Читать книгу Down River - Карен Харпер - Страница 7

August 20, 1982

Lisa Vaughn fought to pull her wrist loose from her mother’s strong hand. “No, I’m afraid. I’m going to tell Grandma. No, Mommy, no, nooo!”

They were up on the deck where everyone had done the lifeboat drill but now no one else was around. Eight-year-old Lisa loved the big cruise ship she was on in the middle of the blue sea with Grandma, Mommy and baby Jani. But Grandma was taking a nap in their cabin, and Mommy was crying. So was Lisa’s baby sister, maybe because Mommy was holding her so tight against her chest with only one arm. With the other hand she dragged Lisa toward the back railing of the ship with lots of bubbling white water underneath.

Walking around the deck with Mommy and Jani, Lisa had thought it was pretty at first, all that wild water like when you swished your hand real fast to make lots of bubbles in the bathtub. But Mommy kept saying something about “Getting away just like your father did, just getting away with my girls … peace forever …”

Lisa started to cry, too, when her mother put one leg up high over the railing. Still, she didn’t let go of Lisa’s wrist, dragging her closer. Jani cried and squirmed. Wet-faced from her own tears, Mommy kissed her little cheek, then looked back at Lisa.

“You have to come with us, Lisa. Stop struggling!”

She gave Lisa a huge tug, trying to lift her over the rail, scraping her stomach.

“No!” Lisa shouted as she pulled back and kind of shoved Mommy away at the same time.

Lisa fell hard on the deck, so surprised and scared as Mommy, still holding Jani, fell backward, down. Lisa jumped to her feet in time to see Mommy and Jani drop and disappear, sucked into the sea by the wild white water.