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Sam, Dean, and John Harrison, stood by the Impala outside a noisy diner in some random city. They were kicking around what to do next. Sam was glued to a newspaper, hooked on something he'd spotted."Hey, check this out," Sam said, waving the paper. "Something's off at Lake Manitoc—people are drowning like crazy."Dean glanced over, half-curious. "Lake Manitoc? Since when are we regular detectives?"Sam stayed serious. "It's not just drownings, Dean. Three people this year, all the same weird way, and no bodies ever turn up."Dean leaned on the car, shrugging. "Maybe a bear's out there chowing down. Three a year doesn't scream 'hunt' to me."John cut in, steady as always. "A bear would leave something—tracks, blood. There's none of that here."Dean chuckled, eyes sparking. "Alright, you got me. Now I'm interested. Still betting on a loose animal, though."Sam folded his arms, not budging. "Let's go check it out. If it's something spooky, we'll fix it. If it's just a critter, we'll know we didn't miss anything."John nodded. "Sounds good. We'll sort it out either way."Dean slapped a hand on his chest, faking a gasp. "John, I thought you were my pal!" He grinned. "Fine, let's roll. I'll be the one saying 'told you so' when it's done."Decision made, they hit the road for Lake Manitoc. The town sat quiet and pretty by the water, but a creepy weight hung around—like the lake had secrets dying to spill.They pulled up to the sheriff's office, acting slick as fake wildlife officers. Sheriff Jake Devins met them with a tired smile. You could see the guy was worn out—these drownings had hit him hard."Glad you're here," he said, voice rough but grateful. "We're out of ideas."Sam stepped up, all business. "Sheriff, we're here about Sophie Carlton's drowning. Third one this year with no body, right?"The sheriff nodded, staring at the floor. "Yeah. We've scanned the lake with sonar every time—nothing. It's like the water swallows them whole."Dean propped himself against a table, scanning the room. "Anyone see anything weird out there? Strange lights, funny noises?"Sheriff Devins sighed. "Folks spin all kinds of tales—ghost stories, old rumors. Nothing we can pin down."Right then, Andrea Barr walked in with her kid, Lucas. She was the sheriff's daughter, and worry was etched deep in her face. Lucas stuck close, quiet, watching everything with sharp little looks.The sheriff turned to her, soft but beat. "Andrea, these guys are wildlife officers. They're checking out the drownings."Her eyes brightened, just a bit. "Thanks for coming. I can't take losing anyone else."John clocked the family vibe, steady as ever. "We get how tough this is. We're here to stop the hurt this town's been carrying."Sam and Dean kept chatting with the sheriff, digging into the lake's history. They found out people had been vanishing there for 35 years—including Lucas' dad, who drowned earlier this year. That's too much bad luck for one place.After leaving the sheriff, they tore through the town—library, old records, talking to locals. Piece by piece, they spotted a creepy thread tying all these drownings together.Later, they swung back by the sheriff's office. Lucas sat there, scribbling on some paper. Dean knelt down to his level. "Hey, kid. Notice anything odd by the lake?"Lucas didn't say a word, just kept drawing. Andrea rested a hand on his shoulder, gentle. "He's always been quiet, but he's pulled back more since his dad died. It's been rough."Sam met Lucas' eyes, soft but real. "We're sorry he's gone. Sometimes words just don't cut it."Lucas looked up for a split second—pain and wonder flickering there—but stayed silent. He had something on his mind, though.They wrapped up, but Lake Manitoc's shadow stuck with them. Sam remembered fishing with Dean as kids—how the water went dead still before a storm rolled in. No birds, no ripples, just quiet. That's what this felt like—something brewing under the surface, ready to break. All these missing people, drownings with no trace—it was a mess they couldn't walk away from.
Author's Note:
Thanks for digging into Chapter 7 of Supernatural Chronicles: The Arc of Destiny. Our crew hits Lake Manitoc, posing as wildlife officers to figure out these freaky drownings. They meet Sheriff Devins, hear about sonar sweeps that found nothing, and uncover the town's long streak of vanishings. Andrea and Lucas make it real—this isn't just a job, it's personal. Stick around for the next chapter, where they'll dive deeper into whatever's haunting that lake.