Lara Jade's Point of View:

Saturday started early for the Knighton family, as Dad has woken me at dawn to prepare for our last minute getaway from reality. I dressed in my hiking garb and packed for the both of us while Dad got the tent together and other essentials. Food was the last thing packed, the oversized cooler placed into the bed of the pickup before we hit the road. The time was seven o'clock in the morning.

Hammocks Beach was a little over an hour - and several gallons of gas - away from our home, but it was well worth the money and time. At least that's what I thought.

I snuck a peak at Daddy, trying to gage his thoughts on the matter, but his face remained solemn. Maybe he was regretting asking me this. Mom's memory permeated this beach as well as home, after all it was she that started these camping trips…

As an awkward silence descended upon us, I turned to the passenger side window and let my thoughts wander, my vivid imagination swallowing me whole.

Before long, I was a child wrapped in my mom's arms again. She was fingering through my hair as she told me a story.

"Long ago, there was a man who was deeply in love with a young woman. So in love, in fact, that this man asked her to be with him forever."

"Did she say yes and have a big wedding?" young me asked as I played with her wedding ring.

Mom beamed down at me, her eyes filling with laughter. "Actually, she said no at first, because she wasn't sure if he was her prince charming. One day, the young man decided to prove to her that he was the one, so he took her to a beautiful sandy beach on a magical island. She spent the night with him under the starry sky, and as she listen to the sound of the ocean waves, she realized something."

"What, what?" I asked, hopping up and down in her lap.

"She loved him too. She loved him so much that she never ever wanted to part with him. She said yes to the wedding, but it wasn't at all extravagant like she dreamed it would always be because she found her prince, and he was all she ever needed."

A loud snap sounded followed by an irritated huff of jumbled words. My eyes found Dad, who was currently grappling with our new tent. The tent was winning.

"Oh dear, looks like I have to go save your daddy. Again." Mom removed me from her lap and got up. "Stay put and don't go off into the water, okay honey? You know how much I worry about those undercurrents."

It wasn't until she was several feet away that I became brave enough to speak.

"Mommy?" I waited until she turned back to me before continuing, "That story is about you and daddy, isn't it?"

A look of shock registered across her face before pride and happiness took its place. "Why, yes, my sweet one. How did you know that?"

"Because there was no tent in the story, and that's because daddy could never put one together."

Her laughter rang clear and strong throughout my mind, even after all this time.

A ghost of a smile crossed my face but vanished when I realized that those happy days with mom were over. All I had left of her now were memories, and memories were just not enough.

For the first time in my life, I began to question God's plan and the reason He would take my mother from me so soon.

I silently reprimanded myself and asked for forgiveness. I had no right to question Him. If it was Mom's time, who was I to say otherwise? I mean, sure it would have been great having mom watch me graduate or open my own clinic or even… get married…

'Okay, okay, get your mind off the subject before you start bawling in front of Dad… The last thing either of us need right now is a reason to cry,' I thought as I sucked in a deep breath to calm myself.

A great distraction revealed itself just in time. When I looked into the side view mirror, I noticed a black Porsche gleaming in the sunlight behind us. I straightened up, thinking back to the beast in the driveway next door, contemplating Alexander's odd behavior yesterday.

He spoke to me like he would a terrified or sick child, which was a little demeaning. His gaze was compelling, almost like I had no power in myself to look away, and his skin was freezing. And how the heck did he know I had Mrs. Randolph for my last class when it was his first day? Well, okay that last one didn't really matter to me, but still. The weirdest part was the kind of vibes I got from just being near Alexander. I couldn't be completely sure, but there was something about Alexander that just screamed "stay away from him."

The whole situation from yesterday just didn't make sense.

When the convertible raced around the rusted-bucket-of-bolts we call a vehicle, I took notice of the driver and passenger, both of whom resembled nothing like the aloof Mr. Fortesque. This made me slump a little and I couldn't understand why.

Lara Jade's Point of View:

One Hour Later:

"Dad, are you sure you don't need help with that?" I asked after the tent pole twisted apart for the third time.

"No, no. I'm good," he replied, even though he was far from good. The vein in his forehead was starting to show and his face really could not get a deeper shade of red. "Just get the rest of our stuff over to the site, okay?"

"Alright." Knowing not to press further, I surrendered and went to get the overnight bags that were waiting near the ferry dock.

I didn't notice the sunhat floating in the water until after I grabbed the luggage. Odd. The young woman that was wearing the hat before was no where to be seen and I never heard any I-lost-my-hat shouts. Still…

The ocean was cold as it lapped around my ankles and then my knees as I went to retrieve the hat. I was about waist deep in water when I could finally reach the thing and was about to turn back when something suddenly wrapped around my ankle and pulled me under.

A pathetic squeak was the last thing to escape my lips before I was completely submerged.