Ahhh, yet another brisk Saturday morning. Steve awoke to this thought while he laid under the covers, not wanting to move because of the warmth his blankets held. The morning sun was peeking through his curtains around the edges and he decided it was time to get up. He slid out from his covers, and peeked at the alarm clock. It was quarter past 12. Joe, Steve’s neighbor, would soon be calling him to make plans. He walked down the stairs and headed to the kitchen still in a half-groggy state. He rummaged through the kitchen like a bear searching a campsite. Steve managed to scrounge up a quick breakfast of Toll House cookies, Cape Cod potato chips, and some Gatorade before hopping in the shower.

While he was showering his phone rang multiple times. He knew it was probably Joe so he decided that he wouldn’t rush. Once done showering, he checked his missed calls, texts, tweets, wallposts, and every other thing that consumes teenage life. He read that Joe’s parents weren’t home and that he should hurry over. He immediately kicked himself into gear like the transmission in a new sports car and was over Joe’s house not 10 minutes later.

A few quick knocks, creating that classic melody recognizable anyone, and Joe appeared at the door. Steve entered, unbundled his multiple layers of snow clothes, then sat on the couch. Joe proceeded to tell him what his plan for the day was. Although they initially had planned to go skiing the previous night, they changed their plans swiftly since Joe’s parents would be gone for the day and the snowmobiles were freshly equipped with full tanks of gas. Joe knew that his dad had forbade him to use them whenever he wasn’t present, but he figured what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

They geared up in their snow pants, jackets and other essentials, like gloves, took a few laps around the yard, then went off for a day of intense riding. Steve and Joe spent the early part of the afternoon whipping up and down the lake trying to catch each other like a cheetah chasing down its prey. They had their throttles pinned, with no cares in the world. The ride slowly progressed into the trails, deeper and deeper, until they reached neighboring towns. Doritos, gas station pizza, and a few cold drinks was lunch. The sun was setting, and Joe’s parents were to be arriving home within the next hour or two. Hopping on their snowmobiles, they raced home.

Upon arriving at the beach that would lead them back to Joe’s house, they decided they would take a quick break. Walking around on the ice, they talked about the days adventure, and the plans to follow later tonight. Steve inched closer and closer to the stream inlet and farther and farther away from Joe. Before he knew it, there was only a few feet of separation between him and open water. He noticed that he had ventured too far, and attempted to turn around gently. Immediately a large crack spread across the ice and his leg fell through, shattering the ice like a hammer through a window. Within a second his body followed his leg and the lake swallowed him up into its dark murky water. Joe rushed to his assistance frantically. He had no idea what to do. He didn’t want to end up alongside Steve serving a hypothermia driven death. He looked around during his panic, searching for something that he could help rescue Steve with. His heart was beating out of his chest at this point, he had never been more scared. Joe was witnessing the life being sucked out of his best friend right before his eyes. He couldn’t look at Steve flailing around gasping for air any longer, he had to do something. His instincts quickly took over and grabbed a nearby branch that served as Steve’s lifeline. A quick heave and he was back onto the ice. Not a minute more and Steve would have drown. Now, dripping icicles, nearly frozen to death, they rushed back to Joe’s house.

In a frenzy to prevent Steve from dying of hypothermia they rushed inside and wrapped Steve in a blanket next to the woodstove. There he sat thawing out like a piece of steak while Joe took care of the snowmobiles. Minutes later when Joe came back in, they put Steve’s clothes in the dryer, to help eliminate the evidence. With everything now in order, they relaxed and conversed about how such a near death experience affected them in such a minor way. They decided to refrain from telling the parents of their episode on the lake earlier, after all, what they didn’t know, wouldn’t hurt them.