12. A Simple Misstep

"They're coming!" Larry shouted, throwing his arms around his cousin, laughing in giddy relief. "They're coming for us!"

With a celebratory clap Balki threw his arms wide. "Now we are so happy, we do the Dance of Joy!"

Larry enthusiastically joined in the lively Myposian dance, splashing the warm tropical water high. He ended by leaping into his cousin's arms.

After setting Larry back down they both burst into a frenzy of shouting and waving. Balki untied his shirt from around his waist and brandished it energetically.

The helicopter grew larger as it neared the island, still high in the blue sky.

Larry's elation soon grew into puzzlement. "Why aren't they slowing down?"

The aircraft appeared to be rising higher instead of descending as it should be. What were they doing? As it came closer it continued to gain altitude until it was just a small spot directly above their heads.

Both of them continued to shout and try to catch the pilot's attention but the helicopter refused to change its course.

"Wait! Come back!" Larry abruptly splashed out of the water, chasing the aircraft inland, into the palm grove. He no matter how hard and fast he ran he knew there was no possible way he could keep up but he had to try. They had to see him. They couldn't leave! But they did.

"No!" Larry finally stopped running, panting heavily, watching in despair as the helicopter flew on over the treetops, soon disappearing from view. A small sob escaped him as he sank to his knees, still staring upward.

Balki came up behind him and laid a gentle had on his shoulder.

Larry shook his head, his eyes wide in complete horror and hopelessness. "They didn't even see us." He whimpered.

Balki's voice betrayed his own worry as he tried to keep some kind of hope alive. "Maybe…maybe they are in a hurry. They might saw us but can't stop. They could come back."

"How could they miss it?" His voice rose in pitch until he was on the verge of tears. "The sign was right there!"

"But, Cousin they could have—"

"Are they blind?!"

"Well, maybe—"

"I can't believe they just left us!"

Balki hated to see his cousin so despondent. Yes they were in deep babasticki and they had reason to be worried. But the complete grief and hopelessness he saw in his friend worried him more than their predicament. All he wanted to do was make him feel better. He realized that there was no reasoning with Larry. Not now anyway. Maybe he could change the subject.

"Don't think about it. Think about something else, something happy. Think about…think about Jennifer."

The name had an instant affect on him. He relaxed a bit as images of the love of his life flashed through his mind. "Jennifer." He sighed with a far off look. "She's so beautiful." From the very moment he laid eyes on her he knew that she was the woman he wanted to marry. But never in a million years did he really believe that someone as wonderful as Jennifer Lyons could ever be interested in him, Larry Appleton, short and nerdy. It was a dream come true. She was perfect in every way; so beautiful, kind, thoughtful and forgiving. After the whole ski trip thing he had been sure she would never speak to him again. But she did! He took that as a very good sign. Maybe she really did like him as much as he liked her. He sighed again, imagining Jennifer standing beside him at the altar, her wedding dress glowing like fresh fallen snow and golden hair framing her lovely face in a shimmering halo.

The heavenly vision popped like a balloon at the sound of a bird calling overhead. His face suddenly fell. "I...I'll never see her again."

"Of course you will." Balki insisted, trying to stop Larry's obvious decent into depression.

"Balki I am in love with her. I was going to marry her! I was going to have a family and kids and, and now...now...I'm gonna die a lonely old man on a deserted island!"

"Don't talk like that! They'll come back."

Larry shook his head in despair. "Wake up and smell the seawater! They flew right over our heads and still didn't see us. There is no way we'll ever get off here."

"No, Cousin!" Balki said firmly. "We have to believe that..."

"Believing the impossible isn't going to make it happen!" Larry shouted. "Stop being such a Pollyanna. You live in this little fantasy world where everything is simple and every story has a happy ending. Well, that's not life! Everything doesn't always work out. Face it, Balki! We're going to be stranded on this forsaken island for the rest of our lives."

"But I was just trying..."

"Well don't try. We wouldn't even be in this mess if you hadn't dragged me on that stupid cruise. My life is ruined!" With a devastated sob he buried his face in his hands. He was so afraid. Everything he had known, everything he had ever worked for; he could see it all dissolving into nothing.

Balki squinted in pain as his cousin's words cut him to the heart. Larry was right, it was his fault, all of it. If only he had listened. Larry hadn't wanted to go on the trip in the first place, but Balki had insisted. And his cousin would have never went outside during that storm and fallen overboard if Balki hadn't dropped his pills in the toilet. "Do...do you want me to..."

"Balki, just…just…" He shook his head slightly but didn't lift it. "Just go away. I want to be alone right now."

Balki hung his head. He was trying so hard to make Larry feel better but he only seemed to be making things worse. There was one thing he knew he could do. He could get them rescued. It was a risk, sure. But he had to do it. "Okay, cousin. I go away. I'll go get help. You...you just wait here." Balki started toward the beach but after only a few feet he stopped and turned sadly toward the despondent figure that was his best friend. "I'm sorry I cause you so much trouble. I don't mean for this to happen." Larry didn't look up or in any way acknowledge Balki's apology. So with a heavy heart the Mypiot started through the palm grove toward the ocean.

It took several minutes before Larry's head snapped up, Balki's words finally reaching his mind. "Going to get help?" He said aloud, realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. There was only one way Balki could possibly get help. With a horrible sinking feeling Larry leaped to his feet and raced toward the beach, his legs pumping as fast as he could possibly push them. "Balki, no!" As he dodged through the forest of palms he prayed he was not too late.

Balki stood on the edge of the large rock, the end of an outcropping that emerged from the sandy beach and continued several meters into the ocean. He stared intently at the sea before him and that tiny dot on the horizon. The island had to be at least ten miles away. It was true that he had swum many times in the oceans surrounding Mypos but never for such distance. And these currents were unfamiliar to him. He was very afraid.

Balki was content to stay and wait for the rescue that was surely coming. But his cousin was frightened and on the very brink of a nervous breakdown. If they weren't rescued soon he was afraid Larry would snap and completely lose his mind. He couldn't let that happen, especially since this whole mess was his fault. He wouldn't let his cousin suffer for his mistake. Balki was determined to make things right again and the only way he could do that was to get help now.

So with a deep cleansing breath he put his fear in his pocket and prepared to dive.

"Balki, wait!!" Larry bust through the foliage and onto the beach. He splashed into the water stopping when it reached his knees. "Don't GO!!"

At the sound of Larry's plea Balki turned to see his cousin frantically beckoning him back to shore. Hearing the panicked insistence in Larry's voice he started back toward the beach, praying that he wasn't in for another tongue-lashing. But on his third step things went terribly wrong. In his hurry to reach the shore he failed to see the patch of algae. Suddenly his foot slipped and his ankle turned with a sharp 'snap'. His leg shot out from under him and he went crashing down on his side. Pain sliced through his hip and shoulder. Then a sickening 'thunk' rang in his ears as fireworks exploded inside his head.

Larry watched Balki fall in stunned horror. He hit the rock with such force that Larry could hear the impact over the lapping waves.

"Balki!!" His voice rose to a panicked shriek as Balki rolled limply off the black stone and into the ocean. He instantly launched himself into the water. Moments later he dragged the limp, waterlogged body of his cousin onto the beach.

Balki's face was slack. His dark eyes, half open, didn't focus on anything. Blood flowed from a large gash on his left temple, trailing red rivulets down his face. His upper arm, near the shoulder was already beginning to bruise and swell around a painful-looking abrasion.

"Balki!" Larry's voice was high and frantic as he bent over his best friend, patting him gently on the cheek. "Can you hear me, Buddy?" He was trying valiantly to ignore the queasy feeling in his chest and stomach induced by the sight of so much blood.

Balki's eyes flickered for a moment then focused on Larry's face. "Cousin?" He whispered weakly.

"I'm right here, Buddy." Larry assured, shakily taking Balki's hand. "Everything's going to be fine." He swallowed hard, complete panic threatening to take control of his mind.

"I...I'm..." Balki's brows furrowed ever so slightly as if it took major effort to control his speech. He must have hit his head really hard, Larry realized, praying he wasn't seeing signs of a major concussion. "I'm sorry I ruin your life."

Larry opened his mouth to vehemently protest the apology but before he could utter a word Balki's eyes rolled back into his head and closed. A wave of fear crashed through him. He took Balki by both shoulders and shook him briskly. "Balki, wake up! Don't fade on me, Buddy! Do you hear me?! It's not your fault!" He shouted at the top of his voice as if he could order his cousin to consciousness. But Balki stayed completely limp. He gave no response whatever to his cousin's distraught prodding.

Larry ran a violently trembling hand through his tangle of wet curls. This couldn't be happening! There had to be something he could do. He racked his brain, trying to remember the first aid course he had taken in sixth grade.

A pulse! The first thing you do when someone is unconscious is check their pulse. He couldn't keep his hands from quivering as he pressed two fingers to Balki's wrist. Nothing. No! That couldn't be right! He tried to swallow the huge lump in his throat and moved his fingers to a different place. Still nothing. "Balki, no! Don't do this to me, Buddy. Please!" Out of desperation he grabbed Balki's other arm, hoping to find some sign of life there. But, alas, still no pulse.

"Don't do this!" He shouted again, knowing now it was futile. "This is all my fault! You were right. You're always right! Why don't I ever listen? I am so sorry! Just...please…don't...go…" Finally the panic took complete control. His mind turned to mush. His frantic pleading broke into choking sobs.

This couldn't be happening! He had lost his best friend. No one in his entire life had been as close to him as Balki had become in the short time they had known one another. Neither his parents nor siblings were ever there for him the way his cousin always was. When one of his plans fell apart, as they often did, Balki was always there to pick up the pieces and tell him everything would be okay. He even tolerated Larry's wild mood swings and self-centered tendencies, which had cost him many a friend over the years. Balki was the voice of reason, the conscience that was not afraid to tell him when he was being a jerk and was there afterward to pull him up out of the guilt. He always made Larry feel loved and needed, although deep down he knew he needed Balki much more than Balki needed him.

But that was all over now. Balki was dead. The best friend he had ever had…the only best friend he ever had was gone and it was all his fault. They wouldn't even be stranded in the first place if he had only stayed in the cabin. Balki had warned him that going out into the storm was dangerous. Why hadn't he listened? Then his cousin had risked his own safety to come to his rescue. Larry knew if Balki hadn't come for him in the dinghy he surely would have drown. Then he saved him again after they crashed on the beach. Twice in as many days! And how had Larry repaid him? With unkind words and a surely attitude. He had blamed Balki for their predicament when he knew very well it was his own fault. Balki wouldn't have run off or even considered taking such a foolish risk as swimming so far if Larry hadn't spoken so harshly. Now…now he would never have a chance to apologize.

As he looked into Balki's lifeless, bloodstained face he realized he was alone. He was one solitary man on a small mound of sand and trees surrounded by an unforgiving sea. He knew there was no way he could survive here all by himself. How could he ever handle the agonizing silence and isolation?

Never in his life had Larry Appleton felt so heartbreakingly guilty, frightened or alone.

All the strength drained from him and he pulled his legs up to his chest and laid his head on his knees. His breathing grew rapid until his chest was heaving like a frightened rabbit's. Each breath was quick, deep and wavering. He knew he was hyperventilating, but the stress was just too much. He couldn't stop and he didn't want to try. A warm giddy feeling engulfed him as the overload of oxygen flooded his brain. He became more and more lightheaded until the entire world floated away.