THE STORM THAT TESTED GREYHAVEN
Chapter 1
The morning had begun quietly.
That was what made the storm so frightening.
There had been no warning that felt serious enough to change anyone’s plans.
The fishermen still went out early.
The diner still opened.
The bakery still put bread in the window.
Children still walked to school.
Ethan Cole had spent the first half of the morning at Hayes Marine & Auto, repairing an old outboard motor that had been sitting untouched for nearly two weeks.
Walter was underneath a fishing boat.
A radio played quietly from the workbench.
The forecast mentioned strong winds later in the evening.
Nothing unusual for the Oregon coast.
Walter listened for a few seconds before turning the volume down.
“Another storm.”
Ethan tightened a bolt.
“How bad?”
“Supposedly.”
Walter shrugged.
“They always say that.”
Ethan glanced toward the shop’s open doors.
The sky looked gray.
Heavy.
But not threatening.
“Looks normal.”
Walter crawled out from under the boat.
“That’s because you’ve only been here long enough to think normal weather exists.”
Ethan smiled.
“Fair point.”
They returned to work.
By noon, the wind had increased.
By one, the harbor had begun changing.
Fishing boats rocked harder against their ropes.
Seagulls disappeared inland.
The air smelled different.
Saltier.
Sharper.
Ethan noticed first.
He walked outside.
The harbor was unusually quiet.
Walter joined him.
“You feel that?”
Ethan nodded.
“Yeah.”
Walter looked toward the horizon.
Dark clouds were gathering over the ocean.
Not ordinary clouds.
A wall.
Almost black.
Moving toward Greyhaven.
Walter’s expression changed.
“Get everyone home.”
