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Chapter 4

Susanna could hear herself laughing and feel the
cold stinging wind on her cheeks.  She was skipping through the grass towards a fence in the distance.  Beyond the fence were the fluffy white sheep that had initially drawn her attention.  She climbed upon the fence and waved the hay in her hand but they ignored her and grazed in the green grass a good distance away.  Her mother called her name.  Ignoring her, Susanna made her way into the stone building and looked up at the winding black wrought iron staircase.  It seemed to reach into the sky.  She went into a room where various items were on display such as books, pens, and old clothes.  There was a window with a ledge that overlooked the pasture where the sheep grazed and she ran towards it.  Climbing on the ledge she stood to look out the window but her view was obstructed by something on the glass.  She rubbed it with her tiny fingers but it wouldn’t come off …
was it words?
  The words were jumbled together oddly and didn’t look like any words she had ever seen.  She was breathing hard onto the glass and it became fogged.  She strained to see the sheep, calling her mother’s name over and over.  Suddenly he was there on the other side of the window, beyond the strange letters and the fogged glass. He was there … watching her.  She froze.  Her mouth open and gaping at him.  She wiped away the fog that covered the letters and focused on his haunting brown eyes.  His lips parted softly and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly into a partial smile.  She was spellbound by him.  His large hand lifted and pressed against the glass.  She pressed her tiny hand against his as if she could feel the touch of his fingers.  She stared into his eyes, not understanding what was happening.  And then her mother was there, pulling her away from the window.  She reached for him, her fingers outstretched towards the glass.  The smile faded from his mouth but his hand remained on the window.  Susanna fought with her mother to release her but she was not strong enough.  She looked up at her mother, pleading with her to let her go. 
Look!  See him at the window!
  But then he was gone. 

Susanna sat up in bed, drenched with sweat.  Her fingers clutched the blankets tightly
as her head swam with disorder and confusion.  The morning light was flooding the room.  She glanced at the clock. It was 7:00 a.m. 

Groggily, s
he shook her head and fell back into the pillows.  Instinctively she reached for her phone, dialing her mother.

“Susanna?  Is everything alright?” her mother answered.

“Mom, when we went to the lighthouse when I was six, what was I wearing?”

“Good heavens, Susanna, I have no idea,” her mother laughed.

“Was it cloudy, sunny or rainy?” she pushed for an answer.

“
Susanna …”

“Do you remember anything else about that day?” she
was becoming impatient.

“Just that you weren’t listening
. You were tired of going from place to place and you wandered away a lot.  I had to come and find you in the lighthouse. You were perched on a window watching …”

“Sheep?”

“Yes, sheep! There were tons of them on the island.”

Susanna was silent.

“Did you remember?” her mother asked.

“I think so,” Susanna trailed off.

“Good!  You really did like it there. As a matter of fact, I remember you crying when I pulled you away from the window.  You cried in the boat to, all the way back to the mainland.”

Susanna sighed, “Thanks mom.  I’m sorry I woke you up this early.”

“Oh, your father’s had me up for about an hour.  You be careful up there.  Stay warm.”

“I will.”

Numb with confusion,
Susanna stumbled into the bathroom and turned on the water for a shower.  She reached into her bag to find her contact case and pulled it out to set it on the narrow counter.  Looking up she found the mirror fogged with steam.  She reached out to wipe it away and as she did, she vividly remembered her dream where she had done the very same thing to the window at the lighthouse. 

“I’m seriously going crazy,” she whispered as she wiped it away.

In the shower she leaned against the tile wall for support as the searing water poured over her.  Every time she closed her eyes she saw his, they were crystal clear as if he was standing in front of her, a warm vibrant copper that held her entranced.  She remembered little else about his features except his mouth, full and parted as if he were trying to speak to her.  She stuck her face under the water in an effort to make the vision disappear. 

Susanna slammed the handle down on the faucet, shutting the water off, “
I’ve got to get it together or it’s going to be a long damn week.”

Downstairs the Baileys were already at the table with steaming cups of coffee in front of them.

“Good Morning Ms. Shaw!” Emma called to her, “I trust you slept well.”

“I did,” Susanna lied with a forced smile.

“We’ll get some food in you then we
’re off,” the ever business like Bill said without looking up from his morning paper. 

Emma eyed her suspiciously, “Are you alright?”

Susanna smiled, “Yes, excited about getting started.”

Emma disappeared into the back and came out with a plate full of food, “I hope you like omelets.  I can make you something else if you
’d like.”

“No, this looks wonderful,” Susanna
answered graciously.

Emma put both hands under her chin and studied Susanna silently from across the table, “Bill, can you check the gas before you leave?  We may be running low and I want to be able to call them today if we are.”

“I just checked last week,” he answered, sipping his coffee.

“No, it was weeks ago!” Emma
replied, winking at Susanna, “I know you’ll be busy for most of the day, I just want to be sure.”

“Fine, fine,” Bill said closing his paper and setting it on the table.

“Susanna will be along after she finishes breakfast. Her bags are by the door, you can load those into the truck.”

“Bossy woman,” he said
with a grin, “I don’t know how I would manage without you telling me what to do.”

Susanna
offered Bill a timid smile as he shuffled out the door.

“Now, he’s gone.  Tell me, what happened last night?” Emma leaned
across the table towards Susanna.

Susanna
was caught off guard, “What do you mean?”

“You,
my dear. I can feel the tension oozing off of you.  Your aura is very gray today, totally different than the purple you were exuding last night.”

Susanna struggled to swallow a mouthful of omelet, “My aura is gray?”

“Gray as a stormy day,” Emma nodded with confidence.

“Maybe I’m just tired,” Susanna looked back down at her plate.

Emma raised an eyebrow, “Is there something you want to ask me?”

Susanna
sat nervously for a few moments before answering, “Has anything terrible ever happened over there?”

“What do you mean, dear?”

“The people who’ve stayed over there, has anything … bad … or strange every happened?”

“Nothing that I’m aware of.”

Susanna paused as she shuffled food around her plate before continuing, “I talked to my mom last night. It was very strange. She said that I’ve been here before, when I was young.  She said that she and my dad took me to the lighthouse and that I saw something there.”

“Something?”
Emma urged.

“Someone.
  A man,” Susanna felt ridiculous even saying it. 

Emma was silent, waiting for her to continue.

“I didn’t remember it when I was on the phone with her, none of it.  And then we hung up and I went to sleep and I had the strangest dream.  I dreamed of being at a lighthouse with my parents, and seeing a man outside the window.  He pressed his hand against the window …” Susanna trailed off.

“Did this dream
frighten you?” Emma asked, her eyes narrowing.

“Strangely … no,” Susanna replied in truth, “It made me want to know who he was and why he was there.”

“And did your parents see this man?”

“That’s the
thing, they told me that no one on the island that day matched the description I gave of him.”

“What did he look like?” Emma asked softly.

“I can’t remember much of his face, I just remember his eyes … they were like chocolate. A beautiful brown copper and he seemed to be smiling at me, like he knew who I was.”  Susanna looked up at Emma, “I feel like I’m going crazy.  Maybe I just dreamed that because of what my mom told me before I went to bed.”

“Possibly,” Emma answered, “Or maybe you
’re remembering something.”

Susanna laughed, “Well, that should explain my aura issue
. It’s just a mixture of lack of sleep and weird dreams.”

Emma reached over and placed a gentle hand on Susanna’s arm, “Come with me to the study before you go.”

Susanna followed Emma through the quiet house and into the small study where they had spent some time the night before.  She sat in the familiar chair as Emma reached for the tarot cards and shuffled them through her nimble fingers.

“Should I be worried?” Susanna laughed nervously.

“Just pick one card,” Emma said, fanning the cards out before her.

Susanna reached for the cards and thumbed over them until one stood out to her for whatever reason and she pulled it from the others.

“Place it on the desk,” Emma directed.

Susanna did as she was told, turning the card face up.  The card showed a woman in a white robe, blindfolded with two swords crossed over her chest.

“The Two of Swords,” Emma mused.

“What does it mean?” Susanna asked.

“It can represent the delicate balance of a conflict which neither party has a clear advantage.  These conflicts are not easily resolved and can lead to long periods of confusion and stagnation.  The swords crossed in front of the lady’s heart could represent it being closed off, guarded possibly, for protection.  It could also pose as a barrier between two people.  Sometimes it is said that the card represents times when you are deliberately not seeing the truth, thus the blindfold.  It can be painful to remove the blindfold because often the softest light can blind those that have spent an eternity in darkness.”

Susanna gasped, “The light!  I meant to tell you that I saw the light last night from the lighthouse!”

Emma smiled, “Did you?”

“Yes!  It was blinding!  I happened to be standing at the window and then suddenly it came out of nowhere, and just like you said
. It went around one time and then it was gone.”

“I’m glad you got to see it,” Emma smiled.

“Ms. Shaw, are you ready?” Bill called from the doorway.

“Coming,” Susanna answered.

Emma reached forward to grasp Susanna’s hand, “There is nothing to be frightened of, I swear to you.  Just immerse yourself in the experience. Only good will come of it,” Emma smiled warmly. 

Susanna had a strange feeling about the woman’s words, as if she were trying to tell her something without coming right out and actually saying it.  She wanted to question her further but she knew that Bill was waiting for her.

“I will,” Susanna answered politely before dashing out of the study.

Chapter 5

The
motor of the small wooden skiff hummed through the water as they made their way to the island.  Bill was a man of few words so once he helped her into the boat he set his sights on the Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse and off they went.  The water was anything but calm as the small boat cut through the white capped waves towards their destination.  There was a wooden dock at the far end where Bill tied the boat off and reached to help her out.  Susanna was not steady on her feet and swayed a little when her boots touched the dock. 

“Careful now.
  Take a minute to adjust before you walk,” Bill said above the loud waves as he reached for her bags, setting them on the dock.

Susanna reached down and threw her canvas overnight bag over her shoulder.

“I’ve got these,” Bill said, reaching for her laptop and her camera bag.  Normally there was someone on location that was in charge of photos, but Michelle had urged Susanna to take her own camera and try to get some good pictures.

“I’m ok
ay now,” Susanna said, feeling much better now that they were on dry land.

Susanna followed Bill up the grassy path toward the lighthouse.  She
recognized the top of the keeper’s cabin and its bright red roof and smiled. It looked just as beautiful as it did in the pictures.  Susanna arched her neck as she gazed up at the formidable lighthouse which seemed to soar into the clouds. 

“How tall is it?” Susanna asked as she followed Bill.

“165 feet,” Bill answered over his shoulder.

When they reached the cottage Susanna
took in her surroundings and barely made out something beyond the fence, “Is that sheep?”

“That it is.  It’s one of your duties while you
’re here. You will feed them and make sure they have hay and water.”

Susanna thought back to her dream and the sheep she saw as a little girl.  Everything was more familiar to her now that she was actually here.  She felt an odd peace with it that she could
n’t fully understand. 

“This is where you’ll be staying.  It’s rustic but comfortable
. I think you’ll be happy here,” Bill said as he led her inside the small cottage. 

Susanna stepped inside out of the cold and set her bag on the floor. 
They entered through the small kitchen that held an old coal stove and a small dining table by a window.  Adjacent was a sitting room with a large but worn couch and an oversized chair that faced the fireplace.   

“This is your main room
,” Bill shut the door behind him, “The stove works, everything you need should be there.  Like I said, I’ve stocked the fridge,” he led her through another door down from the living room, “This is your bedroom,” he pointed towards a white wrought iron bed covered in a thick white duvet, “The bathroom is through there.  There is a tub with cold water, no hot water.  If you want a bath you will need to heat water in the kitchen and fill it.  The sink and toilet work of course.”

Susanna followed him through the little rooms, setting her bag down on the bed as she went. 

“Remember, no internet,” he reminded her once again.

“Right,” Susanna
nodded, “I can work around it.”

Bill
then showed her the storage room where the brooms and other cleaning supplies were.  “While you’re here you can sweep the pathways and keep the house tidy.  You’ll have to feed the sheep of course, make sure the barn stays open for them to come in from the cold.  Keep them stocked in hay and water.”

“Okay,” Susanna answered, glad that nothing seemed to strenuous so far.

Bill then pointed to a wooden door with black oversized hinges, “This is the door that leads to the tower.  You can go up there, of course, but mind your step.  It’s a long way and at night it’s very dark.  There’s a flashlight in the storage room if you need one.  The door at the top tends to come unhinged and it bangs around a lot if it gets windy.  If that happens, you can go up there and secure it again.  But the view up there is nice. Definitely worth a look-see while you’re here.”

Susanna was mentally taking note of everything he said.

“I’ll check on you midway through the week to make sure you have everything you need.  You can always call if you need me to come out.  I can make it over here in thirty minutes or so, depending on the weather.”

Susanna reached into her pocket and checked her cell coverage.  Three bars.  That should be adequate for an emergency phone call.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine Mr. Bailey,” Susanna said, tucking the phone away in her pocket.   

They walked outside where Bill quickly showed her the ins and outs of taking care of the sheep.  There were bales of hay stacked in the barn along with a pitchfork and gloves.  It’s a good thing she was an animal person
. If Katie were here she would have run at the first site of sheep.  Susanna grinned as she thought of Katie and what she would do if she were stranded on an island such as this for a week. 

“So, can you manage?” Bill asked.

“We’ll see, “Susanna answered, “I was never in Girl Scouts.”

“Take care with the candles so you
don’t burn the place down.  I’ve left some firewood and some kindling by the fireplace. You’ll need it at night to keep the place warm.  If there’s an emergency or you don’t feel like fooling with the fire, there is a space heater in the storage room.”

Susanna shrugged back into her coat so she could walk Bill back to the boat.

“Thanks Mr. Bailey, I’ll see you in a few days,” she waved with her gloved hand as the boat slowly turned against the waves and glided towards town. Standing alone, she glanced up at the sun and decided it was the perfect time to take some pictures. After retrieving her camera from inside, she set about taking some shots of the sheep grazing in the fields.  She was inspired by the peacefulness of the remote island.  Amazingly enough, the noise from town was inaudible in the distance and further drowned out by the waves crashing against the rocky shoreline and the birds in the sky above.  The wind whipped around her as she took pictures of the cottage from several angles.  She looked down at her watch.  It was nearly 3 o’clock.  The gnawing pain in her stomach prompted her to return inside to see what she could eat.  She opened the cupboard and found several cans of Campbell’s soup.  It was perfect.  She fiddled with the old stove until she got it turned on and dumped the soup into one of the small ancient cast iron pots.  While it was heating she unpacked a few of her things into the chest of draws in the corner of the bedroom.  The quaint little room was sparsely decorated and predominantly white.  She spotted extra blankets in the corner and was thankful since she was sure it was going to be unpleasantly cold at night.  There was an old desk in the corner and what appeared to be a vintage late 19th century typewriter.  She marveled at the genuinely historic feel of the old lighthouse.  It was as if she had stepped back in time. 

After
eating her soup, Susanna slipped back into her coat and went out to see the sheep.  As Bill instructed, she removed a bale of hay and spread it out on the floor. Apparently it was for eating and sleeping, how very efficient.  She checked their water and ran her hands over the ones that were curious enough to enter the barn to see who she was.  Looking up she noticed the sun was setting behind the clouds causing a riotously beautiful sunset with brilliant shades of orange and red sweeping across the sky.  She immediately sensed a slight amount of trepidation at the thought of spending her first night alone in this place.  As she was securing the lock on the barn door, she felt her phone vibrating in her back pocket.  She walked briskly towards the house.

“Hello?” she said as she
pushed open the front door.

“Susanna!  You were supposed to call me when you got settled in!” Katie’s voice was breaking up.

“Hold on, I can barely hear you,” Susanna moved closer to a window.

“Are you there?”

“I’m here,” but the static was just as bad.

“Let me go outside,” Susanna
said as she exited the front door.  Looking around, she noticed that there was very little light so she reached inside and ran her hand along the wall in search of a switch.  Feeling one, she flipped it, hoping it would light up the small porch area.  To her dismay the only light that came on was a small one at barn.

“Ugh,” she groaned, “Katie, I’m here. 
I have to talk outside. I don’t get great service inside the house.”

“Are you there?  Checked in and fine?” Katie
asked, the unmistakable sound of music in the background.

“I’m fine,” Susanna winced at the loud noise
coming over the phone, “Where are you?”

“
Matty’s.”

Susanna knew the bar well
. It was a favorite of Katie and her boyfriend Jordan and was conveniently right down the street from Jordan’s office.  “I’m good.  I got here yesterday but just arrived at the lighthouse today.  I’m trying to get settled in.  I just fed the sheep.”

“Sheep?”
Katie said aghast, “You’re kidding right?”

“Nope.
  There’s about fifty of them,” Susanna answered while one of them stared at her as he lazily chewed a mouth full of hay.

“Good God
! It’s like you’re at some dude ranch or something,” Katie said with disgust. “I just wanted to check on you.”

“I’m good, but I have to tell you a weird story.  I talked to my mom yesterday and she told me that I’ve been here before
. It was years ago when I was a child.”

“To the town?”

“The town, the lighthouse, all of it,” Susanna looked up at the night sky littered with bright stars.

“Why is that weird? Your parents drug you everywhere when you were little.”

“It gets a little weirder,” Susanna shrugged, “But this place …” she looked around at her solitary surroundings, “there is something about it.  I remember bits and pieces of it.  And the lighthouse itself is kinda strange,” Susanna looked up at the dark looming tower above her.

“What kind of strange?  Like haunted or something?”

“I don’t know.  The lighthouse itself doesn’t work. They’ve had people work on to try and fix the lamp or light, but no one can get it working.  And yet, every night or so, it turns on.”

“By itself?”

“Yes.  It turns on and makes one circle around and then it’s out again.  No rhyme or reason.” Susanna was focused on the very lamp of which she spoke. 

“That is weird.  You know, Jordan and I watched a Ghost Hunters show on that creepy lighthouse in Florida.  It was really weird all the stuff that was going on in there.  They had videos of
strange shadows and stuff …”

Susanna heard Katie rambling but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the lighthouse
.
Was it her imagination or did she hear something?
  She squinted through the night trying to focus on the top and suddenly the light flashed on. Brilliantly blinding, the white light lit up the sky all the way to the mainland.  Susanna watched in fascination as it was stationary for a few seconds before it slowly started to make its eerily silent rotation.

“It’s happening now!” Susanna yelled over Katie’s voice.

“It is?”

“Yes
! It just came on when you were talking!  It’s amazing!” Susanna said excitedly as she watched the light spread its beam across the island. 

Back on the mainland Emma Bailey sat in a rocking chair on her porch facing the island. She had been there for hours, covered in a quilt and holding a ceramic mug of tea.  The porch was peculiarly quiet, the only noise was the creaking of the old chair against the wood porch.  When she saw the light finally pierce the night sky, her thin aging lips curled into a smile. 

“Finally,” she whispered.

Bill’s voice broke the silence, “Emma, are you going to sit outside and freeze all night?  If you’re that worried about her I’ll go over tomorrow and check on her,” he called from the doorway.

“She’s fine
,” Emma’s gray eyes gleamed mysteriously as she focused on the light that was making its solitary orbit, “I’m not worried about her at all.”

Bill huffed behind her, “Suit
yourself.”

Emma rocked slowly as she w
atched the light fade from view before the island was cast into darkness again, “And so it begins,” she whispered hauntingly into the night air.