'We're going to find bags of decent shells, you know. She tugged open the gate above the beach, glanced back at Dot, and then hopped down two steps. Did it belong to that odd man who kept hanging about? He reminded her of a crab the way he sidestepped away when she stared at him.

A thought passed briefly that she had seen that car before. 'Ha.' Annie squeezed around an old black car taking up much of the alleyway. Her shoes clattered across the stones.ĭot kept up, but just barely, finally saying in an overloud voice, 'You'll wake the village, yeah. She slid the rest of the way and then jumped to the pavement. She rubbed at the sudden burning pain, but a little blood didn't dampen her resolve. As she climbed down to the path that led to the beach, she caught her shin on a jagged rock. A tinny note sounded, and she glanced at her mobile. Tromping down a side street, she cast a glance toward her home where her mother would keep breakfast warm until she returned. She pulled out her mobile to text: W Dot beach. Her mother would worry, as she always did. Don't be such a slow coach.' She ignored her friend's disbelieving face and navigated the overgrown path where it dropped through the bracken to the first tier of the village roads. 'Couldn't wait, could I?' Annie paused to swipe at a wet leaf stuck to the toe of one of them.

'My mother didn't want me wearing them till tomorrow's school.'ĭot laughed. 'Dot, you didn't say a thing about my new shoes. They were on a mission to collect them.Īnnie caught up to her friend. There had been a storm the night before, the kind that brings shells to the shore. She and her friend cut across the brilliant green field, a stage set high above the sea where heaven touched earth. The sky lightened with the promise of a new day. When she did, pain shot through her skull and a deeper darkness came and took her so she didn't know anything more.Īnnie Butler loved to stand on this rock promontory, arms outstretched to grab the wind. In an effort to shift away from the cold, and the smell, and the heavy something holding her down, she only managed to turn her head to the side. She had to think about how to get out of this mess.Ī deep breath turned into a gag because something smelled gross. Her face warmed up to a sob, but she squeezed her eyes shut against the tears. When Annie Butler opened her eyes, she could see nothing but the dark. To teach the sea what it may do too soon. Weep me not dead, in thine arms, but forbear Draw not up seas to drown me in thy sphere,

Deadly Thyme by R.L. Nolen