chapter one

Carly Rose, a determined woman in the full bloom of youth, stood alone on the beach, gazing over the cobalt water with her rebellious opaline orbs. Her coffee hair danced lightly in the ocean breeze, tickling against one cheek as she tried to keep still despite her impatient excitement, resting her cheek against one hand as she hummed to herself. She wore a charcoal bikini top, her healthily color-touched alabaster back covered only by a thin bit of string, and a tight obsidian miniskirt showed the shape of her hips and the ivory, tinted with henna, tone of her legs. Her strands flowed in a bronze torrent past her shoulders, complementing her daring healthily color-touched light-colored visage. An elaborate tattoo snaked its way around her visible skin. A prominent scar stood out on her healthily color-touched pearly skin.

Her thoughts wandered to her days in Josh's company. They had known each other since they were children. They had spent time together so often that, despite all differences, others often mistook them as siblings. However, it was not until recently that they had recognized their feelings for each other. From then on, they were inseparable. They shared every part of their lives with each other. That was how it was to this very day.

"Carly" Josh said simply with eyebrows arched and a smile on his face. His pea-colored pools complimented his brunet mane, brushing against his ears, belying his audacious heart. He was dressed in his usual everyday clothes. He had a toned but slender body covered with russet skin. A prominent scar stood out on his hazel skin. As Carly Rose drew nearer, she caught a note of his familiar scent, a mixture of earthiness and sourness that was uniquely his. She smiled to herself. It always reminded her of the time they shared.

"Josh. It's nice of you to show up on time," Carly said, fiery globes flashing.

"Since when do you care about punctuality?" he shot back.

"Since just now." Carly gave him a quick kiss. With that, they began to walk along the beach.

"So, josh," Carly began.

"So, carly," he mirrored.

"How's that project going? You know the one."

Yes, they both knew the one. Josh frowned a bit and muttered, "Oh, screw you." At Carly’s delighted sniggering, he added, "Yeah, let's see you do better."

"Relax. You can be the hobbyist. Me….." Her voice trailed off.

"You?" Josh prodded, before following Carly’s gaze. In the distance, they could see the outline of a building that brought back memories for both of them.

"... That place." She unconsciously drew closer to Josh, who wrapped his arm around her.

In their view was a lighthouse, the place they first met, a day that they looked back on with fear.

"Funny, seeing it like this," he murmured.

"Funny..." she echoed. "How long has it been? Do you remember?"

"Not that long. It'll never be long enough." He gave Carly a thoughtful squeeze before releasing her. "But, look, Carly. We're alive. We've survived."

"I know that!" Carly interjected. "You don't have to treat me like a kid."

"Really? With the way you clung onto me you could've fooled me."

"Clung? You wish I would cling to you," she sniffed. "Come on." She swiftly set off walking down the beach, and Josh, knowingly rolling his eyes, followed.

As they walked, they came across a part of the sea that looked darker than the rest.

"What's that?" carly asked.

"The locals say the sea absorbs all of the sun's rays making it darker," Josh said. The navy waves swelled and surged, and Josh ran up the sea shore with Carly’s hand in his. From the frothing ivory foam waves came crashing in, breaking the two apart. Reaching for each others hands, once again the waves crashed into them.

Panting for breath, Josh asked, "Are you hurt?"

Carly shook her head. "I'm fine." looking towards up she saw that the sky was changing.

"Look... it's the sunset."

Josh lifted his head at Carly's words to behold the dying sun's flaming radiance. But even as he replied, "How beautiful," the sable clouds looming on the horizon worried him. "Carly, I'm worried about those clouds. Maybe we should go back."

Carly looked at him with such determined spheres and asked, "Just a few moments more? I want to savor today."

"Mm... if you want to," he relented.

They were unprepared for how swift, how brutal the coming storm was. The rain poured in torrents, bading the ocean itself to rise. Winds whipped about them and kept them from moving on the shifting sands. Soaking, shivering, they fought against the storm.

"Josh!" Carly screamed against the wind. "Please, don't let go!"

"I won't!" Josh shouted back, his hand clasping hers firmly as he struggled upward on the beach. "It's my fault! I won't let go of you, Carly!"

"Josh--!!"

Her scream was lost in the crash of waves against her body, the roar and power of the sea risen to steal her from her love.

She struggled against the water, but it was too much. The violence of the storm-swept waves forced her under without contest.

The waves had beaten the air out of her lungs. Desperately, she willed herself not to suck in the icy water about her. Will I die this way? she wondered. Will I die... like this...?

A firm hand seized hers and she felt herself being pulled up, up and up until the cold wind hit her face again. She coughed, sucking in the air greedily. Her arms had tightened themselves around Josh's neck without permission, and he was shouting, "Hold on, Carly. Hold on!"

"Josh," she murmured. "You shouldn't have. We can't make it out here. This way, you'll die, too...."

"Don't talk like that, Carly," he commanded. "We'll make it through."

"Josh..."

Thunder crashed in the distance, and the waves pitched and brought a mouthful of salty water against their faces. She coughed and held on to him, thinking, no, this isn't how it should end, this isn't how Josh should die...

Something bumped against her leg. A shark? Fear coursed through her body. But before she could react, another wave pushed them under. Josh slumped against her, momentarily knocked senseless. With burning eyes, Carly saw a large silhouette with a slender body and a bottle-like nose.

A dolphin, she thought. How lucky.

Summoning forth all her will, she put Josh on the dolphin's back.

It was the last thing she did before her world went black. Three days later

 "I've never known anyone else quite like her."

"She was such a good friend. True and loyal to the last...."

"Never forget her skill and talent. We couldn't have done it without her."

Josh sat on a chair by the coffin, his hands around his knees, his crystals dry, his soul too numbed to grieve. The funeral attendees nodded to him as they passed. The reception lasted hours, but it seemed to Josh that it was only moments before the crowd disappeared. He picked himself off the chair and turned to look into the coffin for the first time since the funeral started. Eyes closed and still, Carly laid inside in a fine inky dress, her hands clasped over her chest. She could have been in a very deep sleep. Josh fought the urge to reach out and nudge her awake. Carly was gone. Gone because of him. Because she loved him. Casting a long look at her beautiful visage, Josh leaned in and laid a single kiss on her lips.

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