It was not supposed to be this hot. Avon, North Carolina, was supposed to have a mild, temperate climate. But that was not to be, Liza had discovered. It was a scorching 90 degrees on the beach where she stood, abandoned by all but her. After all, why roast here when they could relax in their air conditioned, luxury, beach-front rental homes? Shaking her head at the thought of another day inside with her entire extended family, she resumed walking toward the water. Any amount of sweat was worth missing that.
It might not even be so bad, she reasoned, if it was sunny. Then at least she could tan a little, and have something to show for this grueling week of "vacation." Instead, a heavy humidity accompanied by low, dark clouds surrounded the tiny island. It darkened her mood, but not her resolve. The coolest place she knew of at the moment was the surf in front of her, and she had every intention of taking a long swim. It would be at least a temporary reprieve from the Jameson family.
Stripping off her jeans and t-shirt, she jogged into the waves. Had there been anyone else on the beach, she might have chosen a more modest swimsuit, but all her others had been wet already, and besides, she was alone. Hitching it up once around her chest, she began to swim along the shore. She swam first against the current, and then with it back to her starting place. Each time she drifted a little farther out, but not so far as to be in danger. Soon, she was lost in the exercise, thinking no more of where she was or how far she was going.
The soothing sound of the waves as she pulled along was a lullaby to her, distracting her from the sudden winds that picked up, the rapid motion of the plants on the dunes, the howling through the houses. She saw and heard only the green water beneath her, and so missed the sudden stirring of the clouds and the distant rumble of thunder; In fact, it wasn't until the storm was immediately upon her that she even thought to look up.
What met her eyes was a truly terrifying sight to someone in her current position. The sky was a myriad of gray and black, swirling with the unbelievable winds. Lightening flashed, and a similar bolt of fear slashed through her chest. Looking toward shore, she realized with a wail that she was much farther out than she'd hoped to be. There was only one thing for it, really, and so she began to swim like mad toward the beach.
She swam for what seemed like an eternity, but the winds were blowing forcefully against her. Waves smashed from every conceivable direction, and she struggled just to keep her head above water. Each stroke now felt like lifting lead. Just as she began to think that she couldn't keep her head up any longer, there was a brilliant flash of light. Her body felt as though a hot iron had been passed right through it, and she knew no more.