The Lighthouse

Alexis Gallagher

June 11th, 2026

                                 The Lighthouse

  It’s a cold morning on Pelican Island just off of Seattle. A slight wind was starting to pick up. 

At one end of the island Ben was starting his day in the lighthouse.  He checked the forecast and radar.  It looked like a normal calm day was ahead.  As he walked outside towards the other end of the island he noticed the tree branches swaying with small bursts of wind.

  On the other side of the island were two buildings. Marcy ran the island bookshop while her sister Linda ran the bakery cafe next door.

  Ben walked into the bakery breathing in the fresh aroma of sourdough bread and freshly brewed coffee. He got his usual oat milk latte and blueberry scone while having an easy conversation about the weather with Linda.

  After his bakery stop he wandered through the doors connecting to the bookshop.  He found Marcy sitting behind the desk going through a pile of books.

“Hey there, how are the books treating you? Any new arrivals?” asked Ben.

         Marcy smiled at the sound of his voice as she looked up at him. “Hey, actually a box of lighthouse books arrived yesterday. It's called Lighthouses in America,” said Marcy.

       “Well I hope the Pelican Island lighthouse is in it. I feel like I have been working hard at keeping it maintained well.  Let's head for a walk down to the dock,” said Ben.

     “A walk sounds like a great idea, I need a break from looking at all these books,” said Marcy.

    Ben and Marcy soon stepped outside into the sunny yet slightly chilly midmorning.  They walked side by side towards the water.  As they walked they noticed that the trees were swaying each time a gust of wind came. It brought along the fresh smell of sea salt air.

  Marcy zipped up her jacket a little tighter as she shivered from the wind.  "Wow, that wind feels strong. Have you checked what the mainland weather report is saying?" Marcy asked as she spotted a dark cloud on the horizon over the water.

    Squeezing her hand slightly to help keep her a little warmer, Ben offered her his jacket. “No indication of a storm was made when I checked this morning,” said Ben.

  As the ferry approached Pelican Island, Curtis stood at the railing, watching the island grow larger through the mist.  He felt nervous. It would be the first time he had seen Linda since shortly after college.

  Greg spotted the lighthouse through the mist. He was excited to finally see it. His father owned an almost identical lighthouse on the Oregon coast, not far from Portland, which Greg would one day inherit. Even through the mist, Greg recognized the unusual red trim around the lantern room. His father’s lighthouse had the exact same design.

    As Ben and Marcy got closer to the ferry dock the seagulls were diving into the waves that were crashing against the rocks. Just as the noon ferry was docking two unexpected male visitors walked off the ferry.  Both men were dressed in business suits and each carried a briefcase.

    Marcy slowed down as she saw the two strangers.  It’s an odd time of year for tourists to come.  Why are they dressed in suits? thought Marcy. 

     Ben was curious as to why there were two men standing at the dock staring at them and waving.

Greg and Curtis stepped off the ferry. Looking up the hill they spotted a man and a woman coming their way.  They happily smiled and waved at them.

“Good afternoon!” said Greg.

“We are excited to be here,” said Curtis.

“Yes, we were pleased when we got the invitation,” said Greg.

Marcy curiously looked from Ben to the two men. “Invitation?” asked Marcy.

Feeling very confused and curious Ben asked, “Invitation for what exactly?”

“The Lighthouse, of course!” replied Curtis.

“We should introduce ourselves,” said the red–haired man.  “I'm Curtis and this is Greg. I’m a lighthouse keeper, and Greg is preparing to inherit his father’s lighthouse.”

Ben glanced toward the lighthouse. For just a second, the lantern room window seemed to catch the sunlight, almost as if someone were watching them.

   “I am Ben and I am the lighthouse keeper here.  This is Marcy. She runs the island bookshop beside the bakery that her sister Linda owns.”

   The wind grew stronger, and the clouds continued to gather. Waves began washing over the dock. 

   Ben, Marcy, Greg and Curtis made their way towards the lighthouse.

  Meanwhile at the cafe/bookshop Linda gathered the box of lighthouse books that had arrived recently along with some sandwiches and chips.  She placed her invitation into the book box and stepped outside with the books and food. The card had instructed her to bring the books, food and five chairs, but it offered no explanation of who had sent it or what would happen next.

  Linda made her way across the island toward the lighthouse as the clouds grew darker. She could smell the rain approaching. Nearing the lighthouse, Linda’s steps faltered as she recognized Curtis through the window. She took a deep breath and continued. Once Linda arrived at the lighthouse she got five chairs out and placed them all in a circle.  Next she placed a book on each chair, finally she sat down.

   As the wind got stronger the shutters banged loudly against the aging yellow and red lighthouse just as the rain started pouring against the glass outside.

   Ben, Marcy, Greg and Curtis had all been watching Linda set up the chair circle.

 Marcy stood perplexed as to why Linda had done this. What's happening? She thought.

Greg and Curtis each picked up a book and sat down.

“What’s this for?” asked Ben.

“Take a seat,” Linda told Marcy and Ben.

Cautiously they both sat down.

Linda looked at the card she had received with her invitation.  It listed all the talking points. Just as she started to speak the wind howled through the thin windows as a crack of lightning flashed and the lights briefly flickered off and on before going out completely.

  “Well that’s unfortunate, I will go get the candles,” said Ben.

  “It seems like the storm has gotten worse, looks like the ferry won’t be running until the morning,” said Marcy.

 “I think that there will be plenty to do here,” said Curtis, smiling as he looked around.

  Ben came back from the kitchen with candles and everyone helped to light them.

  Once everyone was seated again, each with a book, the rain and thunder were the only sounds that could be heard. The flickering candlelight caught each person's face.

  Marcy opened her book, quickly catching a note with her name on the first page and a single word below: Librocubicularist. She frowned as she felt a slight shiver run through her body, unsure of what to think.

  Ben noticed Marcy’s nervous expression and felt his hands dampen with sweat. What’s happening? He thought.

    Watching Marcy open her book and seeing her expression, Linda asked, “What’s inside?”

  “ It’s a word,” said Marcy. Afraid to say it out loud and somehow reveal a part of herself to everyone.

   “Well what’s the word and the meaning of it?”  asked Curtis impatiently.

  While listening and observing everyone Greg opened his book and saw the word Loom written inside on a piece of paper.

 With strong winds whistling through the windowpanes and rain hitting the glass, a loud CLICK was heard. A crack of lightning flashed and illuminated the room with a loud BANG of thunder, the rotating light went off.

“Well, that’s not good. The lighthouse light has gone off,” said Ben.

“That should never happen!” said Greg, starting to feel slightly anxious.

Feeling worried, scared and wanting to move on, Curtis opened his book.  Looking at the word, he said, “Verdigris is my word.”  

 An old warm aging wood smell wafted in almost as if the wind outside had pushed it in. As a flash of lightning illuminated the room a tint of green could be seen.

  “Did the room just light up with a tint of green?” asked Linda.

   A loud creaking sound came from the top of the lighthouse stairs as if someone was starting to come downstairs but everyone was sitting in their chairs.

 “Who’s that?” asked Marcy.

Ben slowly opened his book and announced that his word was “Pharos.”

The lighthouse beam seemed to come back on briefly, only this time illuminating the room as Linda finally opened her book and said, “Inscrutable.”  With that the beam was off again.

 Everything was silent now for a few moments as they all sat there slightly unsure of what would happen next. The rain pounded on the windows while the thunder seemed to come closer with every flash of lightning.

 “Well that was strange,” said Marcy, feeling slightly relieved that it was over.

 Linda wasn’t quite surprised when she watched her book open up to a chapter on spiral staircases.

 Marcy cautiously looked down at her book seeing that it too seemed to be flipping chapters to a chapter called ‘The Top of the Lighthouse’

  Slowly the door to the stairs creaked open as another loud creak came from the stairs as if someone unseen had taken another step.

 Greg and Curtis immediately got up and made their way towards the stairs.

 As Greg started walking up he could see a faint glow from the top of the lighthouse.

 Curtis was a few steps down from Greg. He noticed that the old brass railings seemed to stand out more. He found himself staring at the railings oblivious that he was holding up the rest from going upstairs.

 As Ben started to make his way up the stairs he read the words written on the windows.

‘A lighthouse cannot choose who finds its beam. It can only keep shining.’

 Marcy followed Ben not far behind. As she started to climb she found a book that she hadn’t seen before that looked well read. It was called ‘Women Who Kept the Lights’ by Mary Louise Clifford.

 Finally Linda started to make her way up the stairs. On her way up she noticed that each of the five books were now sitting at the top of the stairs.

 Once all five were at the top of the lighthouse they saw books stacked everywhere floor to ceiling and along the walls. It felt like a used bookstore but different. Thunder and lightning erupted loudly overhead as rain could be seen and heard dropping against the window. Candles flickered as the beam slowly started rotating again. Each of their books flipped towards a chapter called ‘The Keeper’s Life’ along with a new note for each of them.

 Ben looked at his new note, Pharos - Lonely lighthouse keepers, standing watch for others. He slowly swallowed, feeling a tiny ache for the companionship he hoped might one day find him. He looked over at Marcy.

 Catching Ben’s gaze Marcy looked at hers. Librocubicularist - Reading as refuge, people who sleep beside books because they fear silence or loneliness. She looked back towards Ben and they both stood there smiling at each other as the beam somehow seemed to land on them. She felt a tiny flutter in her heart as she smiled at him in the bright light of the beam.

  Curiously seeing something happening between Ben and Marcy, Linda checked her note. Inscrutable - A passage about mysteries never fully solved, hidden meanings. Why were they all really here? She asked herself

 Next Greg checked his new note. Loom - Signals through fog, patterns connecting people. Two of them were lighthouse keepers, he would soon become one and two of them had a romance going. He thought.

  Finally Curtis looked at his note. Verdigris - Old brass aging green over time, beauty created through exposure to harsh weather. Here they all were standing at the top of this old lighthouse in the middle of a storm. He thought

 The lighthouse beam slowly rotated outside. Its reflection landed on each person for a few moments.

 Ben watched words appear on the window as he felt temporarily blinded. 

‘Keeper or Prisoner?’ 

He reached out to Marcy’s hand for reassurance that he had her.

 Marcy felt a chill go down her spine as she watched in horror what was being written on the window. 

‘You Love Him.’

  Greg was surprised when he saw the word 

‘Inherited’ 

             Greg looked over at Curtis as the light shifted between them.

 In the bright light, Curtis read the words 

‘Second Chance.’ 

Curtis felt relieved. 

 Finally at the end of the line the light landed on Linda.  She stared at the words ‘Nothing Stays Buried.’

Feeling  nervous, Linda quickly looked over at Curtis, who was standing next to her. “You hoped I would be here,” said Linda.

 Curtis shook his head. “I hoped you would be. I didn’t know you had received an invitation too,” said Curtis.

  “You knew I was pregnant,” said Linda.

  The room fell silent. Even the rain seemed quieter against the windows.

 “I knew,” said Curtis quietly.

  “You left anyway,” said Linda.

 “I was scared and needed time to think. Then I got the job offer for a lighthouse keeper in New York. I kept putting off coming back,” said Curtis.

Linda looked towards the glowing words on the window. “I had to make a difficult decision alone,” said Linda.

 “What happened?” asked Curtis cautiously.

 “I ended the pregnancy,” said Linda.

  “I am sorry that you had to face that alone because I ran away. I don’t expect you to forgive me,” said Curtis.

  “I don’t know if I could, but thanks, it’s a start,” said Linda.  She watched the words ‘Nothing stays buried’ fade away.

 All five books began turning their pages to the last chapter ‘The Light’. As everyone stood there a final message was illuminated on the window with a flash of lightning and a loud cracking of thunder right above. The words appeared in the light: 

‘The Light Remembers’.

  As the rain got a little lighter and the thunder seemed to rumble away everyone stood there quietly unsure of what to say or do next. 

 “It's late. The ferry will be here in the morning. I’ll go get the sandwiches, and we can put out the sleeping bags and sleep up here,” said Linda.

 They all helped each other with sleeping bags and ate their sandwiches quietly as they each had  something to think about. They finally all went to sleep in the quiet as the storm disappeared. 

 Ben quietly lay awake as he attempted sleep. Yet all he could think of was Marcy. He finally rolled over on his side.  Seeing Marcy sleeping quietly he was finally able to fall asleep.

 The next morning as the sun was shining brightly and the birds were chirping away, everyone quietly got up.

 Greg looked and could see the mainland in the distance as well as the ferry coming to the island. “I can see the ferry coming,” said Greg.

 “I don’t think I’m ready to get on the ferry today,” said Curtis, looking towards Linda. “I would like to stay for a few days, if you're willing to keep talking.”

 “You can stay. We do have a lot to work through,” said Linda.

  “Thanks,” said Curtis.

  “Marcy and I will be happy to walk Greg down to the ferry and see him off,” said Ben.

  A little while later Linda and Curtis left the lighthouse and made their way towards the bakery/bookshop, walking quietly beside each other. “Thank you all for coming to the lighthouse gathering last night,” said Linda.

 “Ben and I will see you later for lunch,” said Marcy to Curtis and Linda.

  Ben and Marcy walked Greg down to the ferry and thanked him for visiting the lighthouse.

 Finally Ben and Marcy were alone watching the ferry sail off in the distance.

 “Marcy, I can’t stop thinking about you. I am hoping we can take our relationship to the next level,” said Ben nervously.

 “I would love to take it to the next level," said Marcy.

  They made their way hand in hand back toward the lighthouse, which seemed to stand a little brighter that morning.