Turn of the Tide | ONC 2023

[ONC 2023 Shortlister] ['23 RGAs Overall Winner]
When the storm comes, who will you choose to ride it out with?

In the sleepy coastal village of Porthdruro, the most excitement literature student Sally Tremaine experiences is the coming and going of the tide. So, when she runs into carefree photographer Flick Scott on a routine errand, the waves the girl makes in her life are beyond anything she's seen before. Flick is confident, passionate, and just plain fun - in short, she's everything Sally had never expected to find in her small world.

Things aren't all fun and games, though. The rest of the village wants nothing to do with the boisterous traveller, and Sally senses there's something lurking beneath Flick's impulsive character, something she doesn't want Sally to see. And when another stranger follows hot on Flick's heels, Sally faces a choice between staying true to the place she calls home and protecting the girl that could take her beyond the horizon.

As the storm draws ever closer, the questions rumbling in Sally's mind grow louder. What brought someone so full of life to a place like Porthdruro? Why is she so possessive of a simple camera? And will the toll of trusting Flick Scott be more than Sally can take?

***

Written for #ONC2023.

50. "An attractive, mysterious stranger moves to your small town. While everyone is desperate to make an impression, only you notice something a bit odd about them."

51. "The problem with red flags is that I'm attracted to them."

Stunning cover by the equally stunning @MiniMoxx.
Adorable chapter-end graphic by the equally adorable @Metalcanine.