Halloween Writting Contest Entry 16
The following story was submitted as an entry in The Wanderer first annual Halloween Writing Contest.
The winner will be announced in the October 25, 2007 edition.
Stories will be posted on-line as they are available in print.
The Ghost in Ned's Point Lighthouse
There was a message on my answering machine that the light at Ned's Point Lighthouse was going on and off, on and off. No name was given and I didn't recognize the voice. It was the Saturday afternoon before Halloween and I thought the kids around town are busy thinking up things to do.
On Sunday morning I got a call again only this time it was from my friend Barbara. She explained that the lighthouse flashing sequence of three seconds on and three seconds off was happening during the day. I promised to go and check it which Bert and I did, and everything was quiet. We went back that night and watched the light for a while, and the isophase sequence was not broken. It had started to rain by then, but there were still a few cars when I thought I saw a dark shadow on the glass and two extra little round lights, but it was really hard to tell with the now pouring rain.
The next day was Halloween and people were beginning to talk around town. A few had seen the two small bright lights in the lantern room and a shadow. Do we have a ghost at Ned's Point who is changing the light or signaling to someone? Bert and I went over to the lighthouse again and checked everything out during the day. Around ten o'clock that night, things in the village had started to quiet down and we drove to the point and there were cars there watching the light, a shadow, and the two very small bright lights. I said, "I guess it is about time to call the Coast Guard tomorrow to see what is happening." Bert said, "I think we should check it out now." But I said, "We are not supposed to be up there when the light is on. Maybe we should call the cops or something." But by then Bert was out of the car with the key in his hand. He got the tower door open and hit the switch for the lights, and they didn't go on! He told me to go back to the car and get a flashlight. We went up the stairs very carefully, in my head I was counting the steps....., 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and then the ladder. Bert went to the top and shown the flashlight around and this huge furry thing lunged at us and flew down the stairs.
I stood on the ladder shaking and then ran down the stairs. Bert was right behind me. When we got to the bottom we could hear the little cry of kittens. Bert shown the light around and there was a huge cat with her little kittens behind the stairs. She was not a happy mommy to see us.
I realized it was just a huge cat that must have become locked in after our last special tour. She must have rubbed against the automatic photo electric cell in the lantern room and the cats eyes reflected light and her shadow could be seen from the ground. When we came during the day she probably had hidden in fear. I said to Bert that we had better call Kathy and see what needs to be done here to help the mommy and her kittens.