Mistake

Lisette looked out over the sparkling blue water. This cruise would be the blast of her life. Plus, she had a friend with her, so the more the merrier. Julianne was standing beside her, her golden curls cascaded down her shoulders, hazel eyes shining with joy. Liz's own hair was raven black, stick straight, and fell in a soft waterfall to her waist. It also tangled easily.

"Liz!" Julie called out from the other end of the deck, a wide grin spreading across her face, stretching from ear to ear. "Come and look! There are sea turtles over here!" Being a lover of marine animals, Lisette jogged over and gazed down from the deck. And gaped.

There really were turtles there, frolicking about in the water, waves softly lapping against their rock hard shells. Her eyes widening fractionally in surprise, Liz gasped. "They're beautiful!" she breathed. She found a lot of things to be beautiful, from everyday things like toothbrushes to exotic things like starfruit. Julie always teased her about it, but never in a rude or mean manner.

Just then, the still silence was broken by the loud ship's horn honking away. Hoooonk. Hoooonk. Clapping her hands over her ears, Liz winced as her ears reacted to the sudden noise. She had grown up in a quiet family in the suburban areas of Chicago, and had never been one to shout or yell. Her friends often claimed that if there was a megaphone that could project one's voice across the entire galaxy, Lisette would need to use one to be heard.

"I wish we could simply stare at the lovely turtles some more," she said wistfully, and Julie gave her a small smile, which Liz promptly returned.

"I do too. But come on, Mum and Dad will be searching for the two of us," she reminded Liz. At a pointed glance from her friend, she amended her words. "My mum and dad." Liz reluctantly drew away from the railing, and followed her best friend towards the stern of the ship. A second later, she realized she had left something hanging on the railing, and that something was her handbag. "Wait!" Lisette cried out. "I need to go get my handbag!" Julie made an impatient noise, but hurried her friend back to the railing where they had been turtle-gazing.

When they arrived at the same place they had been only ten minutes before, Julie immediately spotted Liz's bag and lunged for it, but didn't reach it in time. It wobbled, then began tilting toward the water. "No!" her best friend shouted, and stretched her arm out, and closed her fingers around the fabric of the bag. "Yes!" Her victory, however, was short-lived. Slipping on the deck, Lisette tripped, stumbled toward the edge of the railing, then fell head over heels toward the water, screaming.

"Julie! Help!" Her screams were loud, and immediately drew the attention of multiple people. Passerby, guests, crew members. Julianne darted forward and grasped her friend's fingers, but they were slipping. "Lisette! Hold on!" Julie cried, her fingers white.

"Trying…" Liz panted, and it was evident the attempts at gripping Julie's fingers were taking a heavy toll on her strength and energy. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her arm felt like it was being jerked out of its socket. Pain. Pain was all she was aware of. Pain in her arms, her fingers, her torso, her legs, pain pervading her body. Then there was a momentary relief of the sharp, stabbing pain in her arm, and she exhaled a shaky breath. Shouts and shrieks sounded from the ship, and a bell was ringing. Looking up, Lisette saw that Julie's face was tightly drawn and pale. Her friend's mouth shaped words, but she could not discern them. A life saving buoy was tossed down, but her limbs were heavy with water and numb from the coldness of the sea.

Suddenly, the pain vanished completely, and it was like she was floating in a black hole. No way out, yet no entrance either. The last thing she remembered hearing was Julianne shrieking, "Lisette Giselle Meyer!"

A/N: REVIEWS ARE WELCOME! PLEASE R&R!