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Back The Lighthouse Save as PDF
Chapters (50)
  1. PART ONE
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. PART TWO
  13. 12
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 18
  18. 19
  19. 21
  20. 22
  21. 23
  22. 24
  23. 25
  24. 26
  25. 27
  26. 28
  27. 30
  28. 31
  29. 32
  30. 33
  31. 34
  32. 35
  33. 36
  34. 37
  35. 38
  36. 39
  37. 40
  38. 41
  39. 42
  40. 43
  41. PART THREE
  42. 44
  43. 45
  44. 46
  45. 47
  46. 49
  47. 50
  48. 51
  49. 52
  50. EPILOGUE

“I promise. You have my word. Come now, it’s time for you to leave. Before it’s too late.” She grabbed Amy’s hand and led her around the lamp. They paused by the uppermost step of the staircase, both pondering the passage down.

“Time is running out. Ryan really needs you. His mother, his sister, they need you too. Go to him, Amy. Go as fast as you can.”

Amy took her pendant from her pocket and tied it around her neck. Taking a deep breath, she hugged her mother one last time, drawing from her whatever strength she could, then cast her teary eyes down the plunging stairwell, her thoughts shifting from her mom to the world waiting outside, to the town of Seabrook, to the ranch, to the boy she now desperately needed to see.

33

33

Amy had been outside for only a few minutes, but already her mind was playing tricks. The disembodied notion of being in two places at once was really messing with her head, as was the fact that she no longer had the protection of the lighthouse, which left her feeling as though a giant spotlight had been thrust upon her, as though a thousand eyes were now watching her every step.

She sensed it as she ran back down the beach, the weight of this strange world pressing down upon her, its suspicion penetrating the air. It was as though every gust of wind was on the verge of swallowing her whole.

One step at a time, she told herself. Just take one step at a time. First find the car keys, then worry about what happens next.

Running as fast as she could against the barreling wind, Amy made it back down the beach, over the dunes, and into the street that led to the town square. The hotel loomed ahead on her left, the fountain and the grassy plaza—still a windswept mess of rubbish from the festival—just beyond. Thankfully, the sidewalks were all empty and the square looked deserted. So far, so good.

Staying hidden in shadow, she approached the hotel and crept along the wall, then snuck up the fire escape and climbed back into her room. Making as little noise as possible, Amy checked her bag, opened all the drawers, peered beneath the bed and the couch, looked everywhere she could think to look. She then spied the magazines on the coffee table, the ones she had been flicking through earlier, and to her relief she found the keys hiding at the bottom of the pile. They made a heavenly jingle as she scooped them into her hands. But when Amy turned to the window, preparing to make a swift exit, the room suddenly fell silent.