Chapter Fifteen: Stephanie Won’t Let Go of Brock

Grayson -

Under the canopy of twilight, I clasped Janice's hand, her fingers entwining with mine as they had in the sun-dappled days of our youth. With hearts pounding and the crispness of adventure in the air, we sprinted toward the serene expanse of the lake that lay cradled in the North Shore's embrace. The water beckoned to us like an old friend, its surface sparkled with the last golden rays of a setting sun. For us, who grew up as close as siblings, the lake was our refuge, a place where the symphony of splashes and joyful shrieks became the melody of our existence.

As we shed the constraints of our clothing down to the barest of essentials, our laughter echoed with an unrestrained glee reminiscent of a time when life was simpler. The old tire swing, which hung from the wise old oak by the bank, was our chariot. Amid the sounds of creaking rope and our own anticipatory screams, we swung out over the heart of the lake, our bodies slicing through the humid air. With a collective