The Keeper

“I was the keeper.” The brutish old man bellowed. His voice rang out, echoing against the run-down pub’s walls. Not a flicker of emotion crossed his face. Glaring around the room, he saw only young, innocent eyes, so different from his own. Young men; sailors, all of them, who had seen nothing of the horrors his own eyes had witnessed. The old man’s eyes were blue, and though he wished he’d been driven blind long ago, they still worked better than all the others in the pub.

A heavy silence fell over the room of chatty conversation, leaving way for the increasing sounds of waves crashing against the nearby shore. They were just the same as they had been long ago and since, and would probably never change.

The man gulped his beer, as the other guests continued to hush one another around him. This man had been here long before the pub, and even before the town in its wake expanded to the sea. He’d seen it built from the ground up on this coast, and his stories from these times had never disappointed. His sonorous voice always carried tales of adventure, love, and death, without leading the men to bore. They often learned more from him than they had in school.

“What keeper?” A young man asked. The pub was all but silent now, except for the rough waves outside. 

It was not unusual for the old man to simply begin a story without any prior conversation, and the people were always intrigued by it. They seemed to enjoy it, the spontaneity of a never before told tale. The old man still never shared unless he felt it necessary; it wasn’t for them, why he kept talking.

The old man pointed to the door without looking up from his beer. His audience followed his finger with their gaze. The door opened to reveal a tall, rickety lighthouse; huge waves crashing against it in the darkness. The lighthouse was dark, though the men could see it in the full moon above.

The old man, whom the rest of the folks called ‘Old Man Luke’, knew the lighthouse hadn’t always been that way, and shouldn’t be now. Sometimes he claimed it was his own fault it stopped working one day, and sometimes he blamed the will of God. Either way, each time the memory came to mind he’d look down at his arms, and wish his right hand were wrinkly and old, rather than missing.

He finally looked out the door, with the biting wind blowing his eyes to tears, just like it had been that night. In the old man’s mind, the lighthouse was alive again.

“Lucas!” A small, frightened voice cried in the darkness. With two capable hands, Lucas scooped his small brother off the floor. The beam flashed over them again, and Lucas shielded his brother’s eyes. 

Willie, short for William, never followed the lighthouse rules. He was only six, but a mistake in the tower can lead to death, so even the little ones must learn never to stray. Those who can walk can also fall.

“Calm down, little man,” Lucas told him. “You know not to look at the light. You’ll go blind.”

“Why can’t Cici come up here?” Willie asked. Lucas sighed. Willie was, of course, referring to Lucas’ fiancé. Cassandra-Claire was her name, though Willie had always found it hard to say.

Only two years into adulthood, Lucas was already engaged to be married. Cassandra’s parents didn’t know this, with him being poor, but he loved her so that she’d agreed to run away with him, where he kept a job as the sole lighthouse keeper on this island. No one ever suspected anything; no real houses other than their own for miles away.

“I wish she could much as you do, little man, as she used to, but like I’ve told you before, It’s too many stairs for her right now,” Lucas explained.

“Too many stairs for who, Luke?” A voice echoed from the stone stairwell. Soon, an eight-month pregnant woman stood before them, trying to catch her breath. 

“Cassandra!” Lucas cried. “What the devil are you doing up here?!” He rushed over to help her.

“Heavens,” Cassandra scoffed. “It’s just a few stairs. I’m not climbing any mountains, Luke,”

“Cici!” Willie yelled as he ran to her. Cassandra scooped him up just like Lucas had done minutes before. 

“William! Isn’t it past your bedtime?” Cassandra teased. She set him down gently and stepped to Lucas.

“Why are you up here, Cass?” He asked. “I mean, I love the company, but-”

“Oh, I know,” Cassandra replied quickly. “I just came to warn you about the storm tonight,” She said.

“There’s a storm near every night these days, Cass, but thanks.”

“Oh, I know, but you know how crazy folks get when there’s a storm brewin’.” Willie barreled into his brother, trying to outrun the light beam. Lucas stood him upright before setting the boy free again. Lucas stood and stared back at Cassandra, unconvinced. 

“All right,” she admitted. “I was tired of being all by my lonesome. But I don’t see why I have to stay home while you boys spend the nights in the lighthouse. Sometimes you’re not back till noon. I miss you and Willie!”

“Aww, Cass, why didn’t you say something?” Lucas asked. 

“I have, Luke. Every time y’all leave.”

Lucas stood still as a statue for a moment, looking at her deep in thought. Had he been so ignorant of her needs? 

Willie ran by again, but this time Lucas trapped him with a powerful arm. He smiled. 

“What is it, Luke?” Cassandra asked. “I don’t see anything funny.”

“Do we still have that old music box?” He grinned. Cassandra’s eyes reflected his own excitement. This was why she loved him- and she knew he’d never overlook her again. She would never have to tell him twice. 

“I believe we do,” she replied. Even Willie loved to dance to the music box. 

“I know where it is! I know where it is!” He shouted. He giggled and ran with his brother all the way home to get it. Cassandra busied herself tidying up the lighthouse, so they would have room to dance. 

When the first note, a soft trumpet, began to play, Cassandra spun with Willie, whom she had well educated in basic dance. 

When she danced with Lucas, Willie twirled around to the slow music. They could barely hear it over the violent waves, but they were still beautiful sounds.

Dancing was harder for Cassandra, her larger form moving awkwardly. 

“Oh, sorry,” she apologized to Lucas, after dancing over his toes. He simply smiled and twirled her once more. 

“I don’t mind, if it means I get to dance with my new son, too.”

“Daughter,” Cassandra corrected, smiling. 

“Whatever you say,” he teased. The music continued to play peacefully until Willie began to shout. 

“Lucas, look! A man!”

A pause.

“Not funny,” Lucas replied, blissfully. 

“Really! There’s a man out the window!” Willie insisted. He joked sometimes, though he wasn’t kidding.

“Willie, there’s no one for several miles inland.” Cassandra reminded him. Still, Willie argued. 

“There is, there is! There is a man outside!” He whined. Finally, Lucas glanced in his direction. His eyes widened, and he froze mid-step. 

“What is it, Luke?” Cassandra asked. 

“Wait here,” Lucas told her. “You too, William.”

Willie stayed put, knowing that when his brother used his full name, he was serious. 

Lightning struck nearby, and thunder shook the tower. It had been lightly raining for minutes past, draping a cloak of invisibility on anyone who could be out there. 

Sure enough, a small, scrawny man stood on the balcony looking over the sea. He appeared insane, muttering to himself and without attempt to shelter from the rain. 

“You there!” Lucas called. The man didn’t reply, but muttered louder, nervously. Lucas couldn’t distinguish his words. “What are you doing out there?” He persisted. “Come inside from the rain, it’s plenty warm in here!”

“Leave me.” The man yelled back, without moving in a ragged, broken voice, as though he’d been crying. 

“Please, come inside,” Lucas asked again, patiently. The longer he stood outside watching this man, the more curious he became. “Sir, if you don’t mind me asking, how did you manage this climb?”

Before Lucas could stop him, the man climbed the railing and dove over the edge.

Lucas ran to the rail, desperate to grab an arm, a leg, even the back of the man's coat, but instead he was leaned over the side in time to watch the man disappear into the sea below. Lucas ran back inside. 

“Stay with William! He might still be alive!” He ordered. Cassandra obeyed. She knew this was serious and he never rose his voice to her. He would apologize later.

Lighting struck so close the lighthouse shook violently, knocking everyone to the ground. The light flashed on and off, while Lucas slung a rope and life preserver over his shoulder. 

“Luke, behind you!” Cassandra yelled. “There’s another behind you!”

Lucas turned, to see another man they’d never seen, also standing out on the balcony. Lucas ran outside to stop them. As he left, a rain-soaked young woman they didn’t know ran up the stairwell, shouting.

“Philip! Philip, Don’t! Please!” She yelled. Cassandra stopped her from taking another step. She clutched young Willie’s hand with a ferocity she’d never used before.

“Ow! Cici, you’re hurting me!” William cried. Cassandra didn’t release her grip but remained focused on the frantic woman.

“Stop this!” She shouted. “What’s happening? Why are you all here?” 

“Philip, my husband! He plans to jump off the tower!” The young woman replied.

“Lucas!” Cassandra called. He didn’t reply. Cassandra quickly set up a chair, dragging Willie behind her. “How did this happen?” She asked. She used a calm tone, for Willie’s sake. The hysterical woman began speaking very quickly, between short, shallow breaths.

“I found a note on our door!” She replied. “Telling us where he’d gone! I think that’s him out there now! We have to stop him before he does something stupid!”

“Please, calm down,” Cassandra asked. Her voice was far steadier than her hands, shaking incessantly. “My fiancé is outside now talking to him. Why are there men jumping off the tower tonight?!”

“I’m not sure exactly,” The woman said. “I just found the note on Philip’s door!”

“Do you have it with you, perhaps?”

The woman handed Cassandra the sloppily written, rain-covered note. She squinted at the words, but read:

Kate,

We all agreed on this long ago. I’m sorry, Kate, but there have never been such obvious signs than in this storm. Please care for our son. Peter is not yet old enough to understand, but I wish him well, and I know you will love him better than I could. Goodbye, my love, till the day I see you again in the Lord.

Philip

She folded the note and paused for a moment. It suddenly occurred to her that music still played from their box. Still, the rain was so loud it hardly registered.

“Cassandra!” Lucas called. Thunder nearly drowned out the panic in his voice. Cassandra, happy to leave, hurried outside. She still had questions, but there was no time to answer them.

“Find a safe place and stay put!” She warned Willie. Lucas had a rope around his waist, tied to the railing, and stood between the man and the edge. The jumper seemed worried.

“That other man might still be alive!” He told her. He clutched the lifesaver ring, his knuckles white.

“I’ll take this, then,” She volunteered, taking the rope from his waist and tying it to her own. Lucas frowned.

“No,” He said. “Don’t do that. I was just going to ask about William.”

“Willie’s fine,” She said, as convincingly as she could. “Go.”

Lucas vanished back inside and down the stairwell. He didn’t want to leave his family alone, but what choice was there?

The man on the balcony had stood idly by during their conversation, but now that Lucas was gone, Cassandra was afraid he would try to jump. If he did, she had the rope to jump after him, though she didn’t know how she felt about it in a dress, and the rain.

“Please, don’t do it,” she pleaded with him. “Go inside. We’ll have breakfast in the morning; you’re welcome to join us!”

“No thank you, please step aside,” requested the man who must be Philip. “I’d like to be gone before my family finds me missing.”

“Do you mean your son, Peter? Or do you mean your wife, Kate?” Cassandra asked, desperate to keep the conversation. The man’s eyes widened.

“How do you know about Peter?” He asked, accusingly.

“Kate’s inside. It does mean you have someone to live for though!” Cassandra argued. Kate finally came out onto the balcony with them. Philip looked at her and sighed.

“That’s where you’re wrong. I’m a terrible father to my son; he hardly knows me. I’ve wasted the first years of his life at a bar, and I can’t change that.” He said.

“If you’re going, I’m going too,” Kate pleaded. 

“But-” Cassandra began but didn’t have time to finish. Philip, followed by Kate, ran for the edge. Cassandra ran after them and grabbed hold of Philip’s feet over the side. Pulling as hard as she could, Cassandra held fast while Philip struggled. She wasn’t scared of falling herself; she had the rope.

Cassandra felt a small tugging on her skirt, and turned to see Willie pulling on her leg. He was trying to help her, thinking she might fall. It was sweet, but he held no rope to keep him on the tower.

“William!” Cassandra yelled. “Back inside, now!” 

Willie obeyed. In Cassandra’s lapse of focus, she slipped and tumbled over the side. She held fast to Philip’ knowing the rope would catch her. Ultimately it did, but the weight of both of them pulled the rope up from her waist to her neck. She dropped Philip, but Cassandra still hung loosely off the side of the lighthouse. Kate, seeing what had happened, jumped over into the foaming waves below.

Lightning struck again, allowing Lucas to see in the night. The scrawny man’s crumpled form was over his shoulder as Lucas paddled back to shore. The water was ice cold, and Lucas’s limbs were all but numb. He could barely tell he was moving through the biting wind and currents.

On the shore, Lucas began pushing small compressions on the man’s chest, pumping air in and water out, until he coughed. 

Finally, Lucas slowed down, sat back, and sighed with relief. He hoped Cassandra was having as much luck with the couple at the top of the tower. Now, he couldn’t wait to see her. After being the hero, he could apologize for the stern way he’d talked to her, and she was sure to be proud of him.

He carried the old man up the 272 steps to the top, and nearly collapsed from exhaustion. The old man was groaning and complaining the whole way up. Fortunately, Lucas’s legs were still numb from the water.

“Lucas!” Willie cried, running to his brother.

“Cass?” Lucas called. The rain was so thick now he couldn’t see outside. Setting the old man down next to Willie, he turned to go outside. He’d almost reached the door when Willie screamed. Lucas whirled around, to see the old man’s hands on Willie’s neck, and Willie lifted off the floor.

“Why didn’t you let me die?!” The man shouted, shaking the boy. Lucas slugged the man across the face, causing him to drop Willie, but not to hit the floor. He stumbled across the room and, with all the strength he had left, pushed over the axel, holding the light. What would ever cause a man to behave in such a way?

Lucas caught it before it hit the floor, but it took all his strength. The man kept walking around, knocking things over and breaking them. Slowly, Lucas realized he couldn’t hold on to the light. His hands sank to the floor, stuck between the axel and the ground. He grunted with effort.

Willie gave another scream, and over the axel, Lucas could see the man choking him again. He tried to stand, to reach his young brother, but his right arm was stuck beneath the huge metal axel. 

“Why didn’t you let me die?!” The man shouted again, walking towards the door.

“No! Lucas screamed. “Please! He’s innocent! Put the boy down!”

The man didn’t reply, but Lucas could still hear Willie screaming out of view. Suddenly, he remembered Cassandra.

“Cassandra, stop him!” Lucas yelled. No reply came from outside, other than Willie’s screams. They started getting quieter, which confused Lucas until he realized what had happened.

“No!” He shouted. The axel was cutting into his right arm, but with all his strength, he rolled it over it and off. He screamed as every single bone, nerve, vein, and tissue was broken at the wrist. His hand was hanging from his arm by a thread. 

Lucas ran outside but was too late. Willie and the old man were gone. He glanced over the edge, but knew the young boy could never survive such a fall. He looked for Cassandra, but only when the lopsided light in the tower shone in their direction did Lucas see her, only for a moment in the light, hanging by her neck down the side.

He collapsed. Not even tears would express what Lucas felt that night. Worse, the light had rolled in front of the door, trapping him alone in the tower until morning. The night was silent after this, in the old lighthouse, except for the music box, still playing the tune they so loved to dance to.