BooksBarbecue
Back The Lighthouse
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

“But your dad, back in the real world . . . Now that you’re gone, aren’t you afraid of what will happen to him?”

“Of course I am. I’m terrified. Part of me wishes that all this was just a bad dream, that I could wake up and go downstairs and give my father a hug and pretend that everything was normal. Part of me wishes I could go on protecting him forever. But I know that I can’t, not anymore. And I can’t keep punishing myself for what I did either. The decisions I made, the secrets I kept—they were done out of love, because I believed they were the right thing to do. You helped me see that, Amy. Yes, I’m heartbroken that I have to leave him behind, and I’m frightened for what the future might hold for him, but if I’ve learned anything about my father, it’s that he’s a survivor. I have to believe that he’ll find a way to keep going.”

Amy wiped her nose, lifted her head. “So, if your mother told you everything, does that mean you know . . . about me?”

Ryan nodded. “Couldn’t believe it at first. I heard all about your dad, how he’s connected to all this, and then I heard what happened to you . . . you know, in the bathtub . . . and how you traveled from there to here and didn’t know what this place was till Chloe told you to go inside the lighthouse. There’s been a lot for me to digest, and I have to confess there’s still plenty I don’t get.”

“Don’t worry, I know the feeling.”

Ryan gave her a smile. “But then I heard about what happened next, what you did for me, how you chose to help me, the brave decision you made to find your way back to the ranch. The only reason I’m free right now is because of you. Amy, my angel from Portland, how can I ever repay you?”

“Oh, Ryan, you don’t owe me anything. I could’ve easily wrecked everything. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. If it weren’t for Little Dipper, I don’t even know how I would’ve found you.”

“But you did find me. You never gave up. And somehow you managed to pull me back to safety. And now, instead of being stuck inside this prison, I get to leave. I get to be free. I owe you everything. I’m not sure how I can ever thank you.”

“Please, it’s me who should be thanking you.”

“What for?”