𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐞 || 𝗷. 𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸

-4- 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 -4-

The lighthouse was huge with lots of steps going upwards.

"Remind me what we're looking for again" I say softly.

"We'll know when we see it" The brunet haired boy replies.

"Okay" I say lightly.

After climbing for awhile we finally made our way to the top of the tower.

I gave John B a hopeful smile as he knocked on the metal door.

A portly old man with a beard opened up the door.

"Um... we're here for the lighthouse" I say lowly.

"The lighthouse is closed" the man replies flatly.

He closed the door as I looked to John B on what the plan was now.

"Actually, we...we aren't here about the lighthouse. We're here about the, uh Royal Merchant" John B spoke up.

The door instantly opens up at the mention of it.

"You came to the right place"

He lets us through and onto the platform before I accidentally step into a burnt hole in the floor.

John B grabs my arm and pulls me away.

"Watch your step there, pretty lady. I know more about the Royal Merchant than anyone else in Kildare County." the man continues.

John B and I follow him as he explains.

"Now the Merchant disappeared in the graveyard of the Atlantic in 1829"

I stare out on the view of the lighthouse blue skies and green trees lining the horizon.

"With four hundred million" John B says.

The man nods.

"You're a bit of a Merchanteer yourself, huh?"  he chuckles.

"Uh... somethin' like that" John B replies.

"Now the trick to knowin' where the Merchant is... is knowin' whether she was on the north end or the south end of the eye of the storm" the man states.

The floor was filled with exposed holes, some even you could get your foot stuck in.

John B interlaced his hand with mine as I follow behind him carefully watching my step trying not to fall through the cracks.

"Now, most experts believe that she was on the south end. Now, she's on the south end, the bands from the hurricane would've pushed her back out to the sea. But I don't believe that" the man says.

John B looks at the man confused on what he meant.

"I think she was on the north end of the eye. Which means the bands would've pushed her—"

"—Closer to shore" I say.

"That's right. Now, by my calculations the Royal Merchant... is about ten miles thataway" he says pointing in the direction.

John B turns and gives me a look and I return it as we keep following the man.

We went back to another room in the lighthouse.

The Lighthouse keeper explained why he thinks the Point has changed and where he thinks the Merchant could be.

"Yeah, I... know this is weird, all right? Do you know anything about this?" John B asks, holding up the compass.

The lighthouse keeper gives both of us sceptical looks.

"Look, it... says Redfield in the back, in my dad's handwriting. Yeah, I don't know why I'm here but I feel like I'm supposed to be here. Do... do you have anything to give to me or to..." John B says.