Arayette sat br on the driftwood br her feet hanging limply br as the water eased br quietly toward shore br kissing her ankles br before rejoining br the restless ocean br br The night was still br pulsating with the energy br left behind by the crowd of br surfers who had wandered br away an hour before br br Every now and then br a soft breeze lifted br a wisp of Arayette's hair br and played it across br her moist lips br causing her mouth br to unknowingly smile br br She automatically br raised her hand and br removed the mischievous br threads of hair br letting her mouth br return to its br original look of br hopelessness br br Her shoulders bare br but for the thin straps br of the hot pink bikini br suddenly sagged and br if not for a slight br movement whenever she br remembered to breathe br life amidst the beauty br was not hers to claimbr br CAROL HUGHESbr br