Hauling a backpack full of drugs across the border is the easy part. It's the rest of his life that Alec struggles with. A dead brother, a dreary job with sanctimonious coworkers, and living with his parents has this drug mule constantly fighting an uphill battle. When a beautiful and desperate woman reappears from his high school days, he devises a plan he hopes will make all his troubles a thing of the past. "Even floating on my back required a great deal of energy. I couldn't get myself to relax and catch my breath. At every second I was afraid something was going to grab me from beneath and pull me under. I began to sink and struggled to keep my mouth and nose above water. I didn't stand a chance. So this is the end, I thought to myself. It was so cold. It was October and the water was freezing. All my adrenaline had run its course. Thinking about my cold body oddly made me relax. I looked at the distant lights one last time, closed my eyes, and slipped below the surface."