The travel-tine tile numbed Hallyn’s
feet, sending chills up her shins as she scampered down the stairs and toward
the back door. Howling wind had awakened her much too early, but surely Mommy
wouldn’t mind if she checked on her sand castle. She’d made sure to make it far
enough up the beach that it wouldn’t get washed away, but if any rain had
accompanied the gusts of cold air, her hard work would be destroyed.
In the mudroom—Mommy
called it some fancy name, but it was too hard for Hallyn’s four-year-old
tongue to manage—she stuffed her bare feet into her rubber boots, then lifted
onto her tippy-toes to yank her rain jacket from the hook that was too high for
her to reach. After shoving one arm into a sleeve, she flung open the door and hurried
down the stairs. She slipped a couple of times but managed to grab the rail bar
and wobble into steadiness again before taking another quick step.
Once she reached
the bottom of the nearly endless staircase, she grabbed the flapping half of
her jacket and pulled the sleeve over her arm. A shiver scrambled through her
body, making her teeth chatter, and little goosebumps speckled her naked legs
beneath her silky-feeling nightgown. Scurrying across the sand, Hallyn sent
wish-prayers up to Heaven. If her castle were gone, would her sister and daddy
be gone for good too?
