Chapter 1

Keira 1

Carter was silent. The air oppressed: pregnant with humidity and silence. The small town was tucked away under the shelter of The Bucket, a forested lump of a hill that guarded Carter from much of the northerly chill at winter.

Keira bundled her knees closer to her chest. The lakefront was serene. Stars twinkled overhead; the waxing moon shone down on the white sand beach. The water was placid inky blackness. No reflections showed on the surface. The sounds were gone. Carter's traffic and people had slowed to a near halt this close to midnight. That was immaterial; at rush hour the tumult couldn't be heard this far up the hill. The other noises were gone. Animals stayed away and no birds sang in the encompassing trees. The peace was killing Keira.

The young woman made her way here nearly twice a week now. The lake felt like her home. Hers, not some apartment too cramped for four. Her closet of a room closed in on her. She fled here. The water pooled stagnantly around her ankles. She rested her forehead atop her knees. Her straight brown hair hung limply in the tepid summer air. The curtain of hair covered her face. Had anyone approached her they would not have seen the frustration in her grimace nor the loneliness in her eyes.

I do not have to be alone forever.

The thought merged seamlessly with her morbid whisperings. Her chest tightened and Keira sighed. She never had been one for friends. She attracted bullies like flies. She was small, an easy target. She looked younger than her age, petite and girlish. The boys ignored her, or tugged on her emotions until by guilt or by daze she found herself used and unwanted. The girls were worse. She feared tomorrow. Her heart thrummed and she prayed it wasn't false hope. She felt her spirit struggling to climb out from under years of bullshit. There were ever new faces but there was always the same sneers, the same barbs and the same cliques. Tomorrow had to be different. Tomorrow had to be better. Tomorrow had to bring her a friend.

I could bring her here.

She let a soft smile form on the thought. The lake was beautiful and she could easily believe it was hers. There were others with claims. A handful of scientists at the aquarium and their families could come here, but most of them didn't. This was Keira's spot. It was beautiful. It was perfect. She could make a friend here. She was starting to lose the fear. She started to taste the sweet scent on the air. Hope was alien to her, but at that moment she was dreamily immersed in it.

Emily 1

The summer had come but the Atlantic Ocean ignored it. Emily sat on the tailgate of her stepfather's pickup truck. She rubbed her hands up and down the sleeves of her fleece sweater. Its hood fell forward over her face. This was the tail end of her eleven hour journey. Trading the driver seat back and forth between her mother and herself had left her feeling cramped and tired. The opportunity to stretch out on the barge ferry had been taken with relish, but now she only felt the cold wind whipping across the chopping seas.

Emily huddled into her corner as she watched her obese rabbit munch on his pellets. Merlin was taciturn. The lop had handled the exhausting road trip in his steel wire cage with a gruff face and periodic tranquilizers. Emily wanted to open his cage and just cuddle his warmth, but her mother would have a fit if the animal got loose on the ferry. Emily felt guilty that she had the opportunity to stretch out while the brown and white critter was stuck in a cage that needed its papers changed.

The 5 PM run of the Carter Island ferry was the emptiest of the day. Delivery trucks stopped arriving on the island by early afternoon. The outgoing trips would be packed, but, on this incoming run, only the blue Ford with its chipped paint was parked on the steel deck. Emily kicked out her legs, hearing a crack in the knee of her left. Settling her hands flat in the bed of the truck, she rolled her shoulders and cricked her neck; this time without any large satisfying crack. Sighing, she turned her head and looked upwards. Her mother was up in the bridge with the captain, eleven hours with a moody untalkative teenager had encouraged the need for a two-way conversation. Emily was happy to be left alone, on paper anyways.

She wondered about her father. She had crossed two states and a province to get to Carter. The divorce had been one of her earliest memories; Dad was the big man who showed up for a week at Christmas and called on her birthday. She was nervous, but it was better than staying home. Her mother couldn't understand Emily's decision and, by this point, Emily didn't want to be understood. She had been offered three weeks of relatively unsupervised freedom, but she had decided to leave home and stay with her father for two and a half months. Merlin nipped at the fingers that rested through the squares of his cage. Emily leaned in and made babyish sounds at what now felt like her best and only friend.

"We'll be docking in a minute or so," Emily stiffened at her mother's voice. She hadn't seen her leave the bridge, let alone climb down the shielded steps and walk over to the truck. "Your dad's going to meet us at the apartment."

"Sounds good," Emily's voice was a bit hoarse and she grumbled to clear her throat.

"The drugs have worn off? " her mother asked, looking at the bunny with mixed apathies.

"Yeah," Emily scratched an ear and received another nip.

"Might as well take him up into the cab then." She smiled, "I'll drive the last leg."

"Thanks mom," Emily picked up the cage, clutching the awkward rectangle to her chest as she stepped back and her mother closed the tailgate and canopy. The back bench was small and uncomfortable, but it fit the cage well. Seatbelts clicked and the car was turned on to get the heater running.

"You're going to behave this summer," her mother told Emily. "Your dad's going to need your help. This is as different for him as it is for you."

"Yes, mom," Emily's voice indicated that they had had this conversation before.

"If you get lonely, angry, or you miss your friends or anything, I'll be a phone call away. We can get you home anytime you want," her mother declared.

"Yes, mom."

"The Martians have decided the probings I've been receiving aren't quite invasive enough."

"Yes, mom."

"Goddammit Emily! What the hell is wrong!" Emily shot up in her seat as the explosion came out of the woman. Elsie Stanford was not one for acts of anger, but this had been coming for weeks now.

"I need my dad," Emily said in the same tone as "Yes, mom." But her heart was thundering, there was nothing left back home. Mom had her vacation with her stepfather. Her friends had proved to be anything but. Emily knew she was running away, but she didn't feel guilty about it; she was just relieved that she could run as easily as she had.

"Promise me you'll be OK," the mother begged the daughter. She was turned in the driver's seat and staring directly at Emily's ear. The blond teenager turned and showed a little smile in her eyes if not on her lips.

"I promise," Emily said in a more warm and sincere tone. Her mother locked eyes for the count of three before turning back and getting the truck ready to drive off of the docking ferry.

"Orson, you son of a bitch," Elsie whispered in what sounded like a reverent prayer, "You take care of our daughter."

Craig 1

Fucking irritating. It was summer. Chores were made to be pushed off on compulsive females not done by men who had the means to weasel out of them. There were novels to finish, movies to watch, games to play, and all kinds of other shit to do with the door closed and the curtains drawn. The bitch had better be hot. Craig let out a slow breath as he pulled on pants for the first time since yesterday's supper. He rushed a hand through his newly washed hair. Mother had been adamant about that. Now he was getting herded like a beast of burden. Today he was a pack mule.

Keira was antsy and energetic. She had changed tops four times in the last hour. The moment she had felt comfortable or confident started a countdown of seconds before she would up and rush back to her room to change. Craig drank a swig of juice from the carton.

"That's for everyone and for breakfast." His father swept the carton from his son's hand. "Your mother will have food ready when you're done."

Craig held back a few choice remarks knowing that if he wanted to play online later he would need to project a modicum of good behavior. His father's sigh and frustration almost broke his son's politic silence but the knock came at the door.

"I'll get it." Craig waved over his shoulder as he let his father return the orange juice to the fridge. Without checking the peephole, Craig opened the front door.

Doctor Orson Connors had been a partner of Doctor Warren Lever, Craig and Keira's father, for nearly twelve years. They had been friends for much longer. Orson was a tall man, with light brown hair that was flecked with grey. He wore a nervous smile under his trimmed beard and his bright blue eyes showed that he was excited and yet unhurried. He had broad shoulders and a square jaw. The Levers didn't share any size attributes with the Connors. "Morning Doctor Orson."

"It's nearly six in the evening, Craig," Orson shook his head, "Learn to be technically correct. Might save your ass from lawyers someday."

Keira barreled out to meet Orson. She was wearing yet another outfit. A baby blue t-shirt with navy blue sleeves. It showed off the little figure she had. Orson scooped her up in a bear hug.

"Practicing for Emily?" Warren showed up at the door with his kids.

"A little bit. Think I have to work on the squeeze. Left a little air in her lungs." Orson laughed with a rolling ease. Keira's smile shone brightly. "I just got a call from Elsie. The ferry's just come in."

"Do you need a hand moving her in?" Craig asked. He hid the fact that he had known he had been roped into this very chore days ago.

"That'd be appreciated Craig," Orson smiled and shook Craig's shoulder. "I called the super to set the elevator on service. Can you start by making sure he doesn't drag his feet?"

"Will do Doctor Orson," Craig headed out and Orson stepped aside to let him pass.

"Meet us down back when you get that straightened away." Craig's father told his son. The lack of reply was typical and no one was sent to confirm that Craig had heard.

Craig took the stairs down two floors to the laundry rooms and offices. The super was at his desk filling out a work order, appearing busy but not overworked. It took a simple reminder and less than five minutes to get one of the elevators set to service. Craig descended to the first sub-level, which was the ground floor at the rear of the building.

He was the first one to arrive. He wondered for a moment whether he should ride up and get his fellow pack animals, but he had been told to meet everyone down at this entrance. He was sitting on the loading ramp when the pickup truck pulled up.

He saw her face first and she flashed him a nervous smile. He gave her a gentle grin before receding to his standardized indifference. Craig had got his wish. The girl was pretty, if not a knockout. The truck pulled to a stop and the front passenger door opened. Emily Connors was tall and would easily clear six feet in any sort of heels. At the moment she was just under, wearing a pair of white tennis shoes. Her long legs were in jeans; slightly loose, but tight enough around the curve of her hips. Her green hoody was zipped to her throat. It seemed to hug tightly to her willowy trunk and petite breasts. The hood had been pulled down from her head; she brushed her shoulder length blonde hair over her left ear and said something to her mother. She had large green eyes, a liquid ghostly green. The kind of green that wouldn't look out of place dripping ichorously off of some Lovecraftian horror. She left the door open before turning towards Craig.

"Hello," she greeted Craig with no verbal trepidation.

"Hey," he responded, not yet getting up. Her mother had exited the other side. Emily seemed uncertain of him. She caught his eyes after the second circuit down and back up her form. She fiddled with the zipper at her throat, shuffling her feet. Craig met her green eyes again, "Aren't you warm?"

Emily let out a breath of relief; she had expected something else from Craig. She was warm. The day itself had been pretty hot, though the winds off the water had disguised that. In the back parkway behind the apartment building they were shielded from the ocean by the tower itself.

"It was cold on the ferry," she explained as her mother came around. Craig looked up to the older woman. Not old, middle aged, forties, Craig corrected as he routinely took in her shape and features. He recognized much of Emily's looks in the mother.

"Always is," Craig considered, "Hope you never have to take it in February."

"I don't even want to imagine that."

"Hello young man," the mother stepped next to the daughter. She was obviously protective of her young.

"Hello," Craig responded with a simple smile, "I've got the elevator set for service. I was just waiting for Doc Orson and my sister to get down to help you unload."

"Dad's on his way down?" Emily perked up. Her seemingly confident smile billowed into a beaming grin.

"And do you have a name?" Her mother was less perky.

"Craig Lever, ma'am," Craig responded quickly to the authoritative tone.

"Good, I'm Elsie, this is my daughter Emily." The mother finally smiled and pushed her daughter forwards as Craig gathered himself and offered his hand. Emily's fingers were cold. Craig was just happy his hand was dry.

"There you are girl!" The black loading doors were thrown open and Orson thundered down the ramp scooping up his daughter in a spinning embrace. A second earlier and Craig was certain he'd have kept her hand while Orson took the rest. Emily giggled and squeezed back. "When'd you get so tall?"

Craig looked up to see his mousy sister coming down the ramp behind Orson. Keira wore a nervous smile. He watched his sister as, in fits and starts, she came down just in time for Orson to put his daughter down. "Alright, so you've met Craig?" Emily nodded as her father turned. "He's a good boy, don't flirt too hard; it'd be shame to have to kill him." Orson was laughing brightly but Emily and Craig both blushed. Emily's redness rushed all over her cheeks and down her neck. Elsie shook her head and smiled a brighter smile once again. Emily was turned a little further to meet Keira. "And this little angel is his big sister, Keira."

"Hi," Keira spoke up with a little chirpy voice. It was her time to blush, inwardly berating herself for sounding just so. Emily stepped towards and grabbed her hands.

"Hey, you should come and meet Merlin," Emily exclaimed brightly. She led the other girl towards the truck's cab, as Elsie stepped up into Orson's face.

"She's hurting, Orson." The tone was closer to her initial appraisal of Craig. The volume was low enough that Craig felt embarrassed for overhearing, "You're certain you're up for this?"

"We've had this discussion a dozen times already, Elsie," he pushed it aside. She was about to return something with venom. "Later we'll all sit down for dinner and hash this out, right now let's get the truck unloaded."

Craig was waved into action. He looked over to see his sister bent over and into the backseat of the truck. He couldn't see what they were fussing over but, judging from the incessant giggling and back and forth elbowing, the girls were enjoying themselves. Emily looked back towards him and Craig found his posture immediately straightening. Orson's heavy hand slapped onto his shoulders.

"We should have gotten a handtruck," Orson announced pushing Craig around towards the wall. "Elsie! Can you turn your truck so the back is facing the ramp?" The girls picked up what they were looking at: a steel wire cage holding a fat sloppy rabbit. Emily was holding the load, but it didn't look like Keira was thinking about pulling her fingers from the cage any time soon. Craig walked over and closed the door for them as Elsie climbed into the driver's seat. Everyone stepped back to give Elsie room to align the truck.

"This is Merlin," Emily turned her head towards Craig.

"Cool," Craig responded with a verbal shrug.

"Do you guys have any pets?" she asked Craig but Keira answered. The sister rolled her shoulders back and stood up.

"Mom strictly believes animals are for the dinner table," she intoned with some grimace.

"Ah, well if you want, I'm sure you can come over and play with Merlin when you need your fix." Emily teased Keira's enthusiasm. "I'm glad I met you guys. I was worried I wouldn't have anyone my age around."

"It's not too hard to find someone. Deep C's, the pool hall on Garden Street usually has someone around." Craig offered. He was surprised to see Keira glowering at him.

"Well, I wouldn't have known that," Emily pointed out. "Thank you guys for helping me move in."

Craig just shrugged his shoulders but Keira babbled something about how she was happy to help. The truck was in its preferred unloading position. Emily turned to Keira. "You want to take Merlin? There's a lot left to unload."

"Of course!" Keira enthused.

"Don't jostle him too much. He's in a pretty bad mood at the moment. I'm sure he'll feel better when he's settled." Emily and Keira wobbled until the new girl was certain the smaller girl had a proper grip and balance.

"I wouldn't dream of upsetting him," Keira exclaimed as she took the wide cage from Emily. It wasn't heavy, but its large size was awkward for Keira and Craig was already wincing at an imagined tumble.

"C'mon Craig. Time to put those muscles to use." Emily tapped her knuckles against Craig's chest and then moved to where her father was opening the bed of the truck. Craig flushed again as he followed after her. There was a good number of containers. Emily had done her packing with thick rubber totes and a set of luggage. The work was heavy, but between the five workers the first load was on the Elevator pretty quickly. Craig agreed to keep unloading the truck into the bay while Orson, Emily, and Keira rode up in the stuffed elevator. He turned as the door closed, getting one bright smile just as Emily's face disappeared behind the steel doors.

"You watch out for her." Elsie's voice caused Craig to jump. She looked proud of herself. She waved him to follow.

"Eh?" Craig managed to descend into aloofness.

"Emily goes through boys the way she goes through hair colors," Elsie laughed, almost nostalgically, as she headed down just a pace ahead of Craig.

"She's not naturally a blonde?" Craig wondered, picking the side of the topic he was more comfortable discussing with an adult. Elsie just laughed, hopping up onto the tailgate and walking down the bed towards the remaining rubber totes and suitcase.

"No, that's her real color. She settled back into it in March. This was the first I've seen of it since she was twelve." She handed Craig the first tote and picked up the smaller suitcase for herself.

"It looks great on her," Craig spoke mostly because he felt compelled to. He hadn't been lying.

"You should tell her that," Elsie suggested. Craig held the door as she marched through. They moved to deposit their burdens before the elevators.

"Anything else I should tell her?" Craig tried to sound a bit more than confident. Elsie turned and studied him. She seemed to come to a conclusion, though her body language suggested neither positive nor negative ends. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Uh, no," Craig answered. The vocal filler was a delay to decide whether it was better to hide his inexperience with a lie.

"She's only here for a few months," Elsie pointed out, "If you like her, be bold."

Craig just shrugged, completely uncertain at how to respond to this conversation. Elsie let the theme drop, asking more about Craig and Keira as they fetched the last of the cargo. The questions felt like mom questions. How was school? What do you want to do with your life? And other nebulous questions that Craig really didn't have the right answers for. He was carrying the last piece of Emily's luggage, a high quality road bike with the front wheel chained next to the back wheel, when the elevator slid open. Emily stepped out.

She had discarded the fleece sweater, revealing a thick cotton tank top. The strap of her green bra not quite concealed on her right shoulder. She didn't look nearly as petite around the chest as Craig had first imagined. A thin silver chain lay on her pale skin. Craig's eyes really liked her skin, rolling down the slender curves of her arms and across her collarbone. He almost jumped as Elsie's fingers ran up his spine. "Looks like you're about to give him a heart attack."

"In this?" Emily looked down at herself. The look on her face was horror and shock. She looked at Craig and saw him blush and turn from her gaze. Her initial surprise transformed into a broad smile. She warmly presented her orthodontically perfect teeth. Elsie was already handing Emily the first box when Craig came out of his reverie.

Elsie's demeanor had drastically improved. She and her daughter ganged up to tease Craig. Craig suffered in confused and put upon silence. He smirked when he couldn't think of a comeback and blushed when he couldn't believe the way the conversation was going. There was less freight and soon he was loaded in the elevator between the two women.

"Is there anything you're going to need to pick up?" Elsie asked her daughter. The elevator lurched and began its slow ascent.

"Curtains and sheets for a queen sized bed." Emily announced. "Did you want to go out before dinner and--"

"No need," Elsie interrupted with a smile, "Tonight your father and I are going to be taking you to dinner to discuss what's going to happen this summer. This way you can tally up everything you need. Make due tonight and I'm sure Craig would be happy to show you around Carter tomorrow."

"Uh, yeah, of course," Craig agreed when Elsie poked him. He was not feeling any of the imposition he had, when he had been flushed from his bedroom to come down and meet Emily.

"You sure? I'm not interrupting any plans you had or anything?" Emily turned to Craig. She always hated when she was forced into chores by her parents. She needed to give him an out.

"No, I would have probably just sat around reading or something," Craig admitted.

"Cool," Emily smiled, "And thanks."

"No problem." Craig turned away with the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. The elevator was coming to a halt and the door was about to open.

Keira 2

Keira slipped a loose t-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts over her one piece swimsuit. She tied her hair back in a short ponytail. She slipped her mismatched socks into a pair of battered running shoes. She popped her earbud headphones in and turned on her iPod. The volume was down low, quiet enough that she knew when to wave to her mother when she was called after to get breakfast. The door closed behind her. Her stomach was empty.

The first stop was two floors up to Doctor Orson's place. She was ecstatic. She had spent two hours yesterday holed up in Emily's room, which Orson had been using for storage, unloading boxes and talking about clothes and movies and dreams and animals and anything else. She had never had such an easy time with anyone. Keira was enraptured with Emily. The new girl was quick-witted and clever. She was warm and open. They had agreed to spend the afternoon at the lake. Keira could hardly contain herself.

"Good morning, Keira." Elsie was waiting for the elevator. Her overnight bag slung over one shoulder, her handbag over the other. "If you're looking for Emily, Orson had her up till 4 in the morning. She's still asleep."

"Uh, OK," Keira was amazed. Her parents still got after her if she tried to stay up past midnight. "I was going to go out for a run anyways."

Keira stepped aside and hit the door open button to keep the elevator from closing on Elsie. Elsie hit P1 and Keira pressed G.

"Emily and your brother hit things off well yesterday," Elsie grinned. Keira tried not to blanche. She didn't want to share her new friend with her brother of all people. Craig was foul-tempered and standoffish. He had managed to frustrate Jenny LeBlanc into cursing and that girl was terminally nice. It would only be a matter of time before Emily would be so frustrated that she'd have to cut herself off from Craig. Keira didn't want to lose a friend because of her idiotic brother.

"I hadn't noticed," was all Keira could say with a steady voice.

"He's not the kind of boy she usually likes. But I hope that's for the best." Elsie declared. "I know you probably have to side with your brother, but I'm asking you to watch out for Emily, OK?"

"Of course," Keira announced, "We're friends."

"Good," Elsie smiled as Keira stepped off the elevator. "Good-bye Keira."

"Drive safe, Mrs Stanford," Keira waved as the door closed. Her face twisted as soon as she was alone. Nothing ever worked for her. Her stomach felt like it was lined with ice. Cold sharp pains reverberated in her guts. She turned the volume up until her ears started to hurt. Out the front door, she ducked around an elderly woman, she hurried and took off at a dead run.

Carter was uncommonly draped in blue skies. Bright sun beat down on arboraceous streets. There was little traffic. The occasional car moving from 4-way stop to 4-way stop. The sidewalks were crowded. Men and women, dressed for work or duty, taking the short walks from the cluttered residences down towards the stubby buildings that housed the professional and commercial center of the town. The buildings formed a crazy quilt of architectural styles, ranging from three hundred years old to three months old. Red bricks and recessed windows with shutters would stand next to mirrored glass and steel. Streets of asphalt interconnected with squares of cobblestones. The only thing of regularity were the leafy giants caged off with black painted fences.

Keira saw nothing of the city, she dashed along the streets, weaving between morning commuters and other joggers. Zigzagging east and uphill she climbed, only managing two blocks before the burn and strain began in the back of her calves. She forced herself to breathe long and slow, but she was soon chasing each exhalation with a ravenous intake. Slowing, she began bouncing on the spot, hoping to cool off a little without folding and cramping. She was where she wanted to be.

It was a short wait, during which her breathing steadied and her pain eased. He ran by. Sam Fenton was gorgeous. Everyone said so and Keira certainly wasn't about to contradict the opinion. He had broad shoulders and visible muscles in his legs. Athlete and hero to the city. A few months ago he was competing at the national stage. He never showed anyone his bronze medal. Keira knew why. Everyone was so happy, so ecstatic, that he could work so hard and do so well. But that clearly wasn't enough. Sam wanted to be the best; how could third place ever be less than an insult? The vacant well wishers and predatory harpies would never understand. Keira took a deep breath and ran after him.

The path Sam led was circuitous and not particularly easy to follow. Keira pushed herself, Sam wasn't outdoing himself, but he was outdoing Keira. She squinted as her blood pumped. She looked at his pale grey sweater and soccer shorts. Her eyes zipping down to the muscles of his legs and wandering to the cut of his shoulders. She adored the way his rust brown hair caught the breeze. Keira was the only one who understood Sam. That's why Keira wouldn't intrude with his training. That's why Keira was a block behind. She couldn't catch Sam. She knew that. She would run with him. He would feel her support.

As the blocks continued on, Keira slowed. Her eyes stinging with her sweat. Her breaths devolved into pants and wheezes. Sam shrunk away, farther and farther out of reach. Keira smiled. She knew that when she caught him he wouldn't be able to run away from her again. She needed water, she needed food, she needed rest.

Smiling dumbly to herself, Keira was announced by a gentle tinkle of the bell. The door closed behind her as a woman in her thirties stepped towards Keira with a menu tucked under arm. "Morning Keira," she smiled brightly, "I have just the table for you."

In the air conditioning of the restaurant, Keira's smell caught up with her. She was glad to be led to the back of the restaurant. The rear window was open under the shade of tall oak tree. She asked for a pitcher of water and ordered the big breakfast.

The little diner was always busy in the mornings. There was a black man in a suit interviewing a young man who looked like the shirt and tie he was wearing was alien. There was an elderly woman, sipping slowly on a pot of tea. A waitress flitted around dreading the tip she was going to get for having her table occupied for hours and one cup and its free refill. Keira watched the dishwasher come out to pick up the tub of dirty cutlery. She watched the customers trickle in and trickle out. No one in much of a hurry, no one put out, slow lazy Carter.