Drowning (1st book)

Prologue: The Depths of the Lake

"Rosie, wake up," Rose's mother says gently shaking Rose's fragile body. Rose White is turning eight today. She rolls over on her side and looks up at her a bit dazed. Rose's eyes droop, and she struggles to keep them open. She pushes off her hot quilt.

"What is it Mommy?" Rose asks concerned.

Rose's mother, Rachel, smiles at Rose and kisses her forehead. She takes Rose's delicate eight year old hand and pulls her out of bed.

Rose stands up and admirers her sea green room. Sea green has always been her favorite color.

Rachel walks to the dresser and starts looking through many different swimsuits before deciding on the bathing suit Rose loathes the most. Rose hasn't exactly explained to her mother that she hates the swimsuit, but Rose doesn't want to hurt her feelings.

Rachel loves this bathing suit. It's hot pink with the words cutie pie adorned across the front. Rose doesn't like the word cutie pie, and she doesn't want her name to be in the same sentence as the wretched sound. She thinks it makes her sound like food, and she does not want to be eaten.

"We have a barbecue to go to, Rose, it's at our lake. It's for your birthday."

Rose puts on the bathing suit (with displeasure) so she doesn't hurt her mother's feelings and sits in front of her mother. Rachel puts Rose's silky blonde hair into pigtails with fluffy hair ties.

"Mommy, what's a barbecue?" Rose asks.

Rachel smiles and turns Rose around to face her.

"It's a party where you eat lots of food."

Rose's skin tingles with delight. She loves birthday parties, especially if they're hers.

Rose's entire family piles into their red pickup truck. Their lake is not far away from their house, but they just don't want to carry everything.

The lake that is behind their house is more of a community lake, since Rose and her family live in a small settlement outside of the city called "Caelum et Infernum". Most of the people in the settlement are old and retired, so basically the lake is only used by the White's.

Rose's heart picks up in excitement as she hears the screech of the tires against the pavement. Her family is all going to the lake. Her mommy, daddy, and (sadly) her older brother, Dante.

    Brothers are supposed to care for their sisters. They should be nice, kind, caring, and maybe make fun of their sisters a few times. In Rose's opinion, Dante is nothing like the stupendous brother she has in mind. In fact, she thinks he is a demon sent from Hell.

"Your pigtails are adorable, Rosie," he says with fake enthusiasm. Dante tugs on one of her pigtails.

"Ow! Mommy! Make him stop!" Rose screams. Tears well up in her eyes, and she throws a temper tantrum.

"Dante, stop picking on your little sister! You're ten!" Rachel snaps at Dante.

Dante crosses his arms and sticks out his bottom lip.

Rose arrives at the lake and smiles. She has always loved the scenery of the lake. The green grass rolling along the small hills that frame the pond and the crystal blue water. The trees are huge and all different assortments of greens. Rose sees her aunt, uncle, grandparents, cousins, Godparents, and friends.

Rose starts to run off to play with her best friend, Gretta, when a hand on her shoulder stops her. Rose turns around to meet her father's concerned eyes.

"Rose, promise me you will not go in the lake, you haven't learned how to swim yet."

Rose grins at him. "Of course, Daddy!" she promises.