 
Naomi loved two things above all else. Her boat and her captain hat. Her boat, a white 75 foot walkaround with a full cabin called Sundown, was her prized possession, and when she showed it off, she felt like a girl with a rare gem that everyone else envied but could never have. On a bright August day, she let her half sisters Lacy, Lyra, Lupa, and Loli, and her half brothers Lemy, Lyle, and Bobby Jr. come aboard for a leisurely sail around Deep Creek Lake, a massive body of sparkling blue water that glinted in the sun. Mountains surrounded it on all sides, and thin strips of sandy beach crowded with people ringed it on three. Her father, mother, all her aunts, and a bunch of other people she was somehow related to splashed, sunned themselves, and played volleyball.
 
Landlubbers, all of them.
 
Standing behind the controls, she piloted the boat away from the dock and set a course for the other side of the lake. Everyone, dressed in big, bulky orange life jackets, sat on the benches lining the stern and looked around like they’d never seen anything more impressive. This pleased Naomi.
 
”Daddy?”
 
Loli stood to Naomi’s right, her hands behind her back and am an inquisitive expression on her face.
 
”No,” Naomi grumbled.
 
Loli pouted. “Daddy?”
 
”No.”
 
Loli balled her hands and bent slightly forward. “Daddy daddy daddy?”
 
Naomi sighed. She didn’t like anyone touching the controls but her. However, they were easy enough to handle that even Loli could do it. She sighed and stepped back. “Fine. But if you wreck us, so help me God, I’ll keelhaul you.”
 
Loli jumped excitedly up and down and took the wheel. She pulled the throttled back and increased the speed, then executed a perfect turn, the bow facing the beach now. She reduced speed, checked the compass, and nodded resolutely to herself.
>Naomi was impressed. “Shiver me timbers, you’re a natural!” she said and clapped Loli on the back.
 
”Daddy,” Loli muttered. I know.
 
Naomi stood next to Loli and scanned the water ahead. Shore was 500 feet off. “Not too close,” she worried.
 
”Daddy.” I got this.
 
Loli started to turn the boat away from land, then tensed. “Daddy?”
 
Naomi looked toward the dock. Lincoln, in only a pair of orange swim trunks, stood on the dock talking to Luan.The sun glistened on his wet chest.
 
”Daddy!”
 
Loli threw the throttle, and the boat shot forward with a jerk and a whrrrr. Naomi’s feet went out from under her and she landed on her butt, her hat flying off her head and landing on the deck. Behind her, someone screamed and toppled over the side. “Bobby Jr!” Lyra cried.
 
Naomi’s heart burst into her chest. They were rocketing toward the dock.
 
The retard was going to wreck them!
 
Getting to her feet, she tried to shove Loli aside, but the girl was stronger than she looked. “Daddy!”
 
”Stop, you bildred! You’ll send us to Davy Jones’ Locker!”
 
The dock was hurtling closer and Naomi started to panic. She threw out her elbow and caught Loli in the chest. Loli clung to the wheel like a desperate animal. “Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!”
 
The dock was feet away. There was no way to avoid a crash. Dear God, it was the Titanic all over again.
 
At the last moment, Lincoln and Luan looked up. Terror crossed their faces and, panicking, they dove off the dock.
 
”DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDYYYYYYYYY!” Loli cried madly.
 
The boat slammed into the dock, and Naomi smashed into the control panel. Everyone screamed and the pier collapsed in an explosion of wood. Naomi sank to her knees, blood gushing down her face, and lost consciousness. When she came to a few minutes later, the boat was listing heavily to starboard.
 
They were sinking!
 
Pulling herself up on the wheel, she looked around. Debris littered the water along with bobbing heads. Lyra jumped over the side and swam over to Lemy. Waves lapped at the rail, inches away from washing over the stern deck. Loli stood on the high side, peering over and scanning the water. “Daddy?”
 
”Abandon ship, you fool!” Naomi screamed. She went over to the retard, grabbed her by the back of her sweater, and tossed her into the lake. She followed, and surfaced just in time to see her beautiful boat roll over and slip beneath the surface with a rush of bubbles.
 
Tears filled her eyes.
 
Her boat.
 
It was gone.
 
Next to her, Loli frowned. “Daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy, daddy daddy.”
 
You were supposed to go down with your ship, you know.
 
Seething with rage, Naomi turned on her sister. Seeing murder in her eyes, Loli gasped and swam away.
 
”Get back here, you scurvy dog!” Naomi screamed and gave chase. “I’ll send you to the bottom for this!”
 
Loli screamed and swam faster.