Part I - by Linsday Cohen

As I browsed along the desolate beach, I smelled a salty mist from the raging water. It must have been high tide for nearly the whole beach was covered like a blanket in the crisp wetness of the water. I trudged towards a vast rock which remained only half-way fastened to the spongy ground. As I stepped upon the damp rock, I gasped for air as a wave came charging at me. "Yuk!" I cried. The salty water swam around in my dry mouth. I spat out the foul water and realized I had forgotten the main reason I had come to the beach: to swim. I had always loved the feeling of being alone on a vast beach. But, now the thrashing waves were getting higher and I started to shiver from the bitter spray.

I'll just sit here awhile, I thought. I sat gazing at the astonishing water and wished I could capture it for a split second and frame it. But, soon the sights got repetitive and I dozed off into a restless sleep.

I awoke with a queazy feeling. Peering around me I saw nothing but the arctic water.

"Where am I?" I said in a quivering voice. I brought myself to my senses and realized I was in the water!

True I liked being alone on the beach but not in the water.

"Help," I roared. "Help!"

But it was no use, I was yards from shore. No one would hear me.

I started treading water rapidly and looked around me to seek out my surroundings. Then as I turned my head I saw something black and marvelous in size. It was a huge wave looming over the sea in the distance. And it was getting closer! I knew to survive the wave I would have to duck under the crisp water while it passed.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

At that moment I lost all muscle control and slowly started to sink to the bottom of the icy water. n



Part II - by Lisa Benjamin

Crash, kaboom. The sparkling blue water roughly tumbled against the vast, dark gray rocks. A person could gaze at all those features of the ocean for hours and hours. Those arctic blue waves looked like they have a mind of their own. They even have a pattern going: advance and break onto the hot, desert-like sand, then retreat and begin to build up speed again. I took a deep breath and inhaled the hot air. I remembered when my mother used to tell me we were going to the beach. I was so excited that I always was ready in five minutes!

Crash! The thrashing waves smashed against an immense boulder to break my dream.

Suddenly, I heard a loud yelp coming from the ocean. My eyes quickly jumped to where the raucous noise originated. About a half mile away I saw a small person kicking and thrashing in the water. I called out, but no one was there. Not one person. I didn't know what to do. Then, a girl's voice cried out again, "Help!"

I was about to jump into the freezing water to save her when an enormous wave toppled over her. I was just about to swim to the spot where she went under when more huge waves came crashing over the spot.

Why risk my life for hers? She's probably already dead anyway. I told myself. But I just couldn't bring myself to believe that she was actually dead. I stared out over the ocean in horror hoping that my eyes would see her. The sparkling blue-green waters were calm again after a long minute.

I stared at that awful ocean for another ten minutes. I was angry at it for killing the helpless girl with its furious power. I began to walk away down the desolate beach thinking and hoping that the girl would somehow, somewhere come back. n