Lonely Point

"And so, this is where you will be required to stay until you are relieved by your successor in a year's time. It is a year you have signed up for, is it not?"

Albert looked at the gentleman to whom he had signed his life over and nodded. "Yes, sir."

"In nine months, you have to make a decision about whether you want to stay, by which time, you should be fully aware of what this life entails and if you can continue."

He coughed lightly and looked thoughtful.

"Albert, is it?"

"Yes, sir."

"I have seen many lighthouse keepers over the years. Some are recalcitrant and enjoy the solitary life. Some are altruistic and desire to save lives by doing something seen as immeasurably noble, requiring the vigilance it does. Some are here to escape. It is the latter who do not last."

Albert tried to emanate an appearance of assuredness.

"I trust you are here for the right reasons." The gentleman picked up his top hat and cane and looked at Albert with penetrating eyes before taking his watch from his waistcoat.

"Right. Well. You are set?"

Albert nodded.

"Then, I am away. Good luck," and the gentleman turned. But before he went, he added, "Oh, and watch out for mermaids," and winked.

Albert smiled weakly and followed the gentleman to where he clambered into a small boat, where he waved his cane in salute.

"Mermaids," he muttered to himself as the boat retreated.

*

He was safe. He'd never find him here, Billy Dodds. Never. Albert could finally relax.

The lamp lit, he went outside. He took his pipe and gazed at the spray licking the rocks.

And then he saw it. There was movement in the water. A flicker. The sea boomed but he heard a laugh.

He shook his head.

"Imagining things," he muttered.

He walked to where he heard the laugh and leaned towards the spray. As he did, his pipe fell and stretching for it, a hand reached up, grabbed his wrist and yanked him in.

Albert was never seen again and a record had been set for the shortest term for a lighthouse keeper at Lonely Point.

***

365 words

I love lighthouses. That's all. Never met a mermaid. Maybe if I started smoking a pipe and moved to the coast?

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