An Unusual Gift

By Sophia DeLuna

Mia is delighted at the opportunity of moving into a cottage by the sea with her mother. Through her hobby of shell collecting, she meets and befriends a sad and lonely mysterious woman on the beach, who also shares her love of seashells. The friendship leads to a most unexpected and extraordinary discovery.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sophia DeLuna
• Release date: Oct 5, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301408085

Sophia DeLuna

I live on the outskirts of Nuremberg, and I love walking with my dog in the forest, which starts just across the road. My greatest passions are the English language, writing, reading, and my aquariums. I also love photographing, digital painting and creating digital art, crocheting, singing, travelling, learning languages, watching documentaries, etc. In short, I love being creative and I'm interested in a vast variety of subjects. Some of my photos and digital paintings can be viewed here: http://www.redbubble.com/people/sophiadeluna

Book preview

An Unusual Gift

By

Sophia DeLuna

SMASHWORDS EDITION

*****

PUBLISHED BY:

Sophia DeLuna at Smashwords, Inc, Los Gatos

www.smashwords.com

An Unusual Gift

Copyright © 2012 by Sophia DeLuna

Cover design

Copyright © 2012 by Sophia DeLuna

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Discover other titles by Sophia DeLuna at Smashwords.com:

Footprints in the Sand (fantasy short story)

Desert Wind (fantasy short story)

Fénya and Elynor (fantasy short story)

A Matter of Faith (fantasy short story)

Fire and Ice (short love story)

Taxi (short love story)

Hidden Secrets (science-fantasy novel)

Laments and Liaisons (romance-mystery novel)

Once upon a Dragon (children's fantasy story)

*****

As always, a big Thank You goes to my dear friend and editor, Agota, for all her help, advice and encouragement.

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An Unusual Gift

Prologue

It was a cold winter's day and the wind blew harshly from the sea, rattling the shutters of the weather-beaten hut. Inside a middle-aged woman sat huddled in a threadbare blanket on a chair in front of the old iron potbelly stove. Casting a glance at a bucket full of shells that stood next to the door, she sighed. Today she would not be able to go to the beach.

A knock on the door caused the woman to look up. As the knock was repeated, she slowly got up. Brushing a white strand of hair out of her face that had escaped from her ponytail, the only white strand in her otherwise dark brown hair, she shuffled to the door. Opening the door as much as the security chain would allow, she peeked outside and recognised the postman by his uniform.

Good day, Miss Davidson, called the postman loudly to be heard over the howling wind.