Free Shattered Illusions by Karen Michelle Nutt

Chapter One
    The fierce wind shrilled as blue arms of rain
reached down from the clouds, drenching everything in its path.
Brona shivered as she fought her way up the walk and away from the
crashing waves that threatened to flood the beach. Lightning
cracked the sky apart, illuminating the house with an eerie
backdrop. She pulled her windbreaker tighter around her.
    She berated herself for her stupidity. She
had noticed the threatening storm clouds when she started out this
afternoon. "Oh, but you had to ignore them," she sarcastically spit
out not caring in the least that she was talking to herself. "You
had to walk along the cliffs as if you've never seen the ocean
before today. Soaked to the skin, you are, and looking like an
eejit for the effort." Her dark strands were plastered to her head
and her makeup all but washed away. It was a good thing she hadn't
put on mascara this morning or she'd have streaks of black running
down her face.
    She hurried up the porch steps and to some
remnant of cover. She needed to collect the firewood and light the
fireplace or the house wouldn't be warm tonight. She wished her
husband would hurry home. "I miss you, Liam."
    He had been called away on business and she
didn't expect him home until the end of the week. She sighed. "Ah
Liam, a welcoming hug and your warm lips on mine, is what I be
needing this night." Instead, she had her sister, Tara for company.
She loved her sister and they would probably talk into the wee
hours of the night, but it wasn't the same as having her husband
there to keep her warm. She liked to snuggle near the fire with him
on nights like this. They would sip hot chocolate with marshmallows
as they talked about their dreams for the future.
    She glanced up as the lightning shot across
the sky. She hoped she wouldn't lose electricity as they had many
times before with lesser storms. She shook some of the water off
her and walked over to the front door. Her hands were frozen and
she fumbled with the key, only to realize the door stood slightly
ajar.
    Brona hesitated at the threshold, listening,
but the only sound she heard was the bawling winds and the rumble
of thunder behind her.
    Her sister, Tara was napping when she left
the house. That's why she had taken her keys to lock the door. Her
brows furrowed. Did I forget to lock it in my haste to be near the
sea? It wouldn't surprise her if she had. How many times had Liam
come home to find the door unlocked and she nowhere to be
found?
    Their rugged house stood hidden in a lush
forest near the edge of a cliff. From the porch they could see
where the ocean met the horizon, an endless view of blue and green
water. A hike down the cliff brought them to a private beach with
areas she had yet to explore. She sighed. On a clear night the
sunsets were breathtaking. She loved that they lived far off the
beaten path. They didn't have much traffic here, but Liam was from
the city and insisted that locks were placed. She looked at the
open door. Now he had her paranoid that someone had broken in while
she'd been gone. "Don't be silly. I forgot to lock the door is all
there is to it." She chuckled and shook her head for believing the
worst.

Chapter Two
    She entered the house with sure steps. She
reached for the light switch and flipped it on, flooding the living
room with light. "Tara, I'm back and cold to the bone." Silence
greeted her. It was odd how silence could clamor louder in the mind
than an orchestra playing a symphony. Her chuckle died in her
throat. A confusing rush of anticipation and dread whirled inside
of her. Why wasn't her sister answering? No sounds came from
within, as if she entered a tomb. Goose flesh moved up her spine,
making her shiver.
    Lightning crackled in the sky and thunder
shook the windows, causing Brona to jump. She whirled around to
shut and lock the door behind her. She headed for the stairs with a
thought: What if she had locked the intruder in with her? She stood
at the bottom of the stairs