Prologue

The day was cloudless, a pleasant breeze passing through, and a gorgeous sun leaving the air a nice warm without the mugginess common of summer. There were only two things you could do on a day like this: stay inside all day in a dark room playing video games or go outside and enjoy the sun. Since they lived so close to the beach side, it was the latter, not that Adam appreciated. Dawn had convinced him to go the day before, but it ended strangely. He wanted to consider it a bad dream but going back today seemed to make the dream that more true.

He sat on the bus next to her, trying to work up the courage to talk about yesterday's strange meeting. Instead, he got lost looking at her, smiling lightly. Her hair was dyed purple and pink, straight down the middle. Her short-sleeved blue top fitted around her chest perfectly conforming to her body shape. Her small red gloves matched her red belt and shoes. Adam kicked his shoes against the seat, thinking about how closely their shoes matched. Before he could bring the idea up, the bus came to a stop.

"C'mon, Adam, this is it!" she cheered, grabbing him by the arm.

"Calm down, Dawn. I'm coming!" he chuckled, being dragged behind.

The beach was fairly empty, which was odd considering the weather. The water was a lovely shade of blue, foaming as it brushed up against the sand, dragging a few grains back into the ocean. Dawn was quick to run down the stone steps, dashing through the sand. Her footsteps left imprints, which Adam followed carefully. She flopped down near the shore, knees pulled in and toes barely touching the tide. Adam sat next to her.

"Don't lose your shoes this time," he commented.

"I won't," she nodded.

"You said that last time."

She giggled, and he blushed. Her hair got caught in the wind, swaying and fluttering across her face. She brushed it aside, looking into his eyes. His blush grew brighter, forcing him to look away. He couldn't quite handle her sometimes

"Let's go for a swim!" she shouted, jumping to her feet.

"What!" he gasped.

She rolled up her pants.

"C'mon, Adam, you were all for this yesterday. It'll be fun, and the water's probably cooler than the beach."

"I just…I was thinking maybe we could go get lunch and bring it back like a little picnic," he mumbled, standing up.

"Fine. Don't swim. At least get your feet wet," she hummed, stepping into the water.

Adam's stomach took a leap. He gulped, taking a small step into the water.

"I heard there were sharks," he offered, trying to think of something scarier than squids.

"We were here yesterday! Where did these sharks come from and so recent too?" she giggled, moving deeper into the water. "What are you so afraid of?"

Adam rolled his eyes, stepping into the water gently. It was just a bad dream. It meant nothing. Dawn laughed, watching Adam slowly wade into the water. She leaned back, beginning to float a little.

"See, it won't bite."

"Right," Adam stuttered.

Dawn smiled, standing up again. Adam watched her face change from a smile to a small open mouth. Her eyes widened as she looked down into the water.

"What…what is it!?" Adam gasped.

"Something's got my leg. I can't move it!" she called after.

Without warning, she was dragged into the water. Adam let out a yelp, diving into the water. Everything seemed to blur after that. Something grabbed onto his arms, dragging him downward. He could hardly see her apart from her bright hair and even that seemed to fade into the water's depths. Adam let out a gurgled cry as he stomped down of the creature's face. The grip was released, and he rushed up.

Air was a gift as he reached the surface. The sky seemed to have darkened. It almost looked like rain. Adam paddled toward the shore, feeling his arm and leg burn. Upon arriving at the shore, he saw the marks left from the tight grip that had once held him. He panted. He couldn't get enough air.

"Dawn…" he whispered, looking up.

The water was calm, peaceful. Not a single bubble reached the surface. The sound of crashing waves fell under the sudden roar of thunder. A single drop fell from the sky. Adam got to his feet, feeling the sting of the marks on his leg. It was nothing compared to the panic currently surging though him. He cupped his hands around his mouth.

"Dawn!" he called, listening to it echo across the landscape.

There was no answer. It began to downpour. He was soaking and cold, limbs burning. He stood there for hours, continuing to call out. No one answered. No one ever did.