Mushroom Appetizer

Ingredients

6 eggs

1 can cod liver

1 tsp mayonnaise

greens

black tea

So, take the hard-boiled eggs and cut them into two halves: 2/3 (the thin part) and 1/3 (the thicker part). The smaller part will be the cap of the mushroom. The larger part will be the stem. Remove the egg yolk from the halves and place them in a separate bowl.

Next, make strong tea and add the caps. Let them simmer in the tea leaves for 10-15 minutes. The tea will give the caps a brown color. This won't affect the taste.

While the caps are browning, let's make the filling. To do this, add the cod liver and mayonnaise to the yolks. Mix everything together with a fork. 



Then we stuff ours \



Cover with a cap and garnish with herbs.

Bon appétit!

cz 10

By the time Arthur reached the promenade deck, the list had already become so great that he had to hold on to the railing to retrieve something that would help him free the girls. On the way up, he donned a life jacket he'd found, which now hampered his movements somewhat. He couldn't see the bow of the ship or the lifeboat. He knew Daniel, Chris, and Anna were safe.

Now he reached the small case that housed the axe. He smashed the glass with his hand and pulled out the axe. He was about to go down when one of the chairs at the rear of the promenade deck, sliding down it like a child on a slide, tripped Arthur's legs. He was thrown into the air and fell, striking his head on the wooden deck. He lost consciousness. The axe followed the chair and disappeared into the water, which was now approaching the port side of the bridge.

Julie didn't want to wait for Arthur to return. Even before he went for help, she'd had an idea, but then she'd written it off. Now, as the water rose higher and the door was about to give way, she suddenly dove underwater and emerged a moment later on the other side of the door, just beyond the pipe. She was free.

Brauni's eyes widened in surprise.

"Don't look like that, Brauni. Dive in and squeeze through the crack at the bottom. I'll help you!" she urged. "This is our only chance.

" The girl stood staring at the narrow gap. "If she can do it, why can't I?" she thought, and after a moment, she rushed to Julie.

"Just help me."

Without waiting for a reply, she disappeared underwater. Julie dove too and grabbed her friend, who was already halfway across. She quickly pulled her to the surface. Brauni gasped for air and coughed.

Her hand burned with a sharp pain. She gritted her teeth to keep from crying.

"See, I told you it was easy."

She nodded in response. She was still shocked that they'd managed to escape. She managed a small smile. Both had lost all their former luster. Their hair clung to their faces, and their dresses had turned into wet sacks.

"You look pathetic," Brauni said. Despite the dire situation, they burst into laughter.

A tremendous noise broke them from their glee. The water pressure pushed the second door into the corridor. They flew through it, blowing out the second door, which had been an insurmountable barrier for Julie and Brauni. The pipe that had been pushed aside would have struck Julie if she hadn't dodged at the last moment. The water level began to rise faster and faster. Somewhere further into the ship, water was breaking through, ramming through more passages.

"Let's get out of here," Brauni said.

They began climbing the stairs, emerging from the rapidly rising water. She was right behind them when they reached the dining room. They ran as fast as they could across the tilted ship. They struggled up the stairs leading to the main deck and the saloon. The bridge was slowly sinking into the water.

They passed a cabin. Julie stopped and forced her way inside. Like all the rooms, this one was also devastated by the force of the impact. Brauni stood behind her, watching as Julie pulled two orange life jackets from under the wardrobe propped against the bed.

"Put these on," she tossed to Brauni, handing her a life jacket. She put her own on.

Her broken arm made it difficult to put on the life jacket properly, so Julie had to help Brauni.

They hurried onto the deck. The water was close, and no one was on the ship.

"I can't believe they left us like this," Brauni muttered.

Julie untied the four rings from the railing, tied them together at breakneck speed, and threw them overboard.

"Life itself," she stated bitterly, then turned to her friend. "Brauni, we have to lie down and slide down on our backs into the water."

She nodded in response. They lay down one behind the other, holding on to the wall.

"If I say so, we'll let go!" shouted Brauni, who had been first to slide down. She waited a few seconds before finally saying, in a barely audible voice, "Now..."

They slid down the deck at breakneck speed and found themselves in the water just above the ship's bow.

When they emerged in the icy water, they began bobbing on it like buoys.

"We have to sail away from the ship. First, we'll get the rings," Julie said, and began swimming slowly toward the four orange rings floating on the ship's starboard side. When she grabbed them, she looked up and tossed them aside.

"The ship is capsizing!"

Her scream interrupted Brauni's laborious swim. Before she could realize what was happening, her friend grabbed the broad arm of her life jacket and pulled her into the mist, away from the ship. All Brauni could do was kick the water with her legs and hold onto the tethered wheels. They stopped 20 meters from the ship and looked at it. The milky haze obscured details, but they could see the majestic yacht tilting ever closer to its port side.

The Venus in the center of the dining room was underwater. Waves attacked the opulent living room and living quarters. The water swallowed everything in its path.

The girls watched in complete silence as the colossus lay diagonally on its side, exposing its belly. All the lights instantly went out in the throes of the furniture tipping over. A few minutes later, only wooden pieces remained of the Tabernacle, floating on the surface of the sea. Among them, they could also see other life preservers that had broken free from the ship, as well as small, unsinkable objects. It was a quarter past two in the morning. Darkness reigned all around, made even more intense by the fog.

Daniel gently rowed, steering his boat toward something loudly lapping at the waves. Chris trembled as he lay beside his still unconscious sister. He held her hand and checked her pulse every few moments, fearing he might lose her. Suddenly, the boat shook as it struck something hard. Daniel flew to the front of the boat.

When he stood up, a rock came into view, its razor-sharp peak rising toward the stars. On its slope lay white shards of the hull of the yacht he had been sailing on only half an hour ago.

He cursed under his breath. He turned and found a coil of rope. He tied one end to the bow of the lifeboat, and at the other end, he formed a wide loop, which he threw around the top of the rock. This way, he moored himself to the treacherous land, as large as the dwarves in Gulliver's Travels. He planned to wait here for the guards.

Julie and Brauni remained silent. They clung tightly to the wheels, gently thrashing the water with their feet to stay within the wreckage.

"Can you hear us?" Julie screamed, trying to contact the other survivors, full of hope that they had survived. "Daniel, Chris?"

Only the roar of the waves answered them. They were too far apart.

"It's no use! We're all alone here," Brauni said, breaking into tears. "We'll die here. And I so wanted to see my dad." Why did I even let myself be talked into this? After all…

Julie slapped her across the face to stop her from panicking even more. Brauni fell silent and began to sob.

"We'll survive this, you hear? They're sure to call for help. Someone will fish us out soon. Believe me. I want to be home too." She stroked her wet hair and hugged her as tightly as she could. "Don't cry anymore, we have to be strong."

Brauni nodded vigorously.

They listened to the roar of the waves when suddenly Brauni said,

"It's terribly cold here, and I want to sleep so much."

"Me too, Kitten. I want to sleep too. But I'd rather not fall asleep; the shock might keep me from waking up. And don't you try to fall asleep here either. I don't want to watch the sunrise alone.

" Brauni giggled weakly.

"It'll be romantic."

They were far from land, far from their homes. Alone in the middle of the vast sea, completely dependent on each other.

END OF PART ONE

cz 9

As soon as they stepped into the hallway, Julie broke free from Brauni's grasp and ran toward the stern of the ship. She found some stairs leading to an even lower deck. She ran down them and stopped in a large room with a huge bar and a large pool table in the center. She leaned against it, panting and sobbing.

Brauni caught up with her in seconds and stopped beside her.

"Julie," she said pleadingly. "Please stop. He's not worth it."

She began stroking her head and soothing her. After a few minutes of explaining, she managed to control her tears. Julie sat down on one of the bar stools and leaned against the oak counter.

"You know what the worst part of this is?"

Brauni made a questioning face, staring at her wet cheeks and tousled hair.

"That I went to him with the intention of asking for another chance. I wanted to tell him how much I loved him. And that was it." She began waving her arms desperately. "Everything's fucking over."

The scream that escaped her friend's lips terrified Brauni, but no more than what Julie had done.

With surprising lightness, she grabbed another bar stool and hurled it against the glass wall behind the bar. There was a terrible noise and the crunch of shattering glass. Bottles of liquor fell and shattered on the floor.

The girls stood stunned, staring at the wreckage, until Brauni finally grabbed her and led her toward the bow.

"What are you doing? The entrance to the upper deck is over there," Julie muttered absently.

"I know, I know." But I think a little tour around the interior of this palace on the water will do you much better.

From the previous room, they now entered a large dining room for guests, where several tables were arranged in three rows. As in the living room, beautiful crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. In the center of the dining room stood a large sculpture of Venus, faithfully recreated from a painting.

They passed the tables in silence, and, passing the entrance to the kitchen, found themselves in a wide corridor with doors on either side. At the end of this corridor was another descent to an even lower deck.

Brauni led the way, descending a flight of stairs. They found themselves in a maze of corridors and passageways. They passed under one of the rusty pipes and entered a tiny corridor, beginning and ending with a metal door. The door on the other side was open. They managed to realize they were now walking across the bow of the ship.

The Tabernacle was still churning through the waves at high speed, a mile and a half from Ocracoke Island. No one even suspected the yacht would hit one of the four protruding rocks in the area. The impact was so powerful that the ship, with a large hole in its bow, bounced off the rock like a rubber ball. In that single moment, everything on the ship that wasn't secured collapsed to the floor.

Julie and Brauni, who were fifteen meters from the epicenter of the impact, felt it most severely. The impact threw them first against the port wall, then the starboard wall, until they finally landed with a groan on the floor. The door in front of them banged shut. Behind the others, something shattered. A

drenched Chris, lying on one of the landings, rolled down, stopping only against the bridge wall, passing through a small corridor along the way. Crystal chandeliers clattered mournfully.

Arthur, along with all the deck chairs, slid from the promenade deck to the foredeck. He screamed as wooden chairs began to fall on him, slamming painfully across his body.

Anna, who had nothing to grab onto in the corridor, flew out like a catapult and came to rest on the living room wall, 10 meters away from where she was standing. Daniel felt the impact the least. He was lying on the bed, which, as if by magic, flew to the opposite wall, smashing into a dresser and shattering a large mirror on it.

The ship stopped, taking on water. The first compartments of the hull contained pantries and storage rooms, all with tightly closed doors. Therefore, for now, the water could not flood further rooms. However, it was unknown how long these doors would hold. The impact caused the lights to go out and the emergency power supply to activate. An alarm siren sounded on the bridge, its signal lasting only a few seconds.

A deathly silence fell on the yacht. The destruction was immense. Everything flew forward with a crash, creating a mess of wood, glass, and steel.

Arthur scrambled out from under the wooden chair fragments and tried to get to his feet. It was causing him immense pain. His entire body was bruised and numb. He glanced around, searching for open wounds, but found nothing. The alcohol in his veins had almost completely drained.

He slowly made his way along the cluttered promenade deck when he suddenly saw Chris, barely able to walk, with the help of a wall. There were no visible traces of blood on his body, but he was clutching his head, which had sustained a blow. Daniel appeared right behind him. He ran from the living room as if scalded. He was fine.

"Anna's lying there. She's not responding to my calls. Help me," he shouted to them.

"Chris, stay here," Arthur ordered, forcing him to sit on the deck as he and Daniel entered the living room.

At first, it was unrecognizable. Two poorly mounted columns lay on the floor. The glass casing of the console had vanished, creating a glass carpet on the parquet floor below. The furniture was in completely different places or had shattered in collisions with the walls. Anna lay under a tilted table, the food gone. They approached her.

Arthur tried to revive her but gave up when he saw a large, bloody wound on her forehead. She was unconscious. They gently pulled her out from under the wooden counter. A cursory inspection revealed that she was breathing evenly.

"Where are Julie and Brauni?" Arthur asked, standing and looking around the wreckage.

"I have no idea.

" "We have to find out what happened. Come with me."

They passed through the cluttered entrance to the bridge, which was the only room undamaged because it was devoid of any furniture. Arthur tried unsuccessfully to start the engines.

"What did we hit?" shouted Daniel, who was leaning over the bow rail. "I can't see anything here except a huge hole in the hull. Terrible fog."

Arthur walked over to the ship's radar and cursed under his breath. When Daniel returned to the bridge, it told him they'd probably hit the rocks around Ocracoke Island. He realized they were miles from land. Suddenly, somewhere in the belly of the ship, a loud thud and a terrible hum were heard.

"Maybe it's Julie and Brauni!" Daniel shouted excitedly.

"I doubt it, man. I think one of the doors blocking the water gave way."

Arthur suddenly panicked. He ran to the intercom, switched it to radio. He set the channel and began shouting into the microphone,

"This is Tabernacle to Coast Guard West Point, Over."

There was no response, so he repeated the call. The result was the same.

"This is Tabernacle to Coast Guard West Point, Over. We've hit a rock, we need immediate assistance. Over." Arthur gave the ship's position, but West Point remained silent.

He couldn't wait. He didn't know where the other girls were. He noted the ship's position and handed the note to Daniel.

"Hail them every few seconds, and when they finally respond, tell them our position. Then you'll unhook the lifeboat at the bow and put Chris and Anna in it. If I don't get back with the girls before the bow sinks, get out of here. We'll take the lifeboat from the aft deck. Got it?"

Daniel nodded and immediately began hailing land.

Arthur stepped out onto the starboard promenade deck, which was decidedly less cluttered, and reached the main staircase leading to the rooms on the lower decks.Julie groaned softly, recovering. She lay on her back, staring at the dim light on the ceiling. She tried to locate all the pain centers in her body. When she decided nothing was actually wrong, she sat up, aching, and adjusted Arthur's jacket.

Brauni lay motionless on her left side.

She called her name several times, but she didn't respond, so Julie crawled to her and grabbed her arm. Suddenly, the girl moaned, writhing in spasms of pain.

"Don't touch!" she squealed pleadingly. "I must have broken it.

" "Can you sit up?

" "I think so." She managed with a little help from her friend. "What's that sound?"

They both listened to the faint rustling. They glanced at each other, guessing water was sloshing behind the door, which had slammed shut on impact. They stared at it in horror. It looked sturdy. True, the sheet metal was held together by rather old-fashioned rivets, but the door looked solid.

Julie struggled to her feet, then helped Brauni up. The contents of the bag landed on the floor, and the bag itself had burst and was of no use. Julie gathered the essentials and stuffed them inside her jacket, doing the same with the gift from Arthur that had fallen out of her pocket.

"Can we get out of here?" Brauni asked, holding her throbbing hand.

Julie walked to the other door, turned the handle, and pushed it out. To her surprise, it stopped on something, leaving a gap no more than twenty centimeters wide behind it.

"What the...?" she began, only then noticing that a rusted pipe had broken free from the ceiling during the collision and embedded itself in the wall next to the door, effectively blocking it. "Christ."

Julie's whisper caught the attention of her friend, who was carefully watching the opposite exit. She understood what was going on when she saw the steel pipe embedded in the wall.

"Oh no!" she blurted out. "We're going to die here!"

Julie scolded her for talking such pessimistic nonsense and reminded her that they were not alone on the ship and that someone would definitely be looking for them.

Kiedy Brauni się troszeczkę uspokoiła, spróbowały odepchnąć bardziej drzwi, ale udało im się uzyskać jedynie kilka dodatkowych centymetrów.

- I co teraz? - Spytała zmartwiona.

- Pozostało nam tylko jedno. - Powiedziała Julie, po czym odwróciła się i waląc pięściami w stalowe drzwi zaczęła wzywać pomocy.

- To nic nie da! Nie usłyszą nas.

Julie nie wiedziała, czemu, ale wezbrała w niej dzika złość. Odwróciła się do niej i krzyknęła.

- Nie pieprz takich głupot. Muszą nas usłyszeć. Nie zamierzam umrzeć w tej kupie złomu! Rozumiesz?

W normalnych warunkach, Brauni poczułaby się urażona słowami przyjaciółki, ale nie dzisiaj. Zdawała sobie sprawę, że Julie dużo przeszła tego wieczoru i że teraz miała prawo się złościć. Miała już coś powiedzieć, ale przerwał jej, jakich głośny, mrożący krew w żyłach, stukot.

To jeden z nitów pod naciskiem wody oderwał się od drzwi i wystrzelony jak z procy uderzył w drugie drzwi tuz obok Julie i Brauni. Przez dziurę trysnęła lodowata woda. Dziewczyny krzyknęły, gdy pozostałe nity zaczęły się odrywać i uderzać w ich kierunku, wpuszczając coraz więcej wody do ciasnego korytarza. Uchylały się jak tylko mogły, by żaden z pocisków ich nie trafił.

Szok, jaki u nich powstał wywołał niczym w reakcji łańcuchowej, panikę. Zaczęły uderzać w drzwi swoimi ciałami. Brauni mogła używać tylko boku ze zdrową ręką, zaś Julie, co chwila zmieniała strony. Mimo iż uderzały z całych sił nie przyniosło to żądanego skutku.

Pomieszczenie rozdarł kolejny przeraźliwy zgrzyt. Spojrzały w jego kierunku i dostrzegły jak blacha w drzwiach, na które napierała woda, wygina się niczym kartka papieru.

Zaczęły ponownie wzywać pomocy. Wiedziały, że za kilka minut woda wedrze się do środka i zginą.

Arthur wpadł do sali bilardowej z barem. Stół do bilardu zniknął, formując stertę połamanego drewna pod ścianą. Kątem oka dostrzegł nie wywołane katastrofą zniszczenia baru i domyślił się, że zrobiła to albo jedna z dziewczyn albo ludzie ojca w porcie. Zaryzykował przyjmując pierwszą wersję. Opuścił pomieszczenie i przebiegł zdemolowaną stołówkę, gdzie wszystkie stoły poznikały ze swoich miejsc.

Wtedy dopiero usłyszał krzyki dziewcząt. Były daleko od niego, ale popędził w ich kierunku.

Dziewczyny jeszcze raz próbowały swymi ciałami sforsować drzwi. Bez skutku. Blacha drugich, odgięła się nagle i do korytarza wdarła się woda, zalewając im stopy. Zaczęły krzyczeć, nadal mając nadzieję, że ktoś je usłyszy.

- Nie chcę umierać. Błagam Boże. - Zajęczała Brauni.

Na mostku Daniel nadal wywoływał straż przybrzeżną. Stracił już niemal nadzieję. Gdy nagle w głośniku odezwał się męski głos.

- Tu posterunek straży przybrzeżnej w West Point, jakie jest zgłoszenie?

Daniel fell into a state of euphoria mixed with feelings of fear and excitement and a faint hope of being rescued.

"The yacht Tabernacle is calling for help. We've hit one of the rocks. We're about a mile and a half off Ocracoke Island." Daniel gave them his position and finally added in a pleading tone. "We're sinking. Please hurry. Over."

"I've got it." A man's voice rang out. "I'm sending lifeboats now."

Daniel threw a small microphone on the instrument panel and hurried into the saloon, where Chris was keeping watch over Anna. He spotted a piece of plank and, with Daniel's help, they slid it under the girl, as they didn't know what injuries she might have and didn't want to take any chances.

They lifted her and quickly carried her to the foredeck, which was tilted dangerously to port, just shy of reaching the surface of the water. He spotted the lifeboat Arthur had mentioned earlier and carried Anna to it. When they were sure she wouldn't slip off the plank, Daniel ordered Chris to get on board. Frightened and cold, the boy obediently complied. He grabbed a blanket he'd found under one of the benches and covered his sister. Daniel examined the boat carefully and froze when he noticed it was secured to the deck with ropes. He had nothing to cut them with. He quickly returned to the living room and grabbed the first knife he saw on the floor.

Arthur was by Brauni and Julie's side a few minutes after hearing them. He considered the girls' situation hopeless.

"The pipe's blocked the door. We can't move it," Julie shouted over the roar of the water.

"And the other ones will soon fly off their hinges and the whole ocean will collapse," Brauni added.

They were all knee-deep in water.

Wordlessly, Arthur pressed the pipe to his body and, bracing his legs against the walls on either side of the door, began to wrestle with it. It moved a few centimeters, but that was the end of his progress, despite putting all his strength into it. He caught his breath and tried again. But a moment later, he slipped and fell into the water. He cursed loudly and began to panic.

"Wait here, I'll be right back with help!" He shouted to the girls, their eyes filled with hope, staring at his face.

"Don't leave us," Julie moaned.

"I'll be right back. I promise." He assured her and ran up the stairs to the upper deck. He didn't know if the help would come from Daniel or from something else. If anyone had heard their cry for help, it might have been Daniel, and he might not be on deck anymore.

The ropes that had previously held the lifeboat were now hanging loose. Water began pouring onto the deck, and the bow gradually disappeared underwater. A moment later, the boat, carrying three passengers, rocked and floated. Daniel grabbed a wooden oar and pushed himself off the deck. The first survivors left the sinking Tabernacle.

cz 8

Julie turned off the song, drawing everyone's attention, especially Daniel. Brauni was about to ask her if she still wanted to sing when Julie whispered in her ear, pointing to a point on the karaoke song list:

"Can you sing that?"

Brauni stared at the indicated spot.

"Sure, one of my favorite songs. Should I help you with the backing vocals?"

Julie nodded and then set up a board with the lyrics. It appeared on the wall. Daniel and Anna were confused, as was Chris. As usual, Arthur ignored them.

"Ready?" she asked, looking at Brauni. They grabbed their wireless microphones and went on stage.

Chris immediately caught on, stood up, and started clapping.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Julie and Bruni... I mean, Brauni." He corrected himself.

"Drink more, Chris," Brauni suggested teasingly, and was surprised when the boy obediently shuffled over for another glass.

Julie pressed a button on the console, and after a few seconds of waiting, a familiar tune played from the speakers.

She'd deliberately chosen a song whose lyrics spoke of a woman who wants to be free and independent from anyone (Sheryl Crow's "Steve McQueen").

When they finished, they were surprised by the effect. Everyone applauded, even Arthur, who had already gotten himself into a good mood. They thanked him and left the stage, having previously played the music Arthur had set. Some harsh music flowed from the speakers.

Julie chciała razem z Brauni zaatakować stół z jedzeniem, gdy Arthur, zatrzymał ją i poprosił by z nim wyszła na pokład spacerowy, gdzie wcześniej kłóciła się z Danielem. Zgodziła się, mimo lekkich oporów wywołanych stanem kolegi. Kiedy wyszli, zauważyli wokół siebie kłęby pary unoszącej się znad wody, tworzącej gęstą nieprzeniknioną mgłę.

- Powinieneś już zatrzymać statek. Nie powinniśmy płynąć w takich warunkach. - Zuważyła wskazując na białą ścianę przy statku.

- Zaraz to zrobię. - Powiedział najzwyklejszym tonem, w którym nie było najmniejszego śladu pijackiego żargonu. - Usiądziesz obok mnie?

Julie dopiero teraz zauważyła, że rozsiadł się na jednym z leżaków. Znalazła sobie miejsce obok niego. Oboje byli zakłopotani tą sytuacją. Każde z nich chciało zacząć rozmowę, ale nie mieli odwagi. Bohaterem okazał się Arthur.

- Julie - Zaczął powolnie i wyczekał momentu, kiedy spojrzała na niego. "I know things haven't been great between us lately, and it's mostly my fault, but...

" "Yours?" She interrupted him suddenly, looking into his eyes. "I'm so sorry, but I've been unbearable these past few months. You know I haven't been in the best of mental shape, and it's affected our friendship.

" "It doesn't matter." He waved his hand to stop her from explaining. "It doesn't matter whose fault it is, but I can't do this anymore. We've gone from being best friends to strangers."

Julie lowered her head and stared at her hands.

"I want things to be like they used to be, Julie." He took her hands in his. "I want to confide in you again and listen to your confessions. Only you can understand me. That's why I apologize for everything that happened and I ask for your forgiveness."

He noticed her shaking. He told her to wait a moment and think about it, then left her alone.

Julie didn't need to hesitate; she had been planning to reconcile with him for a long time.

Daniel felt a little tired and decided to leave their group of friends. Pożyczył im miłej nocy i udał się do kajuty.

Anna porozmawiała jeszcze przez chwilę z Brauni i Chrisem, a następnie postanowiła sprawdzić czy z Danielem wszystko w porządku.

Jak tylko zniknęła im z oczu, Chris zaczął insynuować na temat ich związku.

- Daj spokój, Brauni, nie zauważyłaś jak się kręcą obok siebie. - Podniósł ton głosu, gdy dziewczyna upierała się przy tym, że Daniel nadal kocha Julie.

- Ja tu widzę tylko twoją siostrę, śliniącą się na jego widok. Przydałby jej się taki mały śliniak by bluzki sobie dziewczyna nie zachlapała.

Zamilkli nagle czekając aż kolejna piosenka zacznie grać, ale głośniki pozostały ciche.

- Jak myślisz, co oni tam teraz robią? - Spytał tajemniczo Chris.

- Rozmawiają? - Zasugerowała dziewczyna pukając go w czoło. Zostawiła go i weszła na podest z konsolą.

"I don't know." He laughed aloud. "Maybe soon, it won't be just the waves rocking this boat."

Arthur returned to the girl waiting for him. He brought her one of his black jackets. Even though it was a few sizes too big, she gladly put it on.

"Thank you. It's very cold at night.

" "Can you believe it's almost one in the morning?"

Julie shook her head and looked at him. He was clearly expecting an announcement of her decision.

"I don't want to argue either. I want to continue being a part of your life, whatever it is. So let's forget about what happened."

She smiled brightly at his grinning. However, she paled when he placed a small rectangular box tied with a white bow in her open palm.

"What's this...?

" "It's a little gift from me. But promise me you'll only open it in your cabin, before you go to bed, okay?"

"Why did you buy me this?" she said with obvious embarrassment. "You didn't have to—"

She paused, feeling foolish for the accusations she'd made. She smiled and thanked him.

Arthur opened his arms and offered a friendly hug. She embraced him, resting her head on his strong shoulder. He nuzzled his nose in her hair. The scent of it, reminiscent of fresh flowers, sent him into ecstasy.

He ran his hands caressingly down her back and suddenly unclipped her hair, letting it fall freely down her back. It happened so quickly that Julie almost didn't notice when his lips began kissing her neck. She pushed him away and quickly rose from the chair. She looked at the hair clip in his hand and asked reproachfully,

"What are you doing?"

His face turned purple.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help it. Besides, you're free now. "

His last words sounded rather impertinent to her.

"You know I love another man. I couldn't be with you."

He couldn't understand how she could still feel something for Daniel after everything he'd done to her. He also didn't know why he suddenly wanted to kiss her. Only he knew perfectly well how much he had to restrain himself from pulling her into his arms and embracing her in a long, passionate kiss. He barely heard the girl's words.

"...I can't accept it in this situation," she said, and pushed the small box toward him.

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her in disappointment.

"I'm sorry, Julie," he muttered humbly. "I promise it won't happen again. And keep the gift. Please."

The girl looked at him. She didn't know how to react. She thanked him again and slipped it into her jacket pocket. She knew her reaction was far too much, but she couldn't admit it. She asked him if he was coming with her to the living room, but Arthur preferred to be left alone with his thoughts. When she left, he covered his face with his hands, cursing his stupidity and lack of restraint.

***

"Are you really feeling okay?" Anna stood leaning against the dresser, staring at the bathroom door, where Daniel had been sitting for five minutes.

He emerged with a toothbrush in his mouth.

"Better and better," he said indistinctly, making Anna laugh.

He returned and rinsed his mouth, then returned to his friend with a towel. He tried to explain why he'd yelled at Julie, but she only made it clear that she wasn't going to interfere in his affairs anymore, and he certainly shouldn't confess to her.

"I know, but you yourself told me, before we boarded, to decide what I really wanted." He walked over to her and threw a towel on the dresser next to her.

"What do you want?" she asked with a mysterious smile.

The answer was simple and predictable.

"You." He whispered in her ear.

Their lips met in a passionate kiss, and their bodies pressed together, sharing warmth and desire. They embraced tenderly, kissing with increasing intensity.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Anna asked him as they paused for breath.

"Honey, I'm doing what I've long dreamed of."

He kissed her even harder and more passionately than before. He felt lust fill him from head to toe. Suddenly, he grabbed her by the buttocks and lifted her off the dresser. She wrapped her legs around him like a snake squeezing its prey in a death grip. He moved her to the bed and gently laid her down. He straightened and removed her shoes. Then he did the same with his own. Before he could crush her with his body, she ripped off his undershirt and threw it in the middle of the room.

He began kissing her body, sending her into a frenzy with every brush of his tongue against her delicate skin. She, in turn, stroked his bare back, pressing him lightly against her. They were like greedy animals, obsessed with sex. Daniel slid down the straps of her top, kissing and caressing her bare shoulders. Her hands hungrily unzipped his zipper.

They didn't even hear the door to his apartment open with a soft squeak.

The sight of the boy she'd been going to tell him how wrong she was and beg for another chance, the one she'd wanted to confess her sincerest love to, and whom she now saw in the arms of another, made Julie stagger on her feet, as if the ground were slipping beneath her feet.

"Oh my God!" she said loudly, breaking Anna and Daniel from their lovemaking. Her purse slipped from her hand and rolled across the floor.

"Julie!" Daniel shouted, quickly rising from Anna and zipping up his pants.

Anna couldn't believe her eyes. She tightened the straps of her bra and top again.

"Hey, Jules. What are you doing here?" Suddenly, Brauni appeared in the doorway and realized what was going on when she saw the half-naked boy. She looked at Julie and saw the papery tint on her shocked face.

"Don't bother me!" Brauni said, and with a quick movement, she grabbed her friend's purse from the floor, followed by herself. The door slammed.

Anna stood and finished dressing, observing the devastated expression on her would-be lover's face.

"When you've recovered and still feel like being friends with a temptress, you'll find me in the living room," she said, hurrying out of the room.

Daniel stopped putting on his undershirt and sat down resignedly on the bed. Anger welled up inside him, at himself, at Anna, and at Julie. In a second, his nightstand was in the bathroom doorway, thrown by one of his hands. The bedside lamp shattered into smithereens.

cz 7

Julie, Brauni, and Chris's rooms were identical. Each had a large bed, surmounted by an equally large, light pink canopy. The floor was covered with the same thick purple carpet as the living room. Each room also had identical carved antique wardrobes and similar chests of drawers, with gold-framed mirrors decorated with small carvings of angels. All rooms also had their own bathrooms with a shower, bathtub, sink, and toilet.

The rooms on the other side, occupied by Arthur, Daniel, and Anne, were exact mirror images of the other rooms. They differed only in the arrangement of the furniture.

Everyone except Arthur was captivated by the lavish surroundings of the ship. The owner's son sometimes considered the ship his second home, but he didn't even count on his father ever leaving it to him in his will. Knowing Nathan Whopper, he would rather leave the yacht to the Coast Guard than to his freeloading son.

Julie set her bag on the bottom of the closet, where she found two orange life jackets. She decided it wasn't worth unpacking for just three days. She only took out her toiletries and placed them on the large bathtub in her bathroom. Then she settled comfortably on her bed and rested.

Brauni, on the other hand, had unpacked all her clothes in five minutes, hanging two pairs of pants and a jacket in the closet and arranging her underwear in the dresser. She also laid out her toiletries and arranged her toiletries in a clever way in the bathroom.

Chris, unconsciously, followed Julie's example and left his bag where it was. He did, however, explore every nook and cranny of the room and didn't hesitate to try on one of the life jackets. It fit perfectly.

When he was sure he wasn't being observed by any cameras, he began to jump up and down on the bed wildly.

Anna also unpacked, arranging her things in a similar manner to Brauni. Looking at the life jacket, she felt a strange sense of nausea. She knew it was necessary, but she didn't want it cluttering her closet. She took out both of them and slid them under the bed. She sat in front of the mirror and brushed her hair.

Daniel decided he'd unpack later. Lying on his bed, staring at the canopy above his head, he thought about his conversation with Anna before boarding. He convinced himself that what he'd said reflected his true feelings. However, when he looked at Julie, beaming and smiling, his thoughts began to whirl in his head, as if unable to find their proper place. Not long ago, he'd planned to reconnect with Anna, to make her forget the foolishness he'd committed. But he didn't have the courage to confess his feelings for her. He knew that doing so would hurt not only her but himself as well.

An

hour and a half later, as it approached ten in the evening, the ship shook with loud music, churning the waves toward Ocracoke Island. Fifty minutes ago, when they had reached Roanoke Island, Arthur had decided to steer the ship back towards another island, famous for its sparse population, who avoided it because the land was unsuitable for farming, being almost entirely solid rock.

Brauni and Arthur were dancing on the dance floor to the boy's favorite song, where the singer sang about how good it was to be God and have power over people. (Sunna – 'Power Struggle' – mentioned song, author's note)

Arthur was screaming his head off to keep up with the singer, and Brauni, laughing at him, sipped from her glass every now and then. The boy had long since stopped drinking a regular shot, so now he held a whole bottle of tequila in his hand, taking huge sips from time to time.

Julie watched them from the promenade deck, laughing at their strange contortions. Anna was snacking on some fancy dish with Daniel and Chris.

The girl didn't know whether to be happy that Daniel was finally happy or cry because he wasn't happy for her. She turned her back to the partygoers and stared at the foaming waves the ship was creating.

A few minutes later, when she'd tired of staring at the water or the barely visible lights of West Point two miles away, she felt a little tired. She'd spotted a few wooden loungers lined up against the wall.

She walked over to one and sat down, happily stretching her tired legs. She wanted a little rest. She hadn't yet felt like partying. She could hear her friends laughing loudly. She almost had a heart attack when a familiar voice spoke up beside her:

"Can I sit down?"

She opened her eyes and looked at Daniel. Although the voice sounded cheerful, his expression was serious. He held a blanket in his hand.

"I thought you'd be cold, so..." He handed her the blanket.

She thanked him as she wrapped it around herself. He sat down on a nearby deckchair and stared at the dark outline of land on the horizon, still visible against the dark sky.

"It's hard to believe you escaped Anna's grasp," she said sarcastically when he looked at her.

"I don't understand...

" "Never mind. Forget it." She snuggled into the warm fabric of the blanket. They were silent for a long moment, each wondering how to broach the subject.

"It's getting foggy." He began, pointing at the water.

"I know, a bit dangerous. But oh well." Chris mentioned this to Arthur, but only received a cursory reply.

"What kind?" he asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

"The same as usual. That he's been swimming since he was a child and hasn't encountered such fogs. That's Arthur." She concluded with a slight smile.

"Julie, what happened to us?" he asked suddenly, afraid they'd both fall silent again.

The girl looked at him with surprise in her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it and instead stared off into the distance.

"Nothing happened to me. I'm not the one looking for a change in life.

" "What change?" "He caught on, not quite understanding what she meant.

"You know, you and Anna." She paused for a moment to catch her breath. "You look happy."

Daniel stood up and leaned back against the railing.

"Me and Anna? There's nothing between us. We're just very good friends. Nothing more."

Julie knew she was telling the truth. Whenever he waved his hands, he felt embarrassed, but he wasn't lying. She knew him better than she knew herself.

"From friendship to love." She gestured with her fingers to indicate the small distance, trying to get him to speak. It worked, but what she heard unnerved her.

"Are you crazy?" he asked, his voice rising. "I couldn't love her because I still love you."

Julie stood up as if electrocuted, throwing off the blanket.

"I won't listen to this. You rejected me and now you suddenly changed your mind? It's not fair. There will be nothing between us. You ended it yourself.

" "You won't forget me that easily." "He shouted confidently.

Suddenly, they heard Arthur's voice, telling them not to disturb the fish. He was the only one uninterested in their friends' argument. The others gathered around the door leading to the promenade deck and took advantage of the silence to eavesdrop.

"I'm going back to New York in four days. I'll leave West Point and you far behind," she said in a hushed voice, approaching him. Their eyes studied each other.

"Sooner or later, you'll be back!

" "In a month.

" "Aha!" he said triumphantly.

Pleased with his elevation, she added,

"And in a month, you can forget a lot of things, especially you."

The music ('Alive' – POD) Arthur had put on caused outrage among the eavesdroppers. They glared at him, but he was now busy emptying his bottle.

"Let's see if you can do it, smartass," Daniel roared, shouting over the loud music.

"Sooner than you think."

Julie turned and, despite the boy's shouts, opened the door to the living room. Suddenly, Chris fell at her feet, and Anna landed on top of him, supported by Brauni. She looked at them in disbelief.

"We should have climbed to the roof," she managed angrily, brushing past them.

Anna laughed nervously and, stuttering, made up a story.

"Uh..." Chris lost his contact lens.

They smiled broadly at her.

The girl shook her head and hurried to her cabin.

The nosy trio looked at Daniel, who was glaring at them. They cautiously backed up to the table, glancing at him every now and then. Like Julie, Daniel disappeared into the corridor leading to his cabin.

"This is getting messed up," Brauni tried to shout over the music.

Anna and Chris nodded in concern.

"I'm going to Daniel!"

Chris's sister walked past them and headed toward the hallway.

"And I'm going to Julie!" Brauni left her friend alone at the table and disappeared.

Chris spread his arms. He'd been left out again. And he didn't want to push for a third. He looked at the table of goods. He grabbed a bowl of pistachios and began to crunch them loudly. Arthur was still dancing hard on the dance floor, at the console, waving an empty bottle.

Both Anna and Brauni spent a long time consoling their friends.

Julie, although she wasn't crying, felt terrible. She didn't know why she reacted this way. She'd longed for him to tell her he still loved her. And when he finally did, why did she feel like he'd insulted her?

"Maybe because it hurt you when he rejected your apology back then. He treated you like his property," Brauni suggested.

They were sitting on the bed, where they'd set out a box of tissues they'd taken from the dresser in case the conversation turned to a more depressing topic.

"What do you mean?

" "You know," she began awkwardly. "He rejected you and now he wants you back. It's like your feelings didn't matter.

" "I don't know, I don't want to think about it right now." Julie stood up and put on her shoes. "We're on this floating palace to have fun, so let's have fun."

Brauni jumped to her feet, delighted.

"Bravo, honey. That's it!" she exclaimed, laughing. "You know what I found on that console?"

They walked to the door and went out into the hallway.

"Karaoke. It's got some great new songs. Maybe we could sing along?"

Julie laughed softly.

"I kind of want to.

" "Yes!" Brauni shouted, jumping up and down, causing her friend to burst into laughter.

Daniel washed his face in the sink, dried his hands on a towel, and returned to the room where Anna was sitting on the bed. She looked beautiful in the dim light of the wall lamps.

She had explained at length that he shouldn't shout if he had already decided to break his word to her.

"I was as stupid as a rock, thinking I had any chance with her. At least I know where I stood.

" "You just had hope. It's not a sin." She looked at his sad face, stood up, and patted his cheek. "Come on, lighten up. We're here to have fun, not cry. "

She took his jacket, which he'd taken off when the angry man had stormed into the room, and helped him put it on.

"Let's get out of here before rumors start circulating about us."

He smiled at her and walked with her into the living room. At first, they didn't notice Julie and Brauni behind the console. Arthur and Chris were sitting in two armchairs, enjoying their second bottle of tequila.

"I'll tell Mom, you drunk." "She asked her brother with a smile.

Chris stood up and waved her off. He wasn't in the mood for his sister's morals. He settled down on the dance floor and turned his attention to the girls behind the console.

cz 6

Her room was uncomfortably dark. She felt for the light switch on the wall, and a moment later, all the shadows were replaced by bright light. The room consisted of two sections. One was the reception area. A large white sofa and two matching armchairs were set up there. A glass table, a large chest of drawers, and a large desk completed the decor. A little further on was the door leading to the other part of Brauni's residence: the bedroom. She entered, also turning on all the lights.

She took out her purchases and spread them on the large bed set against the wall. Besides the bed, the bedroom contained a second, slightly smaller dresser and a dressing table with a large mirror.

She picked up a dress from the bed and wanted to try it on. However, it caught on one of the photos propped up on the dresser. It fell to the floor, onto the soft carpet. The impact was so hard that the glass in the frame broke in half.

It was a photo of her and Tretch. She didn't know why she kept it; it only brought back painful memories. She picked it up and stared at it. A crack in the glass separated them, bringing a smile to her lips. She put it back in its place, still staring at it, remembering the sorrows and joys of her first love. But more heartbreaking events came to mind.

In one swift movement, she pushed it off the dresser, and the photo landed in the basket at the side of the dresser.

She decided it was high time to forget the past. She was in a new relationship now. It wasn't perfect, but it was vastly better than the one she'd had with Tretch. Peter was the half of the apple she'd long sought.

However, she wouldn't be herself if she didn't have a bad feeling. This time, she feared that Peter's sudden departure to visit his family would be the end of their relationship. After all, she hadn't heard from him in a week. And with each new day, she became more convinced that Peter wouldn't be coming back. Perhaps that was why she so desperately wanted to forget him, even if only for a moment, and immerse herself in the fun at tonight's party.

Only she knew how much she longed for her life to finally begin to unfold on a straight and level path.

***

At 8 p.m., after the blazing sun had scorched half the day, all that remained was a slightly pink sky, like the taste of a dish you'd just eaten. A light breeze blew in from the sea, ruffling Arthur's freshly combed hair.

He leaned against the railing of the yacht, gazing out at the quay where his guests were to arrive. He put on elegant black denim trousers and a thin, delicate beige sweater. He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, because despite the coolness, the temperature still hadn't dropped below twenty-three degrees.

He raised his champagne glass to his lips, took a sip, savoring it with all his senses, and then swallowed.

The yacht glowed like a Christmas tree. Several rows of colored lights radiated from the mainmast to the stern. The windows of every room on the ship were also filled with a warm glow.

The lower part of the hull was suddenly illuminated by lights. Julie's black jeep stopped a few meters from the gangway leading to the ship's deck. It parked in one of the spaces designated for cars. The engine stalled.

Arthur straightened, placing his glass on the table. With a faint smile, he walked down to the quay and stopped near the car, waiting for the first guests to disembark

.

Behind the wheel, as had been arranged, sat Chris. He watched Arthur, admiring his outfit and glad he'd worn a black sweater instead of a white one. Other than that, their outfits were practically identical.

He snapped out of his reverie and looked at the girls sitting in the backseat.

"Time to start the show!" he said cheerfully and got out of the car.

The boy ran up to Arthur and shook his hand in greeting.

"Hi, congratulations on your unique outfit!"

"Same to you," Arthur replied, laughing, disbelieving the coincidence.

Chris approached him as if he wanted to share an important secret and whispered softly, pointing at the car so his passengers couldn't see,

"Look now!" He lightly jogged back to the car and opened the rear door on Arthur's side.

First one leg emerged from the Jeep, then the other, both clad in strappy high heels. Brauni emerged in a beautiful black dress that hugged her body and reached to her knees. She held a small handbag in her hand. She smiled gently at Arthur, smoothing her perfectly straightened hair, which now reached her shoulders.

The boy was impressed by her complete transformation from a normally wild teenager to an exceptionally beautiful woman. She smiled at him and waved shyly. He returned the gesture and froze, staring into the darkness in the backseat, waiting for Julie to step onto the asphalt.

As with Brauni, first appeared both legs, clad in almost completely open-toed pumps. The heels were identical to her friend's. Chris offered her his hand, and a moment later, she was standing in front of the car.

As before, the transformation was incredible. She wore a black dress that ended at a slight angle. The straps had been replaced by silver chains that crisscrossed at the back. She had pinned her long hair up, revealing her slender neck, which was adorned with a chain similar to Brauni's. She gave Arthur a shy smile, despite the fact that their relationship had been less than satisfactory lately. He waved at her, speechless at the sight of the women.

After a few awkward moments for the four of them, Arthur approached them. He kissed Brauni gently on the cheek and then greeted Julie the same way, though he was a little hesitant to overdo it.

One of the yacht's crew, who had stayed until evening to carry the guests' luggage to their cabins, appeared at the car.

Chris handed him the keys to the jeep and then offered Julie his arm. In heels and with her hair up, she was almost as tall as he was. She proudly took his arm and smiled brightly.

To avoid appearing inferior to his friends, Arthur offered his hand to Brauni and, acting as host, led her up the gangplank. They climbed the 16 steps and found themselves on the deck of the Tabernacle. The second couple followed them.

Julie sighed slightly, captivated by the ship's splendor. Both she and Brauni were here for the first time. They'd planned to explore it from top to bottom if the party got boring.

The attendant carried their luggage to their assigned cabins.

"We'll wait here for a while until the others arrive. Daniel and Anna, that is, because Pres unfortunately has an important recording today." Arthur shrugged, then offered them each a glass of champagne, pushing a tray of glasses toward them.

They all took one and raised them in a toast.

"To three days of idyll!" Chris said cheerfully, clinking his glass with his friend's, then the girls'.

After they had taken a sip, Arthur spoke seductively, narrowing his eyes at Brauni and Julie.

"Did I already tell you you look stunning?"

"Not yet, but we'd love to hear your flattery, wouldn't you say, Jules?" she asked, nudging her colleague gently in the side.

Julie smiled and, instead of answering, drank more champagne.

Arthur laughed merrily.Pres opened the large iron door and found himself in the bustling recording studio. Almost everyone was there, from the sound technician to the common cleaner.

He enjoyed being here. It had long been his second home, where he could always find something to do, even when he didn't have a recording.

"Pres!" a tall man suddenly called out. "Good to have you here!"

Dan Campion walked up to him and put his arm around him in a friendly manner. He was a tall, slim man with light eyes and blond hair. He had been working at KML for four years, and in that time he had managed to build a meteoric career. He had liked Pres since the day he arrived at the station, even though he knew the young arrival could displace him from his current position.

"Hey, Dan." You weren't supposed to be here today, did something happen?

They stopped for a moment because two people had to pass by carrying a long piece of decoration.

"It happened, and we have a problem," he said in a hushed tone. "Satter got sick, and now there's no one to host the latest newscast.

" "Really? And Rebecca can't? She's good at those blocks. "

Dan laughed sarcastically.

"She probably could have, if she hadn't left last week for that report in California.

" Pres patted his head absentmindedly.

"I completely forgot. What are you going to do now? Are you going to sit in front of the camera yourself?"

They walked through a large hall where the studio was being decorated for the recording of a women's program. On the wall was a large circle resembling a shooting range, the main target in this case being a drawn man.

They reached another door, on which hung a small sign marked "Studio Extreme," marking the entrance to the room where Pres's program was filmed.

"I've outgrown sitting in front of the camera, now I'm producing Collins's new inventions. I thought maybe you could host this news. It's not that difficult, after all."

Pres was a bit surprised by the offer. It would be his first time in this field. However, he liked a challenge, so naturally, he accepted, much to Campion's delight.

"You're saving my life, mate. Seriously," he said, shaking his hand. "Come to Studio 8 by eleven o'clock. Everything will be ready. We'll give you a little training, and you'll shine at West Point hosting a regular news program."

The boy smiled and promised not to be late. Dan returned to his job, which was to give people orders. Pres, pleased with his new opportunity, walked onto the set of his program.

***

Anna, with a little help from Daniel, got out of his car, which impressed everyone watching from the ship.

As before, Arthur approached the guests, along with the man who was supposed to handle their luggage. Daniel handed him the keys to the Buick Park Avenue and shook his friend's hand.

"Great that you came." He smiled. "This party wouldn't be possible without you."

He hugged Anna.

She looked lovely. She was the only one wearing trousers. They were no less elegant than the Brauni and Julie dresses. They clung tightly to her body, gleaming with silver trim. A black tank top with thin straps completed the outfit, which seemed to be tailor-made for Anna.

Daniel's appearance was no different from the other men. Like Chris, he was also dressed in black, but instead of a sweater like Arthur and Chris, he wore a black shirt and a thin jacket.

"Oh my!" Anna sighed, gazing at the gleaming ship. "It's beautiful."

"No more than you," Arthur said, then ordered the man to bring in the luggage.

As host, he led the way, leaving the couple slightly behind.

Anna and Daniel walked arm in arm, admiring the ship's opulence. At one point, the boy spotted Julie, who had just gotten up and was taking something out of her purse. He stopped abruptly, almost making Anna collapse on the ground.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked angrily.

"Julie's here." He gestured gently in her direction.

Anna rolled her eyes and looked at Daniel.

"Fine!" she said firmly. "I've had enough. Either you tell me right here and now that this girl means nothing to you, or you go in there and tell her you can't live without her. I'm tired of hearing about Julie all the time. Julie this...Julie that. Make up your mind.

Daniel was surprised by her attitude. It seemed she didn't mind him talking about his former love. He didn't know what to say, and he glanced around nervously until his gaze landed on Julie. She looked beautiful. He knew it, even though he was too far away to see her clearly. But he himself had pushed her away...

"Julie is in the past," he muttered in a choked voice. "But don't ask me to say she means nothing to me, because so far I've loved her the most.

" "I accepted." It sounded dry, but it didn't impress the boy. "Let's get on that deck now, or they'll think we've changed our minds."

She took his arm, and together they slowly boarded the ship.

They greeted everyone. Anna kissed both girls, bypassing her brother. Daniel limited himself to a single word of greeting to all three of them. They drank champagne and sat down at the table set up on the foredeck.

There were several exquisite dishes on the table, along with bottles of wine and champagne.

They drank a few toasts, and soon their heads were buzzing. They were laughing and joking more and more. Arthur, who had been staying away from alcohol for now, was finally called out by a familiar employee who had previously handled their luggage. The man returned the keys to the Jeep and Buick and bid him farewell as he disembarked. Once at the dock, he put down the gangplank.

The boy returned to his friends, who were chatting loudly at the table.

"But seriously," Brauni laughed. "It's strange that Mommy let you go on a three-day sea cruise, especially with us. She's such a prude.

" "She let him go because I begged her," Anna explained, sipping her champagne. "Otherwise, he'd be sitting there watching us through binoculars."

Everyone burst out laughing.

"So, the same thing you do every night, spying on Daniel." Chris bounced the ball. He meant it to sound cheerful, but it only brought surprise to Brauni, Julie, and Daniel himself, and embarrassment to Anna.

"Do you watch me in the evenings?" he asked.

She didn't answer; she sat with her head slightly bowed, avoiding the eyes of her friends.

Daniel, deciding to diffuse the slight tension that had arisen at the table, laughed and said,

"You didn't see much, because I have the curtains drawn in my room every night.

" The laughter grew louder again.

Arthur approached Daniel and handed him the keys to his car, then handed the keys back to Julie.

"Well, dears, I'll go to the bridge now to take the Tabernacle out of port. Would you like to join me?"

Everyone accepted the invitation and followed Arthur upstairs in a group.

Julie and Brauni reminded Arthur again that he had to show them around the ship.

"No problem, darlings. But first, I'll show you your cabins, where you'll be staying. But that's a bit later."

They entered a wide, dimly lit room, swarming with all sorts of devices, buttons, levers, and handles. The boy explained everything precisely, explaining what each did and the amenities, which undoubtedly included an automatic pilot. It allowed the ship to constantly navigate in a direction predetermined by the helmsman.

Arthur grabbed a small microphone and put it to his mouth.

"This is the Tabernacle, requesting permission to leave the harbor. Over.

" "This is John Evans. Good evening, Mr. Whopper." The Coast Guard officer, who had been warned about the yacht's nighttime escapade, spoke up. "You have permission. You have a clear path to sea. Over.

" "Thanks, John. Keep us on the radar. No Over."

Everyone smiled at each other and went back to watching Arthur.

He grabbed a small lever, and a moment later, the ship was moving from its place in the harbor. Arthur skillfully maneuvered it among the other vessels stationed in the roadstead. As they entered the harbor channel, the great lighthouse came into view, already casting a vast beam of light around its axis. It was the first time they had seen it from such close range. Even Daniel, who had been on this ship before, was deeply impressed.

They passed it in majestic silence and sailed out into the open sea between the mainland and Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke Island.

They sailed two miles west, then Arthur set the ship's course to follow the mainland. He turned and looked at his friends, who were watching him closely.

"We'll now make a course along the mainland, and then we'll take it out to sea and drop anchor. Now I'll show you the cabins where you'll sleep during the voyage.

" "We'll sleep?" Anna asked with a sarcastic tone.

"You can do whatever you want." - The boy said ambiguously, and then ordered them to follow him.

They entered a small corridor lit by stylish sconces, walked a few meters past the ship's employee quarters, and soon found themselves in a large saloon, stretching almost the entire width of the superstructure. They forgot they were on a ship. They felt as if they had been transported back a hundred years. The saloon looked almost like an ancient throne room, designed by a Las Vegas casino architect. It was a peculiar blend of Western civilization and modern technology. The floor was covered with a thick purple carpet, enough to house several houses. The arched ceiling was decorated with figurines of cupids and nymphs. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Massive columns carved with gold leaf lined the sides of the room. Beyond them was a servants' passage. A table was usually set here, but tonight, at Arthur's request, it had been moved to the foredeck. Now there was a large, makeshift buffet spread with a vast array of dishes: roasts, various appetizers, fruit, and even ice cream, which had to be eaten quickly because it melted at an alarming rate. At the far end of the room were two stages. Arthur explained to the guests that the larger one was for dancing. Colored lights and strobes hung from the ceiling. A band usually played on the smaller stage. A DJ console was placed at the rear of the stage. According to the boy, there were about a hundred speakers in the room, carefully hidden from view. On either side of the lounge was a long promenade deck connecting the aft and forward decks.

When the cries of admiration and gasps of delight had died down, it was time to show the guests their rooms. They entered through one of the entrances leading from the hall and found themselves in a corridor, slightly wider than the one leading to the bridge. It was brightly lit. They passed rows of white wooden doors until Arthur finally stopped at one of them.

"This is Julie's room," the host announced. "Come in."

Julie smiled, thanked him, and entered the room, where all the lights were on.

The rest of the group stopped at another door, leading to the room next to Julie's.

"Brauni? This is yours."

Brauni jumped for joy and quickly entered. The others moved on. Brauni's glee could be heard in the background.

The next room went to Chris, to which Arthur commented, "Charlie's Angels should stick together."

"Our rooms, ladies and gentlemen, are on the other side."

He led Daniel and Anna through a small corridor connecting the two larger ones leading from the great hall. They found themselves in a wide twin corridor, where Anna received their cabins first, then Daniel.

"Mine is the one at the front," Arthur announced. And he went back to the bridge.

He checked the ship's heading again, then turned on the intercom.

"When you're all settled in, come to the Hall."

His voice echoed throughout all the rooms, sparking more cheers, especially from Brauni and Anna.

Arthur turned on the running lights and then stepped off the bridge, clutching a glass of champagne he'd found on the counter. He downed it and instantly felt better.

"Time to start the party," he said to himself as he poured another glass

cz 5

At precisely 5:00 PM, as the sun was slowly lowering its position in the sky, Daniel arrived at the Marshalls' White Magnolia restaurant, where Anna was getting ready to leave. Her assistant was already behind the bar. The aroma inside the restaurant remained unchanged, but the number of customers had increased. Now it was packed. Almost every table was occupied, and chattering people filled the restaurant with additional noise.

Daniel walked around the bar, greeting Beverly, who was handing out free drinks to new customers. He stopped by Anna. She was finishing getting ready. She applied light makeup and then put her cosmetics in a bag she had slung over her shoulder. She smiled when she saw him.

"Punctual as always." She kissed him lightly on the cheek, causing him to blush slightly.

"Ready to go?

" "Absolutely."

They left the restaurant, passing several people entering. They walked down a narrow street, where a few people were milling about.

It had cooled down a bit, so Anna added a leather jacket and shoved her hands in her pockets.

Daniel looked at her in surprise; Sam was wearing only a thin T-shirt and long, baggy pants.

"Aren't you overdoing it a bit? It's not winter. It's stifling."

She smiled at him, took her hands out of her pockets, and let them slap against her body in time with her stride.

"I don't know, I just got a little chilly." She paused for a moment, then added with a seductive smile. "I know you'd love to see me naked."

He laughed loudly and decided to hit the ball:

"Nothing I haven't seen before!"

Anna's mouth and eyes widened, and this time she was the one to laugh, while he remained serious.

"You didn't! We might have been together for five minutes, but we didn't go any further than a few innocent kisses. You haven't seen me naked."

Daniel suddenly snorted and stopped for a moment, giggling.

"Who used to run naked in my garden when we were kids?" He gasped suddenly and laughed even harder.

"That was very funny." She slapped him lightly on the back and continued walking. "Since when are you so witty, huh?"

The boy caught up and fell into step with her. They'd seen each other every day for the past two weeks. Daniel always picked her up from work, and then they'd come up with some activities to get through the day. As usual, Anna asked what they were going to do that evening.

"You know, we won't be as bored today as we were yesterday.

" "I hope so," she interjected. "I'm not looking forward to sitting around watching the boats leave the harbor again.

" "No, no. We're going to Arthur's party tonight.

" Anna jumped with delight.

"To Whopper, the richest guy in town?

" "Yes." He admitted reluctantly. "He invited us on his yacht tonight, but don't expect a big party. It'll just be a small gathering with friends.

" "Great!" she exclaimed, jumping even higher.

"You better pack more things. We're leaving port for three days."

At these words, Anna was euphoric. Her mood changed from good to excellent. Daniel, on the other hand, began to wonder what his friend was more excited about: three days of luxury or finally meeting Arthur—"the richest guy in town." Either way, she was happy about things directly related to luxury and wealth.

A few minutes later, she was talking about nothing but what she should take with her on the cruise. She barely noticed that Daniel was still with her.

When he led her to the house, she hugged him and thanked him for lifting her spirits. Suddenly, car headlights illuminated them.

***

Julie stopped the Jeep in front of Chris's house. She stared blankly at Daniel and Anna's embrace. When they looked at her, she immediately averted her gaze and looked at Chris.

"So, what are we meeting up for tonight?

" "Yes, Jules. I'll be at your place at seven-thirty, be ready. Then we'll go pick you up, Brauni." He glanced at his friend in the backseat.

"OK, no problem, I'll wait."

Driving from the store where they'd bought Chris some fashionable clothes, they'd agreed that, as a special treat, they'd let Chris drive that evening. They'd also agreed on a specific time.

Daniel suddenly knocked on Julie's window. Julie jumped in fright. She glanced at her old flame and immediately looked away, just like before. She rolled down the window.

"Hi, Julie, Brauni, and Chris." He listed off

, "Hi." They replied almost in unison.

Anna also said hello, taking a seat next to her friend.

"Are you ready for a three-day cruise?" "Daniel finally asked, when each of the three friends had fallen silent as tombstones.

"What?" Julie asked, looking at him again.

Brauni spoke sheepishly from the backseat,

"I forgot to tell you that we're leaving port and will be at sea for three days, so we need to pack a few more things than just these dresses."

Julie nodded in response, while Chris grinned, a smile the other three couldn't muster.

"That's even better."

Julie glared at him. He knew what she meant. She wasn't looking forward to spending three days with a group of people who were partially at odds with her.

"At least for me," the boy added, opening the door on his side. "See you tonight, girls."

"Yeah, for now," Julie said.

"Hang in there, Chris, and don't forget to wear those super-trendy underwear." Brauni said this so loudly that Daniel and Anna, standing next to him, gave him a meaningful look.

He took the driver's key and opened the trunk. He took out his shopping bag and slammed the trunk. He handed the keys back to the owner.

Julie, not waiting for further, tender farewells and fearing any exchange between her and her ex-boyfriend, sped off in the car and disappeared from sight.

The couple continued to stare at Chris. He, on the other hand, was surprised by Julie's behavior. She surprised him every day. Today was no exception. He started toward the house when he noticed his sister and Daniel's eyes following him.

"What are you staring at?

" "Super-trendy underwear?" Anna asked, watching Daniel barely contain another burst of laughter.

"Don't ask!" "Chris said preemptively and climbed the steps into the house.

***

"Mom, I'm home!" Brauni shouted as soon as she closed the front door behind her.

She placed her bags at the landing and looked around. She guessed her father hadn't returned yet. He was probably on his way home from Norfolk, where he ran a business. Whenever he returned, he'd leave his suitcase in the hall, where it sat for several hours before her mother began unpacking it.

"I'm in the kitchen, honey," Mrs. Hail replied.

Brauni walked over to where the voice had come from and sat down at the table. She watched her mother prepare a cake, which she hoped to have baked before her husband returned. However, she was in a slightly worse mood than before.

"Did you buy anything nice?" she asked, not looking up from what she was doing.

"Yes, two dresses, you'll like them. But I forgot to tell you something!

" "What?"

Brauni stood up and walked over to her mother, who had made more of a mess on the countertops than anyone else in the world while baking. Her hands deftly shaped the oval shape of the cake, which always looked delightful when she made it.

"I forgot to tell you that this party I'm going on today lasts a total of three days. I mean, we're going out to sea on this yacht. Will you let me go anyway?"

Mrs. Hail stopped what she was doing and looked at her daughter's contrite expression. The girl could read her mother's fears and, before she could ask, assured her that the yacht was safe and she had nothing to worry about.

"Yes, I know, my daughter. But Daddy is coming back today and would definitely like to see you.

" "I know, but I'll have Daddy every day, and an escapade like this might never happen again." She smiled, forming a pleading mask on her face.

"Okay," her mother agreed.

Brauni hugged her with joy, thanking her profusely. Suddenly, her gaze fell on an open, oblong envelope lying on the dresser to her mother's right.

"What's this?" she asked, and instantly found herself at the envelope.

She took it in her hand, read the sender's address, and froze.

"It's the court address!" she said monotonously, staring at the piece of paper with unconcealed pain.

She knew that all the letters from the court didn't bode well. She had been through a six-month trial against her rapist, which had ended with the bastard being sentenced to four years in prison.

She had forgotten that her parents had filed a compensation claim for their daughter. Now, without looking at the envelope's contents, she guessed that their application had been granted.

"The hearing is in twenty-three days. I didn't want to show you this before the party, but it's too late now.

" "Don't worry, Mom. The worst is over. This trial is a piece of cake compared to the previous ones." I'm glad we'll end this nightmare once and for all.

Mrs. Hail hugged the girl again, patting her gently on the back. Brauni placed the envelope back where she'd found it and headed out. She now intended to go to her room and try on the purchased items again, then pack all the necessary clothes for the next two days of fun.

"Did Dad call?" she asked before disappearing upstairs.

"Not yet." A slight note of concern was evident in her mother's voice.

"Don't worry, he's probably on the plane."