The waves had been cruel, tossing Margaret around like trash before finally spitting her out onto the cold, rocky shore. She lay there, sprawled on the wet sand, coughing up saltwater that stung her throat raw. Her lungs burned with every gasp, her body trembling from exhaustion and pain. Blood coated her tongue, sharp and metallic, mixing with the salty taste of the sea. Her soaked dress clung to her skin, heavy and icy, dragging her down as she struggled to breathe.
The dark sky loomed above her, endless and angry, streaked with clouds that hid the stars. She didn’t know how long she stayed there, flat on her back, the world spinning as her mind teetered on the edge of blacking out. Every breath was a fight—her chest ached, her ribs bruised from the ocean’s pounding. Every twitch of her
