Living on the lake is an incredible experience. It's nothing fancy. It's a murky lake in the rural Midwest. I don't often fit in with the crowd around me. But the wildlife is awe-inspiring. I look out at the water and I find peace. The ecology amazes me. The sounds soothe me. The birds bring me joy. But lately when I look out at the water, it's different. Instead of wondering what kind of fish are just out of sight, I'm wondering about what kind of person is out there. It's just the one, right? Who were they? What bits and pieces won't be found for a long time? And what of their energy?
My daughter will want to swim in this lake. It's hard to imagine not letting her. But will she come across a floating bone someday? The remains they've found so far have been close by. Everything I see floating in the water causes a sense of dread. It's almost always a stick. But there's no sense of security in that until I can see more closely.
All of that comes before I think of the person who dumped them here. Was it a neighbor? Do they live nearby? Was this person's death one of malice? Hard to imagine otherwise if the killer opted to cut them up and toss them into the lake. What happened? Will it happen again? Are we safe? I'm not panicking, but I am deeply unsettled.