The Lighthouse Ch. 01

Hello all, back with a new one. This is a departure from the heavier-hitting stories I've written of late. The concept for it has been floating in my head for a while; it is a lighter, fantasy-romance set in the real world but with a mythical/mystery twist to it (think the TV show Lost mixed with Hans Christian Anderson's tales). So, if that's not your thing, feel free to pass and read the multitude of other fabulous stories on this site.

This is the first part of a multi-part series that, as always, will be published in short order. Enjoy! JJJ

*

Adam was standing at his office window, looking out over the city. He'd never given the term 'concrete jungle' much thought until then. But, as his eyes travelled over the numerous skyscrapers puncturing the iron-grey sky, he thought the term was an appropriate one. There was no colour in the city, only different shades of grey. It was solid; harsh and unforgiving like the concrete it was made from. And, like a jungle, the ruthless survived and the weak perished.

Such was the life of Adam Hawk. Son to a successful real estate developer, he'd inherited his father's business and taken it quite literally to new heights. Standing at the top floor of one of the city's tallest skyscrapers, Adam Hawk felt as though he owned the world. He chuckled to himself. He did indeed own quite a bit of it.

The laughter died on his lips as his eyes fell to the streets, packed with people running to and from jobs like ants in a disturbed nest. The roads were black arteries that ran between the buildings, clogged with cars sounding their horns.

His attention was taken from the window by the sound of his office door opening. "Come to tell me how much you'll miss me?" he asked, turning to see Jeff Otman, his father's number two and now his, enter the room. Adam was by no means a small man. Six feet with broad shoulders, there weren't many he found physically imposing. But Jeff was easily six-four and built like a bear. Couple that with a ruthless mind for business, bald head, thick beard, and gravelly voice, Jeff's presence was enough to intimidate most people he came across.

Jeff strolled to Adam's extremely expensive collection of whiskies, selected a glass, and poured himself a good measure. He snorted. "How did you know it was me?"

"Because you're the only person who would enter my office without knocking," Adam replied, declining a drink from Jeff with a shake of his head. He sat behind his desk and braced himself for the inevitable.

Jeff took a sip and let out a long sigh. He eyed Adam for a moment and then took the seat opposite him, the chair groaning in protest. "You don't have to go, you know. We could send a team down there and they'd have reports drawn up in no time. You could enjoy the sunshine up here while they're stuck in the ass-end of nowhere down there."

Adam smiled and shook his head. "I'm going, Jeff. You're more than capable enough of handling things around here. Besides, I haven't taken time off since I took over the business when Dad passed."

Jeff chuckled. "You think living in a lighthouse for a few months is a holiday? Adam, you're thirty; you want a holiday? Fly somewhere filled with young women eager to fight for a rich bachelor's attention. You've got places all over the world, throw a dart at a globe and head there."

Adam sighed. "It's not that. I... I suppose I just need to get away from the world for a bit, away from people." He stood up and returned to the window. "Did Dad ever speak about the future of the company? He never got the chance to talk to me about it before he passed."

"Isn't it obvious?" Jeff asked, standing up and stepping beside Adam at the window. He tilted his glass to the city. "To buy more, build more, make more."

"Doesn't that seem a bit hollow to you? Look at the city, Jeff. I can't see a single tree. Where did all the colour go?" Adam shook his head. "I don't know. I suppose I wondered if Dad ever had plans for something else in the company's future."

Jeff frowned and his voice hardened fractionally. "You want to see a tree, there's plenty outside the city. We are developers; we buy land, build on it, sell it. Nothing more, nothing less. Let the world worry about itself because it sure as hell doesn't worry about you. Your dad started this company to make money, and make money we have." He rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "Maybe you getting away to clear your head isn't such a bad idea. You'll certainly have enough time, but if you go, just remember why you're there, eh?"

Adam nodded. "Of course, I was the one who started this whole project, remember?"

Adam's parents had died in a car accident on the way to an award evening, leaving him the sole heir to their company and fortune at twenty-five. He'd been working at the company since turning eighteen and was being groomed to take over, but the jump in responsibility was still incredibly stressful. Luckily, Jeff had been there to help him through it.

"When do you leave?" Jeff asked.

"Tomorrow morning. I'm not sure what the signal's going to be like down there, but I'll send mail from the village when I can."

Jeff patted his shoulder. "Get your head straight before you come back, our business is no place for a distracted mind. And remember why you're going; that land could be worth millions if we develop it in the right way. I've put the feelers out and the local government are excited about the possibility of it being put to use. I suspect their excitement likely has something to do with the amount of money it'll generate for them."

"What about the villagers?"

Jeff barked laughter. "What do you think? They're all up in arms and will probably get a few of the environmental folk involved, but it's nothing that money can't fix. If there's one thing I've learned in all my years, it's that every government and agency will bow before money. We just need to line the right pockets."

Jeff finished his whisky and put the glass back on the side. "I'll keep things ticking over back here. When you give me the go-ahead, I'll file the paperwork and talk to the right people to get things started." He left the office and Adam returned to gazing at the city, wondering at what point money became more important to people than morals.

*

Atlantis Point was a spit of land jutting out to sea at the far northern reaches of the country. It was five miles long, a mile wide, and tapered down to a point at its far end. The coastline was a mixture of rocky ledges, beaches, and coves. A single narrow trail ran through its middle from the nearest village; a place called Marelia. It had fields, some woods, and unparalleled views of the open ocean. It was because of these unparalleled views that Atlantis Point first captured Adam's attention.

He'd happened across it by accident when researching new projects. The local government had put the land up for sale to private contractors in the hope that they could make money from it short term and long term. Just from the photos, Adam had been entranced. The place had a strange beauty to it he couldn't quite identify. Something about it called to him in a way that no other project had before.

Initially, Jeff hadn't been impressed. The place was nearly impossible to get to, not to mention getting machinery and building supplies there if they decided to develop it. Moreover, because of the shifting tides and sea levels, Atlantis Point and Marelia were cut off from the mainland for three months of the year, during which they were only accessible by boat. Those alone should have been enough to put a stopper in any plans to purchase it, but Adam had been insistent. He envisioned luxury hotels and accommodations during the summer months where millionaires and billionaires could relax away from the world in a place of entrancing beauty. It would cost them a lot, but the payoff would be enormous.

Eventually, Jeff relented and their planning began. The more the project progressed, the more enthused he became. He too saw the potential for making a large windfall of cash, especially with the local government onside. The opposite could be said of Adam. When the tainted view provided by money was stripped away, he started to see the place for its beauty as it was, not how much it could generate for him. He decided that someone would need to visit it to write up a report before purchasing it, and that someone would be him.

Unfortunately, the summer months were coming to a close and Atlantis Point would be cut off from the mainland for three months. With every extra day they didn't put an offer in, there was the risk of a rival company seizing the land, particularly considering its very modest price. The last thing Jeff or Adam wanted was to get into a bidding war.

So, it was for those reasons Adam had taken two flights, a train journey, and a taxi ride, and was finally standing on a jetty looking out over a choppy ocean at Atlantis Point. He wouldn't be staying at the village; he doubted that someone who wanted to build luxury houses, hotels, and apartments on their doorstep would get a warm welcome. So, he was staying at the old lighthouse at the far end of the island. He would take over the responsibility of lighting it at night while creating a report with ideas of what they could build and where. Of course, there were countless surveys, tests, and legal processes to complete, but he wanted to get an initial feel for the place before committing man-hours and resources.

It was a cold day and the clouds lay thickly upon the world. Adam had left the realms of modern society long ago. The nearest city was a half day's travel. Buildings had given way to rolling moors of grass interspersed with woodlands of towering trees. The further he'd travelled, the fewer cars and people he'd seen. It was like travelling backwards through time, to a place where the days were measured by the rise and fall of the sun rather than the ticking hands of a clock.

"You must be that Hawk fella," a thickly accented man said from behind him, making Adam jump. A short, stocky man strolled across the jetty and held out his hand. "Name's Remilind, but most just call me Remi."

"Adam," he said, taking the man's firm handshake. "My company must have contacted you about taking me over to Atlantis Point?"

"Aye, though you must be crazy to trap yourself over there with that bunch for three months."

"Oh? I assumed you lived in the village. What's wrong with them?"

"Nay, I gotta place further down the coast. And there's nothing wrong with them people, but they sure think there's something wrong with you. Never seen them so angry, though I can't blame them. If someone came and decided to slap a load of buildings in my back garden, can't say I'd be too happy."

A cold wind tugged at Adam's long coat. He pulled it tighter around himself. "We're hoping to work with them to improve their lives. With the development, there will be all sorts of job opportunities and incentives for the community."

Remi laughed. "Ha! You city folk ever stop to think that village folk might be happy with their lives? What you're doing is for you, not them; you just wrapped it up in a fancy parcel with fancy words. Come on, Adam. They're going to be angry enough at me for taking you over, so I want to make the drop off nice and quick."

Remi took Adam to an old boat moored at the end of the jetty. He jumped in, took Adam's suitcases and then offered a hand to help him in. The boat rose and fell in time with the waves, making Adam stumble and brace himself against the small cabin's wall.

"You better sit down, I'm a captain, not a fisherman," Remi said with a hearty chuckle. He disappeared into the cabin and the boat's engine rumbled to life. Slowly, it pulled away from the jetty and out into the ocean.

It was only a short distance between the mainland and Atlantis Point. The island rose from the water's surface like the back of a titanic sea creature, outlined starkly against the sky. Adam could see the quaint village of Marelia hugging the rear coastline. It was a collection of stone huts with black slate roofs, solidly built to withstand the elements. Light grey cobbled paths wound between the buildings, connecting to a broad central one that cut through the centre of the village and disappeared into the island.

When they were around one hundred yards from the coast, Remi cut the engine and the boat chugged to a stop. He came out of the cabin and said, "I can't take her any closer or she'll do her bottom on the rocks." He nodded to a small rowboat being rowed out from the small beach at the base of the village. "Seb will see you in safely. I normally make drop-offs once a week on Sundays, weather permitting, so if there's anything you need, come and see me then."

Adam nodded. "Thank you. Why are they rowing out? I'd have thought they'd have motorboats?"

Remi laughed. "There you are being a city man again, looking for the easy way to do things. Why waste petrol running an engine when all it costs is a bit of hard work?"

Adam had no answer and was saved having to reply by Seb, who had pulled up alongside the larger vessel. To Adam's surprise, Seb was a young man, maybe in his early twenties. He had blonde sandy hair and a permanent grin. He stood up and held the rowboat steady against the boat's hull.

"Alright, Remi? Interesting cargo you have today!" He held out a hand. "I'm Seb and you're Adam Hawk. You've got the village in an uproar! Here, let me get your suitcases and then I'll help you in."

The transfer from boat to rowboat was a terrifying experience. Both boats moved seemingly at random and Adam was very aware of the depth of the ocean beneath him as he dropped into the smaller craft. Seb, completely at ease, held him steady and helped him to sit before pushing away from Remi's boat.

Remi waved and then started his engine up and slowly trundled back toward the mainland. "It's a bit choppy today!" Seb said happily, sitting opposite Adam and taking the oars. He put his back to the island and rowed them in with long strokes.

Adam, who was experiencing a mild panic attack at being in such a small boat in a very big ocean, could only nod and give him a faint smile in reply.

When they reached the gravelly beach, Seb jumped out, seemingly unphased by the bitter water that reached his knees, and pulled the rowboat the rest of the way. The hull crunched against the pebbles as it made land and Adam jumped out, taking a moment to steady himself on the soft ground.

"So what can I expect when I get to the village?" he asked Seb as they unloaded his suitcases.

"Oh, anything from muttered words behind your back to open shouting in your face! Don't worry, though, no one would hurt you. Well, apart from maybe Effle Windbridge - but if you stay away from her broom, I'm sure you'll be OK!"

Adam smiled. Seb had a very energetic and friendly way of talking. "You don't seem too angry at me?" he asked.

Seb shrugged and glanced longingly at the mainland. "I guess I'm one of the younger ones on the island, so I haven't had time to get set in my ways yet."

"I suppose so, how old are you?"

"Uh... I'm twenty," he said awkwardly. He quickly changed the subject. "I heard you're taking over from Old Bill up at the lighthouse?"

Adam noticed the strangeness in the delivery of his response, but decided not to think too much about it. Maybe Seb wasn't comfortable telling a stranger his age or something. He lifted his suitcase and followed Seb. "Yes, I thought it would be better than sleeping in the village where I risk attack by broom-wielding women. I take it this path goes the entire way to the lighthouse?"

Seb laughed and nodded as they left the beach and walked up through the village. "Yeah, if you don't hang about too much, you'll make it there by night. It's about a two-hour trek to the lighthouse from here. I'll quickly show you the main places in the village, Old Bill's waiting to meet you in The Grotto - that's the village pub."

Most people were inside as they progressed through the cobbled streets. Adam noticed curtains twitching as he passed, though never a face. The village felt like a place frozen in time. There were no cars, no people bustling about with mobile phones, no screens flashing images at people from all directions. There was a certain peace in the air, it was somewhere untouched and protected from the rest of humanity.

Seb pointed out the store where everyone collected their essentials and food. Luckily, Adam had arranged for the lighthouse to be fully stocked with food and toiletries for his stay so he didn't have to buy or carry anything extra there.

The final building in the village was slightly larger than the rest; far wider with a heavy oak door set between double windows. An old sign above it read; The Grotto. Seb strolled confidently to the door and opened it for Adam.

Inside was a single room that took up the entirety of the bottom floor. It had a low beamed ceiling, a bar, numerous mismatched tables and chairs, and a large fireplace surrounded by sofas. It was mostly empty, save for a wizened old man sipping a dark ale at the bar. He was tall and thin, with a long grey beard and light grey eyes.

He turned on his stool and surveyed Adam with a piercing gaze. "Adam Hawk," he said.

"Old Bill?" Adam asked, offering his hand.

The old man chuckled. "Yes, I am old, and yes, I am Bill." He took Adam's hand. "So, you'll be taking over my lighthouse duty for the next few months." He quickly downed his drink and smacked his lips before jumping from his stool. "Come, we need to get moving before it gets too late. Seb, it's good to see you."

Seb said goodbye and promised to visit when he had the time. Bill took one of Adam's suitcases, lifting it with ease despite his age. They left the village and the cobbled path became a broad trail of hard-packed earth that meandered through the island like a ribbon.

"So," Bill said as they walked across a wide field of long grass that rippled in waves in the breeze. "You're here for a couple of months. You aren't worried about being lonely up there? No wife or family back in the real world?"

"Not really. I'm too busy for a relationship and my parents died five years ago."

Bill shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry for your loss. Losing parents is never easy, they are our lifelines to the world. Course, mine passed a long time ago now." He pointed a thumb over his shoulder at the village. "They lived in the village their whole lives, and their parents before them."

They walked in silence for a time making idle chat. The island was just as Adam had imagined. It was like stepping into another world, where the air was charged with a magical quality. The grass was vividly green despite the cloudy sky, the trees were tall and strong, their roots digging deep beneath the ground and anchoring them to the spot. Birds flew between branches and the low rush of the ocean was ever present in the background.

It took two hours to reach the lighthouse, by which time Adam was out of breath. Strangely, Bill's breathing was completely regular. He laughed at Adam's glowing face. "For someone with fancy muscles, they don't seem to be doing you much good!" He pointed unnecessarily over his shoulder, where the lighthouse rose proudly from the tip of the island. "This is The Atlantis Beacon, as old as the sea herself. Here, let me get your bags and I'll give you the tour."

The lighthouse was made from huge slabs of a light grey stone, expertly crafted and fitted together. It rose from the ground to a railed walkway around the lightroom at the top. Placed sporadically along its walls were narrow slits that acted as windows. At its base was a solid wood door with iron bands across it.