The Spook

George dropped the dress sending her into the water face first. She dropped the lantern trying to catch herself, but she hung onto the dress. She felt her hands go through the mud and strike the hard dirt below. Her nose and mouth filled with the soft mud. She came up spitting mud and water.

She started to wipe her face with the dress but changed her mind. The stench coming from it overpowered her nose. She remained sitting in the water searching for the lantern. It was dark. The water was almost up to her shoulders. She thought about ducking her head under the water to search for it, but she could not bring herself to do it.