Member-only story
FICTION
Mystery at the Lighthouse
Who was operating the abandoned lighthouse?
The angry wind agitated the waves and filled in the sandy footprints of the boy and his dog almost as quickly as they were made.
Toby had managed to slip out the sliding glass back door and into the night without alerting his attentive parents due to an impetuous decision to bring Ratchet with him. By scooping the portable beagle into his arms before unlocking the door, Toby ensured that Ratchet wouldn’t wake anyone with her protest barks at being left behind on the nocturnal adventure.
Even with the wind gusts coming off the ocean and across the island, Toby wasn’t cold. He loved how the cool sand kissed the soles of feet with each step as he ran along the trail down to the beach. Ratchet, thrilled with the prospect of more time with Toby, ran ahead of the boy and circled back at regular intervals as if herding him to their destination.
Up ahead, the lighthouse loomed, its golden eye roaming the sea even though Toby had never seen a single ship approach the island in all of his twelve years of life.
Ratchet seemed to understand the need for discretion. The chatty dog didn’t bark her usual encouragement. Instead, she only panted and gave an occasional growl to a few suspicious pieces of…
