In a future far away, the Marlin's Flying Luxury Cruise Line sored high in the blue-gray sky. It’s white and blue body gleamed and glimmered in the sun. A warm summer breeze flowed across the open deck where parents sun bathed in lounge chairs as there lively children splashed around in the multiple odd shaped pools, one of which had a large twisted water slide attached. Waiters rushed around trying to keep up with the demands of the guests. Beneath the squeals and laughter there was the hum of the engine as it fought to support the large ship.
Liana Marlin sat by herself reading a thick, old book. Her stepmother sat some feet away watching a nursemaid smear sunscreen on Liana’s stepbrother. Her stepmother glanced over at Liana with a sneer on her tanned face. Underneath her sunglasses, discussed eyes looked at her stepdaughter’s sort black skirt and black skeleton top. Her darks hair cut shot and spiked out in all directions.
“What?” Liana asked her glaring stepmother. She didn’t answer as she turned back and snapped at the nursemaid who was trying to handle the squirming boy.
Liana sighed and went back to her book. She was sort of an outcast in her family. Her dad was the owner of this flying ship, and a multimillionaire. Everything in his life was extravagant and expensive including is third wife. Liana was a product of his second wife, who died when Liana was only five years old. Now, ten years later, Liana’s stepmother had made it very clean she Liana was not welcome.
Liana was always alone; She had few friends. The only person who loved her was her father, Mr. Marlin. He was always kind and loving toward Liana, but because he was the owner of this, and many other ships, he was always working. To make up for his constant absence, he often sent her and his new family on these long cruises. Liana did not enjoy these trips, because it meant she had to spend more time with her stepmother and stepbrother. She did not like them. Her stepmother was a hateful woman who loves money, not Liana’s father; her stepbrother was a snotty boy who didn’t know what discipline was.
Liana looked up to watch the other children laugh and play with their families. There was a little girl in a fluttery pink swimsuit going down the slide with her father behind her. There was absolute joy on her small, round face and her father looked complete with his family around him.
‘What’s it like?’ she wondered. She shook her head. ‘Stop wishing for something you know will never happen.’ She went back to reading. It was an interesting book, one with a dashing hero in search for his beloved, which had been stolen by a despicable villain. The hero risked life and limb for his love; he would do anything to get her back. ‘Must be nice, being loved.’ The heroin was an idiot. She was a weak girl who didn’t fully understand how much the hero loved her. She didn’t deserve him.
Sometimes Liana wished she were a heroin, trapped in a dungeon, waiting for her hero. But Liana would just sit there. She would fight. She would try to break free and help her hero.
But she was not a beautiful heroin, fighting to be with her dearest; she was a lonely girl on a flying boat, reading and adventures book.
A flying beach ball hit Liana in the head. She jerked back and instinctively dropped her book and caught the ball. The little girl in pink ran over.
“I’m sorry!” she said in a sweet voice.
I smiled and handed he the ball. “It’s ok.”
Suddenly there was the sound of an explosion and the ship lurched to the side. The little girl fell on Liana’s lap as screams erupted all around them. The girl’s father ran over and scooped her up, leaving Liana behind. The nursemaid grabbed Liana’s stepbrother and held on tight, while her stepmother fell of her chair and onto her face, cussing as she spilled her drink. She was obviously drunk and unaware of what was happening.
