DIPPING,MUCH TO TRACT’S AND CLAE’S DISGUST.THEY HAD YELLED AT HER,BUT SHE
         
         HAD POUTED AND YELLED BACK,AND CLAE HAD CALMLY POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS
         
         LAURI’S PROBLEM IF SHE FELT A NEED TO SHOW OFF,MUCH OF WHAT SHE DIDN’T
         
         HAVE.EDDIE HAD SHARPENED A STICK AT BOTH ENDS AND STUCK IT IN THE GROUND
         
         FOR CRACKING OPEN COCONUTS.CLAE STRETCHED OUT ON THE SAND AND GAZED UP AT
         
         THE SKY.IT WAS TURNING DARKER,AND CLAE KNEW DARKNESS WOULD SOON FALL.TRACI
         
         PLUNKED DOWN BESIDE HER.SIMON PLUNKED INBETWEEN THEM.
         
           “WHY DON’T WE STAY UP TONIGHT AND SIT AROUND THE FIRE AND TELL STORIES?”

         TRACT SUGGESTED.CLAE SNEERED.
         
           “I HOPE TO GOD SHE DROWNS.” CLAE SAID AFTER A SECOND.TRACI RAISED HER

         EYEBROWS.
         
           “WHO?” SHE ASKED.
         
         “MICKEY MOUSE’S GIRLFRIEND,DARLA.WHO IS THE ONLY OTHER GIRL HERE?” CLAE

         ASKED.TRACI LAUGHED LIGHTLY.SIMON LOOKED FROM ONE TO THE OTHER.
         
           “SAME HERE.I SWEAR THAT IS GROSS.AND NOTICE WHO ALL’S DROOLING.” TRACT

         POINTED AT THE TEENAGERS WHO SAT AT THE EDGE OF THE BEACH.SOME HAD EVEN GONE

         IN.
         
           “I SAY WE SMOTHER HER TONIGHT.” TRACT HALF JOKED. “WE CAN USE MY SWEATER.”

         SHE VOLUNTEERED.
         
           “YOU ARE SO KIND.” SUDDENLY THERE WAS THIS HORRIFIC SCREAM AND BOTH
         
         WATCHED AS LAURI FLAILED.SOME GUYS WERE READY TO CHARGE TO HER RESCUE.CLAE
         
         WHIPPED OFF HER SWETER AND RAN TO THE WATER’S EDGE.SHE PUSHED THE BOYS
         
         AWAY AND SHALLOWLY DIVED IN.SHE SWAM QUICKLY AND GRABBED LAURI’S ARM.
         
         SHE PULLED LAURI UNDER,WHIPPED THE SWEATER OVER THE GIRL’S HEAD AND SURFACED
         
         ONCE AGAIN.SHE WRAPPED ONE ARM SECURELY AROUND LAURI’S THROAT AND TOWED HER
         TO SHORE