Pudica was unsure whether fright or hypothermia caused her shivering. She hugged her knees and nestled against a tree, watching the shade by her feet retreat and the sky gain color. The sand was the lightest yellow, bathing in the foam of crystal water. No dangerous animals, no loud engines—it was a girl on a quiet, sunny beach.
And it sucked.
In search of warmth, she crawled out of the shadows and lifted her face to the sun. So much water and she couldn’t drink any. Knees dragged to dry sand.
Great—not! The overrated white dirt stuck to her. Wiping it on her red shirt, smeared it everywhere, which was as annoying as being cold.
It must have been past eight because Pudica’s empty stomach twinged. She scanned the beach for signs of activity.
Loneliness struck.
