Prologue

October 25

It was the day of my fifteenth birthday when my life changed forever. Of course, I was unaware of this at the time. I had been so excited to turn fifteen, waiting all month for my birthday to arrive.

To celebrate, my friends and I went to see the new movie Zombies. My mother, the single most important person in my life, went along with us and later took us out for icecream.

I remember eating the icecream sundae. It was towered high and drizzled with a variety of tasty sauces and sprinkles. Somehow, I ate the entire thing.

I remember sitting at the table, watching my mother and friends laughed. I remember my mother pulled out a napkin from her purse and wiped my cheek, just like she had done when I was little.

My mother was my only family. My father had left my mother when I was only five, leaving me with almost no memories of him whatsoever. The few that I had were not pleasant, and I often kept them hidden. Life had been tough for me and my mother back then, but we had come back strong.

My mother had taken a successful job when I was seven running the recycling facility in our small town. She often worked for many hours, though she had put her manager in charge just to celebrate my birthday.

As I said good-bye to my friends that chilly October night, one of them whispered to me about a night swim at the cove. As much as I wanted to go, I knew Mother would never let me. The tides were high and choppy this time of year.

As I glanced at my mother who wrapped a brown coat around her arms, I whispered to my friend, Jessica, that I would make an effort to arrive.

Because the town was small, it was only a mile walk back to our house. We had a car, though Mother only used it for long trips. The recycling center was only two miles away, and she would often ride her back to work.

As I walked inside our house, I glanced around. Our house wasn't large, of course. There was a kitchen, two rooms separated by a wall, and a small living room. Still, it was the house I had grown up in, the house I had made memories in, and I loved it.

As I retreated into my room, I threw my swimsuit on and placed my pajamas on top, crawling into bed while Mother entered. She told me goodnight, kissed my forehead, and closed the door, leaving me in the darkness of my room.

Grinning to myself, I realized now was my chance to leave. I quickly crawled out of bed and threw my pajamas off, careful not to make too much noise. I could hear the faint sound of the T.V., knowing Mother would not be able to hear me open my window.

With force, I slid the window to the side and slowly climbed out, shutting it behind me. In one hand, I held a white towel, and in the other, a flashlight that led the way.

The woods sat behind my house, though I knew a quick way through the woods to the cove without walking along the road.

As I walked, my skin shivered, and I clutched my arms close, knowing a towel would've been a smart option. As I glanced around, I tried not to be frightened by the bare trees that swayed in the wind. The woods at night had always terrified me. In fact, I had never really liked them to begin with.

I knew fun would await me at the cove, so I kept going. As I drew nearer, I could hear music and laughter in the distance, and I began to run, glad I was almost there.

As I ran onto the beach, people turned to me, shouting, "SURPRISE!"

I gasped and dropped my flashlight, gazing at the colorful banners and streamers that were celebrating my birthday. I had never had a surprise party before, and my smile was so wide, I was sure it would stick in place.

I thanked everyone, grabbing a slice of cake and chatting with my friends. I knew I couldn't stay long though. Two hours was the most.

For about an hour, I danced with my friends, flirted with a few boys, and threw pretzels into my mouth, laughing and shouting.

"Cece, are you going to swim with us?" my friend, Alyssa, yelled from the water. I nodded and dropped my towel and flashlight into the sand, knowing they'd be there for me when I went home.

Cecelia was my real name, though everyone called me Cece. Rarely people would use my formal name, unless it was a school teacher or an older relative.

I decided that after I swam, I would go home. Slowly, I inched my way into the cold water, shivering. My friends had already gotten used it though, and I knew it couldn't be too cold.

Once I had become accustomed to the coldness, I spent ten minutes chatting and laughing with my friends. It had to be the greatest birthday ever.

I spoke too soon as someone called, "TIDAL WAVE!"

Immediately, I froze, regretting my idiotic choice. This is what Mother warned me about, and I was too stubborn to listen. I knew she'd never let me go to the cove during this season, especially at night!

I gasped as waves came towards us, screaming sounding the cove. My friends began swimming away to shore, and I followed closely behind, my feet kicking faster than they ever had before, my arms hitting the water rapidly.

Suddenly, I was sucked underneath the dark water, the wave hitting me with a large force. It felt like every bone in my body was broken as I tried to go back up to the surface. The wave kept me down and would keep my underwater. I gasped, breathing in salty air. The water was in my lungs now, cutting my time short. I tried to make my way back up, slowly losing consciousness.

My strength was nearly gone, and with one last triumph, I made my way up. I came up and gasped, coughing, only to be pulled under once more. I thought I heard my mother call my name. Afterwards, I floated in a pool of darkness.