Gliding through the Great Lakes’ waters since time immemorial, Bessie the Lake Monster has captivated imaginations since before Cleveland was a city. Stories passed down generations tell us about a time when it was common to spot the sloping back of the gargantuan breaking the surface of Lake Erie on cool, clear mornings. Since the sick spread of industrial pollution caused fires to spring up along her breeding grounds of the Cuyahoga River, however, Bessie has become a much rarer sight. Clevelanders and cryptozoologists alike have even been concerned that Bessie has migrated to less contaminated waters. Yet, recently – hope! In the last few months, a handful of civilian reports have come in detailing strange encounters with… something… along the lake. Plastic bottles with bite marks… a flash of polymer scales… floating packaging that appears to move on its own, revealing that it’s part of something much larger and more elusive. Is Bessie the beloved monster being transformed by her new food supply — or is plastic the real monster here?