1

The summer heat reflected against the water in Brent Woodrow's swimming pool. He stood transfixed over the edge, just staring at the image of himself against the backdrop of trees, amazed at how everything could align the way it did. He dipped his toes in, relishing the sensation of the cool water against his skin, taking a moment before fully immersing himself in. He let go of the edge, and slowly found himself sinking deeper and deeper into the water, his vision fading and becoming distorted. His whole body felt heavy and weightless at the same time, and it took him a while before he realized that he could not breathe. Water filled up his lungs, at first slowly, then faster and faster, until no more could sink it. Brent franticly gripped at the tiled wall, trying desperately to go up. With a kick of his legs he burst through the water, and clung to the edge, not getting out for a very long time. He heard laughter as he surfaced. The unmistakable laughter of Morgan Burke, who was lounging in one of his pool chairs. Smoke curled around her lips as she franticly tried to relight a joint, while still suppressing her laughter.

"Holy shit Morgan I almost drowned" Brent stated in a daze as he dried off and fell into a nearby chaise.

"Oh Brentley, you really shouldn't go in the water when you're baked" Morgan replied as she closed her eyes, letting the sun soak into her skin.

Brent would never let anyone else call him by his birth name, yet Morgan was the only one who could get away with it, after all, they had known each other since practically the crib. He examined her tiny fragile body in a stupor, her uncombed chocolate brown hair falling loosely around her prominent collarbone. She was beautiful, so frail and exposed. He caught a quick glimpse of her forearm, with little red ridges along the creamy flesh. There where new scars as well as old. He wouldn't say anything though, never did, yet he has always wanted to ask her why they where there, so evident yet so hidden. Funny how you think you know someone, when really you have absolutely no idea.

She opened her eyes slowly, trying to decipher the multiple thoughts rushing through her head, until one came to mind.

"What are we doing tonight?"

"I have to call Blake, apparently he knows about some party we can hang out at tonight, but you know Blake, he hangs out with skegs"

"I do not want to go to another one of Blake's friends parties, they always get busted by the cops, and that whole dirty druggie crowed is so tired anyways."

"Whatever, it will give us something to do tonight, well just use it to get trashed, then leave"

"True, why are we even friends with Blake anyways?"

"Because he deals the best weed that's why, and if we weren't close with him, we would pay much more then we do now"

Morgan shivered and wrapped a towel around her tiny body. She always felt cold these days. Completely cold and empty, she felt like a corpse even on the hottest summer days. Yet for some reason she loved the feeling of being half-dead. The pain, the fatigue, the frailty was just so appealing to her masochistic streak. Being half-dead was all she lived for now. The boredom of summer days could do that to you. Three o'clock in the afternoon, and she was already burnt out.

"Hey I think I'm going to head home now, I need to recharge before tonight, get dressed and shit" Morgan replied as she started pulling on her sweats and tank top.

"Yeah ok ill call you tonight then" replied Brent as she headed for the door.

The sun beat down on the quiet suburban streets, and the light seemed to exaggerate almost every unnoticed feature on Morgan's walk home. She turned the corner, passing Pederson Park, stopping briefly to look at the old jungle gym. The warm sun made the area look so inviting, warm, just like when she was four years old again. Quick flashbacks of her life long ago stung her mind.

"No" she whispered under her breath, and mentally pulled herself out of her daze. She made it home and collapsed into a deep slumber, hoping to never have to wake up.

She was stood naked nestled amongst thousands of kids. All of them where familiar faces yet most of them she could not place. The all danced in a throb of music, yet she still stood naked, her screams drowned out by the trance music. She was being pushed every which way, yet she could not move on her own free will. There where no windows, no doors, no way out. No matter how hard she tried to look for escape, it wasn't there. No windows, no doors.

Her eyes shot open several hours as her cell phone rang violently. "Hello" she muttered while slipping back into her comforter.

"So I was talking to Blake and he says that the party is starting soon, so you should start getting ready now, come to my house first though, we'll chill then walk I guess"

"Ok"

"Bye"

Morgan desperately clutched the headboard as she rose, feeling tired and faint. She managed to pull on a pair of slouchy stovepipe jeans with a baggy black Andy wharhol-esque shirt. She tiredly mussed up her brown waves with her hands, and re-applied her eyeliner. Just like that, Morgan was ready to party. She slipped her cell phone and some money into her purse, put on her favorite pair of stiletto black pumps and made her way downstairs. Her parents where home from work already.

"Hey, um I going to go out tonight, bye" Morgan mentioned as she started heading for the door

"Wait a minute Morgan, where are you going? And what time will you be home? Not 3 am again I hope"

"Christ mom will you relax? I'm only going to hang out with Brent and some of my other friends, I don't know when I'll be home but I've got my cell, I wont be out too late tonight though"

"If you come home past midnight tonight you are grounded for the rest of the week young lady, you're only 16 years old Morgan" but her ramblings where ignored as Morgan had already made her way out the door.