SOLSTICE NIGHTMARE: When Creatures Erupt from the Shallows

Remi watched from the edge of the window as another of the beastly creatures sprouted from the depths of the ocean, its serpentine body slithering over the rocks, climbing up and wrapping around the lighthouse like a pesky, thorn-encrusted vine—but what was it looking for, Food? Shelter? Light?

Remi was not about to wait around and find out.

Bulbous, roving eyes glowed like emerald sea glass. The beast had a long neck and an even longer body with two huge fangs poking out from its mouth. An errant hiss vibrated the walls as the claws of the unknown creature dug into the stone sending sharp, jagged pieces falling back to the ocean for safekeeping. Remi could see the scales of the beast filling with air, each movement in sync with the beat of her own heart as her mind raced. What should she do—where should she go?

Startled, Remi jumped back into bed, pulling her blanket tight, wishing the lighthouse lamp on the floor above wouldn’t illuminate so much of her room as she glanced over to her sister’s bed. Elyna was fast asleep. Maybe if she did the same this would all be over—a bad dream.

Just as quickly as these thoughts manifested, they left. The creature’s face was inches from her window. Terror filled Remi’s body, paralyzing her as she dared to breathe. Under the mounting weight of the beast—the lighthouses hundred-year-old shell started to crack—the wooden risers splintered, giving way. This wasn’t the usual sounds of night settling in. Eerie noises echoed around as the salt water splashed, whirling and pooling in lulling tides, threatening to pull them all under.

Remi could only hope death would be sudden.

“Reverence is upon us,” Joan, the lighthouse keeper’s daughter whispered. Her welcoming voice cutting through the fear like a thousand daggers— “we need to leave, we need to go to the tunnels, quickly. Wake your sister, do it now.”

Remi did as she was told, pulling Elyna up from her pillow, a firm hand covering her mouth. They had to be quiet.

“What’s this Reverence you spoke about,” Remi asked curiously as they crept down the lighthouse’s winding stairs and made way to the basement tunnels.

“Well, normally my dear there are two solstices that occur in our world. One of Winter and one of Summer.” Joan whispered— “today, they happen to coincide on the same day, they overlapped. Many folks call this Reverence Day, which rarely happens but on those odd occasions it seems to anger them…”

Joan paused, nodding to a window that was now covered by a beastly being.

“It wants to steal the light, to dim the day. These creatures thrive in the inky blackness of the ocean. It’s quite the opposite of the Summer where the daylight is long and the sky-fairies float and flower along the lands. Spreading joy and life. This thing, whatever it’s called wants to spread fear…I’ve been hoping this day would never come but since it is, we have to do our best to fight it off. To create light and goodness in the face of evil and darkness, can you do that?”

Not waiting for an answer—Joan helped the girls drop down into the tunnels, barricading themselves behind a thick steel door as she turned the wheel to lock them in.

“I’ve never been down here before. Didn’t know it existed. Papa always kept this part of the lighthouse off-limits, never spoke a word of it…” Remi whispered in awe as she took in the familiar smells of packed dirt and musty water. Elyna had finally woken up enough to be let down. She stood confused and scared in her nightgown as the three girls quietly caught their bearings, gathering supplies for the long trek ahead.

“Well it’s for good reason my dear, these tunnels lead to the entire city—every house, every business—and by now, I hope they have all been alerted and are safely tucked away below. I believe your grandparents and most of the city helped to build these tunnels some fifty to a hundred years ago and everything we could ever need and want is down here. Locked shelves with all of our necessities…”

Joan paused once more to listen, the maze of earth and stone encased tunnels seemed to be alive, teeming with nervous energy and quiet whispers. All no doubt telling the same quiet story. All trying to figure out what to do next.

“In the center of the maze is an area large enough for us to congregate until we can establish a plan. We need to gather enough light to fight the creatures off. One by one. It’s a daunting, dangerous task but it has to be done, our survival depends on …well never you mind about that. We should probably camp here for the night,” Joan mumbled to herself, quickly changing the subject as she grabbed several pillows and blankets before making a bed out of a metal cot-like contraption— “I always check our supplies weekly to make sure everything is in working order. There are some more blankets and pillows over there if you need them.”

Remi thought back to all the mid-Saturday mornings when Joan would saunter off, quietly disappearing into the kitchen, only to reappear hours later as though nothing was amiss. Now it all made sense—a few of their outfits would go missing from time to time, canned goods, things that wouldn’t end up in the pantry had somehow found their way down here.

“All rationed from sometime after the war and kept safe for whomever to use.” Joan whispered as though reading Remi’s mind—"now we have food and light, water and fire. Everything we should need for a year or more.”

Remi smiled as she thought about what was happening up above. Fearful of what the city would look like when or if they were ever able to surface.

“Get some shut-eye girls. We need our energy for morning…”

It would seem the girls had slept most of the morning and awoke to the smells of all different types of food being cooked. Joan had already prepped them a meal of canned beef, baked beans and some pour over coffee.

“We will need our sustenance. Have a long day ahead.”

Joan stuffed her mouth with the piping hot food. It was nice not having to eat the granola bars or canned peaches.

“We can come back later for more. The center gathering hole is where we want to be by noon.”

Remi and Elyna both smiled as they scarfed their plates down, having seconds.

“There are smaller sized shared bathrooms around each corner. I probably should’ve told you.”

Remi peered curiously around the bend in the tunnel, she hadn’t even thought of needing to use the bathroom but sure enough, just as she’d been told a small—dimly lit room appeared nearby. The bathrooms were indeed nice, much nicer than she could have imagined with clean, running water and stalls for toilets. Plucked straight from the golden era with chick-pea tiles and white porcelain sinks. It was surprising how they’d managed such a feat with the monstrous beasts lurking above them yearning to dig their fangs into their flesh.

There was even a set of mint colored sheers covering a light dome—giving the appearance of a window.

“They really thought of everything, didn’t they?”

Joan smiled as she cleaned their dishes.

“They really did. Wait till you see the rest of the place. Quite a feat of wonder.”

“We should get going, there are a handful of miles between where we are on the map and the center.” Joan’s finger hovered over a small map that looked like the spoke of a giant wheel, blossoming out, encompassing the span of the small island.

“There are more copies of this very map in your backpacks if you should need them or in the event we ever are separated. You will always be able to find your way back. Here, take these. They are to be with you at all times…” Joan had two sets of keys on a beaded metal chain and she handed them to both girls— “one is for the metal door, one is for the outer doors and the other for our food shelves. Please keep them around your neck and do not loose them or let anyone else use these.”

Remi held tightly to the chained-keys, tucking them into her shirt as Eleyna and Joan did the same. They finished packing some provisions, using the restroom and filling their water jugs for the journey ahead.

It was unlike anything the women had ever seen. Much different than life above ground. In the tunnels the women felt like ants as they all crowded in the same small crudely carved hallways. Caged lights hung overhead to illuminate the way every ten feet, barely enough light to see. Left side was for passing, right for going straight. Occasionally the girls would have to stop to allow for a stray party to pass on route to another part of the tunnels.

“You’re going the wrong way,” Joan quipped, giving a light chuckle as the men nodded in response, mumbling niceties as they passed.

Finally, after what felt like hours they heard what sounded like a small army gathering in the closing distance.

“We can’t fight them off forever. Have to use flame and lots of it. The sun will be brighter than ever and it won’t make things easier to see, clouds of night will be barreling in looking to trap the beasts here forever. We have until midnight to eradicate them.” A gruff, booming voice sounded from somewhere miles ahead.

“We’re almost there,” Joan called excitedly as she picked up the pace.

“Careful, watch your head, hold onto each other so we don’t get lost or separated.”

Remi held tightly to Elyna’s hand as the three girls ran in unison with hundreds of others towards the budding underground city. There had to be hundreds and hundreds of people huddled in the circular room where built in stone steps provided much needed seating as the gruff, booming voice continued on from somewhere in the center.

“Some of us have never seen a Reverence in person. Only lucky if our parents escaped the wrath of this unlucky day. But now, now we are stronger and wiser and more prepared. We will rise up and take back our lives, our freedom and our light. The green lights in the center of the room have four exits—each leading either North, South, East or West. Dumping the tunnels in strategic locations for a fight, a battle, a war. We will send these beastly creatures back to where they came. Who’s with me…”

Shouts and cheers exploded as the room rattled about. Remi wondered how on Earth the beastly creatures didn’t know where they were. She looked apprehensively at Joan who smiled reassuringly, squeezing her hand for comfort.

“Soon enough this will all be over. They will give each of us a torch. Aim for the eyes. Run the monsters back into the shallows. By morning they will be beyond the deepest, darkest depths of our reach, burying themselves in the oceans blanket. Night can’t even compare; no sun or moon could shimmer or glimmer or swarm such water. That is what they call home…they are unlike us…”

Remi shuddered as she grabbed hold of an unlit torch unsure of what magic they would hold against the very monsters that had crushed their lighthouse home.

“Don’t forget to pass your torch over the flaming sconces on the exit points and keep the tunnel gates open until the last are out. Each of you have a key to get back in so please be mindful…” a second, high-pitched voice squealed over the idle chatter as the gruff booming voice sounded around them—

“Be victorious, be vigilant, fight. Let’s take back our homes. Create light, don’t hide behind darkness in the tunnels and wait for someone to save you. Today, tonight, tomorrow we will look every monster in the face and we will crush them. We will win…we will win…”

Remi could still hear the man’s voice echoing in her head as she lit the torch, her hands shaking with unsettled fear as she stepped out into the blinding light. She wondered if these beasts were so afraid of fire—why the sun didn’t affect them—but then she saw pitch black waves of clouds setting off in the distance.

This was when the battle would begin, this was her chance.