Orange-red filled her vision as she slowly woke under closed eyelids. She opened her eyes quickly. She looked straight ahead, blinking from her contacts being dry. ‘How can my contacts be dry? I don’t even wear contacts anymore.’

The sun was just peaking over the horizon. Over the horizon of the ocean. She blinked, not believing what she was seeing. ‘The ocean? What on earth....’ Then, out loud, “Where am I?”

“On earth, I believe.” A deep voice said from behind her. She turned around, startled. She gasped.

“Isaac!” ‘Oh my god! Isaac Hanson!? What planet IS this?’ She shook her head in confusion.

Isaac sat down next to her. “Taylor!” He playfully pushed her on the shoulder. ‘Taylor? Huh?’ She stared at him in disbelief.

“What, Tay? You act so surprised to see me!”

“Well, I...” Courtney was trying to say something, but she just couldn’t piece together a sentence fast enough. Isaac cut her off.

“Listen, Tay, I just wanted to say, about last night... I’m sorry I blew up at you. I.. well, I know how you felt, and the only reason that I snapped on you is because... well I guess because what you said to mom,” He paused, “I wanted to say it too. I was just as upset as you were.” He sat quietly, staring at the endless horizon and the slowly rising sun. She looked over at him. The features on his face were accented by the pale golden glow of the early-morning sun. Isaac turned to her. “So are you still mad?”

She thought frantically, searching in the darkness for an answer that wasn’t there. ‘What is he talking about? Last night?! I was at Jessica’s last night! Oh, shoot, he’s waiting for an answer! Think, quick!’ “Uh, no. I’m not mad. Why would I be mad?” ‘What’s goin on here? Does he think I’m Taylor?’

“Oh.. I thought you would be.” He paused again. “I am.”

‘What is he talking about?’ She thought frantically.

She glanced at the sun which was slowly rising from the distant horizon. She took a quick look at Isaac, who was also staring at the sun rising. She yawned. ‘Hmmm.. I wonder what time it is? It must be pretty early if I’m THIS tired.’

“Hey, Isaac,”

“Yeah?” He answered distantly.

“Um, what time is it?”

Isaac looked over at her. He gestured to her wrist. “You’ve got a watch on. Look for yourself!”

“Oh, yeah, I- I knew that.” She said, embarrassed. She rubbed her throat. Her voice felt funny. It sounded funny too.

Isaac noticed her rubbing her throat. “What’s wrong? You’re blushing.”

“Oh, it’s my voice. Feels funny.” ‘I’m blushing? I NEVER blush. That’s weird.’

“Really?” Isaac asked. Courtney nodded. Isaac continued. “Well maybe you’re wearing your vocal chords out.”

Courtney was really confused now. “From what?”

“Singing too much. Whadda think, Tay?”

‘Why does he keep calling me Taylor? AAAGGGGHHH!’ “I don’t know, Isaac.”

Isaac rolled his eyes. “Well, anyway, maybe you shouldn’t sing tomorrow.”

‘Okay, something’s not right here! And whatever it is, I should have it figured out by now, right? Right! Okay, let’s think. I woke up on a beach when I fell asleep at Jessica’s in ILLINOIS, Isaac Hanson thinks that I’M his brother, my voice sounds weird, Isaac is talking about things I don’t even know about......and I’M NOT FIGURING ANYTHING OUT! What the HECK IS WITH ME TODAY!? Maybe my brain isn’t functioning since I just woke up or somethin.’ She paused to look at her wrist to what time it was. She lifted her arm up, and saw a men’s sports watch on an arm that didn’t even look like hers. She gasped. Isaac looked over, startled.

“What’s wrong!?”

She didn’t answer right away. She was too much in shock. She’d just figured it all out.

She was looking at Taylor’s sports watch on Taylor’s wrist. And in the reflection off of the smooth plastic of the watch face, she saw a cross pendant hanging from a black cord that was identical to hers, and a set of piercing blue eyes that stared back at her. ‘OH MY GOD!! I’M Taylor! The necklaces! I- we....... oh my god! I’m him and he’s me! Geezus christ! We switched!’

Courtney (well, Courtney in Taylor’s body) was making little whimpering noises, not believing the situation.

“Taylor?” Isaac asked, half alarmed. Courtney tried to answer. Couldn’t. No words.

“Taylor!?” Isaac asked, frantically. He got up from the sand and crouched down in front of Courtney. “Taylor?” Courtney stared Isaac in the eyes. Her eyes were frantic, darting this way and that, her breathing quicker. Isaac firmly grasped the sides of his brother’s face. “Taylor?” She resisted him. She tried to look down. She wanted to look at the sand. The sand was simple. It didn’t have problems like this. She wished she were the sand. She wanted to be simple, like the sand, no problems, not alive. Just like the sand.

“Taylor!” Isaac shouted, trying to break through to her. She whimpered. “Tay, look at me. Come on,” His voice was soft, flowing, gentle. “Listen,” She tried to look away. He forced her to look at him. “Listen to me!” He said, his voice harsh. It scared Courtney. Then his voice was gentle again. “Taylor, listen, I’m here for ya, okay?” Courtney nodded quickly. There were tears in her eyes. She looked up Isaac, the tears falling to the lifeless sand below.

“Ike,” she whispered. “I’m scared. Help. Help me, please.” She was begging him, with her eyes and her words.

“Taylor,” Isaac whispered as he slowly leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his brother who sobbed into his shoulder. He held him tightly, rubbing a strong hand up and down his back. “Taylor...”

Barely inaudible, she whispered sadly, “I’m Courtney,”