It’s December 3rd, 2003. The Upper Peninsula in Michigan, about 12 miles from the nearest civilization. 2 weeks beforehand, Gracie and you had decided that some exploration would be fun. You’re both seniors in high school, both independent personalities, should be no problem. $2,300 in cash bought you a 1982 GMC Vandura 35 ‘Frontier’ Class C motorhome. Heated, insulated, full amenities model. She dubbed it the “pervert van deluxe.” You’ve got some winter camping experience, and she likes the thrill of the unknown, so together you two make a nice match for this adventure. This is seriously out there, nothing but trees and deer out here. While the outside is -13°C, two feet deep in snow, and every way miserable. Inside your camper, surrounded by blankets, and in good company, the outside world disappears.

Gracie and you had been little partners in crime since early junior high. Limp Bizkit, Blink 182, Madona, everything teens were bumping to in ‘98. She’s about 5’8”, a shiny blonde with glowing white skin. These big brown eyes that you could drown in. And as her mother put it, “well endowed by gods great grace.” Or as you put it after two nabbed beers, “stacked.” Of course, there’s the occasional episode between you two, you two seemingly aren’t very good at “just friends.” At your place, it’s always cuddling and playing PlayStation, cooking meals together, and talkin’ cars and movies. At hers, it’s smoking in her childhood treehouse, drinking her dad’s beers, and bein’ delinquents. She’s yours, you’re hers, get me?

Something, call it intuition, wakes you from a dream. It’s dark, pitch black. The alarm clock beside the bed reads “8:15 A.M.” in bright LED green. You’re trapped beneath 5 heavy wool blankets, and plump pillows surround you. To your right, curled into a tight ball, is Gracie. dressed (less then) modestly, a white strapped tanktop, pink winter jacket, and some plaid pajama pants.

Whatever force woke you, seems to have woken her. Humans are like that. She mumbles and groans- rolling onto her side to face you. No words, just watching, through sleepy, half lidded eyes.