The lighthouse [ in progress ]

Chapter 8: The Lighthouse

   "...I was sure you would recognize me, Alice, darling... "
   "... it was a pleasure to me..."
   "...this is the last chance I'm giving you..."
   "... your best friend of course, Grace Jackson... "

   "Miss... Wake up miss!" Alice unconsciously opened her eyes, without being waken up from her strange dream.

   "...wear it on your date, or say goodbye to your new friend..."

   "Miss, WAKE UP!" repeated the steward, strictly raising her voice. Alice pushed herself forward, attempting to stand up. Her vision was still blurred, her head unportably heavy.

   "Where am I?" she finally said.

   "You are still on the plane, miss. It has landed an hour ago. I had to wake you up. Passengers are not allowed to-"

   "-an hour?" interrupted Alice, who was already on her feet, with a sudden change of her facial expression, looking like she's seen a ghost. "Thank you so much, I... ehm.. I really should get going.." and without a further word, Alice started walking down the aisle as fast as she could until she got out of the plane... and stopped.

   The stinging cold wandered gradually from her chest down to her feet, blocking a further step forward. And leaving her a sign. Grace was really there, Alice could feel her presence.

   She never believed in fate. Until today. Until now.

   When she revealed her destination to the taxi driver and threw herself at the backseat, these thoughts began to come and go again. She used to trust Grace more than she trusted herself. Their friendship was too powerful, Alice would never imagine there was a force, that strong to break that bond. Or affect it. Manipulate it. Change it.

   Alice payed the taxi driver, who then furiously drove away. She watched the car slowly disappear, the darkness engulfing it, until it was gone. She expected deadly silence. But instead, the howl of the wind in the trees, the quivery sound of the leaves swirling like hurricane, made Alice's pulse beat faster, her heart thumbing wildly against her chest.

   She shifted her right foot away from the other, forcing herself to turn around. She did overcome the struggle. But wished she had just run away, back to the airport. From there, take the first plane to japan, or new zealand, far away, find a job and live a teenage-cliché peaceful life, with her only concern being prom.

   But now there she was, standing in front of the lighthouse, facing it's thick white walls. Rooted that deep into the rocks, no force would be enough to cause a damage. Aggressive ocean waves, climbing up the cliff, covering it the top, were letting it present itself stronger, powerful... alive. Alive, like it was looking down to you, calling you to defeat it, but you would just stand there, unable to speak or move, your nerves, your muscles becoming loose and weaker. And that wouldn't be caused by the lighthouse. It would be you. Your presence. Alice's presence.

   It hadn't changed a bit since then. Since the day Alice met Grace for the first time, on top of the lighthouse. It used to be a public place these days. Tourists from all over the states would choose this one instead of the other stunning California beaches, just to get to the top of the lighthouse and enjoy the view. It really was impressive. It was described as "sneak peak from heaven" and "horizontal parachute".

   "I really was worried you wouldn't come"

   Alice's eye's opened wildly, but every bone in her body was completely frozen. She heard the footsteps behind her approching, the sand scrounching underneath.

   "But I'm glad you did"

   Alice turned around, her knees barely carrying her body. She allowed a tear run down her cheek.

   A dark silhoutte came out from the darkness, a sprawling, dense fog still making the image unclear. The silhouette came closer and closer, every footstep louder, every move becoming more intense, until it stopped in front of her...