Shimmering in the midday sun, the ocean looked like a pirate's treasure trove. It seemed to wink at me, inviting me in. The hot sands burned my toes. I skipped back onto the boardwalk, in hopes of saving my scorched extremities. The wood was hot, too. Giving up, I held tightly to my towel and began the separate race to the water. The sand gave way to broken seashells about six feet from the water. I cut my toe. Cursing, I sat down on the chair under the umbrella, both of which I had rented earlier from a fat sweaty man with a cigar. I rubbed my foot and examined the wound. A little half crescent of crimson appeared on my skin. I licked my finger and wiped the blood off. I stood up ad cautiously made my way over the shells. I then sprinted off towards my cooling heaven.
            It enveloped me, smooth and cold. Swallowing me whole, like a headache-ridden man taking aspirin. My new found weightlessness was uplifting, literally. Soaring high above the bottom of the sea, I propelled myself outward with powerful strokes, the sandbar just a little way off. I noticed the bottom becoming lighter. Finally my toes fumbled and grazed sand. I stood up, the top of the water lapping at my powerful back. I sat on the sandbar, in the 2 inches of water, enjoying the tranquility, the serenity. I had my own private beach, shared only with the little hermit crabs that occasionally scuttled across my leg, mistaking it for their underwater playground. I watched the crabs for a little while with mild interest. The crab was small; it had six legs and was currently residing in a pink, white and coral shell. The shell twisted upwards, like a towel turban around a woman's wet head. I reached in the water and plucked the crab off my kneecap. He immediately retreated into his home. He. I don't know why I automatically classified this androgynous crab as a he. I shrugged and already felt myself losing interest in this petrified turtle-mocker. I placed him-her-it on the sand, pointing towards the end of the sandbar farthest from me. After a moment or so he-she-it poked his-her-its head out and scuttled off towards freedom. I lay down and slept on the sandbar. I dreamt a mermaid fell in love with me and tricked me into following her, knowing very well that I couldn't live underwater. I dreamt I drowned and when I awoke, the water had risen above my chest and was lapping at my chin. The tide was rising.

            I never made it back.