Each time McKenna Dunn made the trip to Mosquito Lake, it was after sunset when the moon was full, the stars bright in the sky. She liked the night because it made her feel closer to Dane. The first time she met Dane was at night. When he held her and told her he loved her, it was at night. It was at night when she gave herself to him. It was at night when he drowned.

To reach the lake, she took the back roads, the ones with potholes full of mud, grass, and gravel. In the winter, the lake's front entrance was always chained off after dark. The back roads were not, and the locals knew their way around them. It was one of these roads she always took to get to the lake.

The evening had grown cool as she stepped from her car, and she shivered, not knowing if the fog bothered her or the chill in the air. Or perhaps it was the darkness that surrounded her.

Or maybe it was the thought of what she was about to do.

The lake was quiet, a dense mist slowly ebbing across the water. She was sure the water was frigid, and no one would be coming to swim. Winter was just around the corner. The leaves had already turned their brilliant shades of red, gold, and brown and were slowly dying and falling to the ground. The snow would come next. The lake would freeze over. The earth would become hard with ice and snow.

McKenna closed the car door quietly. She didn't know why. There was no one around to hear it, but the thought of any loud noise in the stillness of the night made her jumpy.

Of all the times she returned to the lake, this time was extra special. Today was McKenna’s birthday. And not just any birthday. Today she turned twenty-one. Her expectations were high. She stood still, thinking she might catch the sound of Dane's voice on the wind.

She missed him. She needed to feel his presence, needed to be where all the memories of him were. At times, McKenna felt like she was dying inside and sometimes wished she would.

"Dane," she whispered. "Where are you, Dane?”

There were times when the memories came, and they were too vibrant. Too full of sounds and colors. McKenna lifted a hand to her head to stop them. For a moment, she grew dizzy and leaned against the car for support.

Her legs weakened, and her feet slid slowly out from under her. She dropped to the ground, not caring if her jeans got muddy or stained. She was here to do something she never thought she would do again. She never thought she could find the courage.

But her need for Dane was too strong, and finally, McKenna stood, brushed off her jeans, and walked toward the water.

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