The Lighthouse is leaning...by Karen M. Owen

This morning I did not have time to finish a book with all that happened yesterday so I instead share a piece of flash fiction I am working on, here is my prologue to my story. (Please forgive any typing or spelling errors as this is a flash fiction as is piece at the moment.)

The lighthouse is leaning...

I have always been there, strong against the wind, rain, snow and baking heat but I am now feeling the age of the paint, the wear of the wind and the decay of the storms I have weathered silently and solemnly alone.

Vacant for many years now, broken windows and loose stones, the light only dimly shining when I catch the light off the sun or the moon. Stark and bleak at the edge of the cliff waiting, leaning.

Paneless windows allow and both encourage gulls and crows to be making their homes and nests where the keeper once perched, echoes of yesteryear in their calls and yet here I sit redundant but ready if the call to keep the light should ever return.

Through the fog I catch a glimpse of two beams of light, hear the rumble of an engine and the catching of the trailer hitch that appears to be bringing up the rear of a truck. It has been a long time since I last had visitors, curious and anxious I stand and wait, hoping the car turns and doubles back to where it came, leaving me in my quite contemplation and isolation.

The truck slows and turns in front of me, the engine is cut and the door bursts open. I see a woman,  she turns and pats both her thighs several times as if clapping and a large wolf appears to exit the door that the woman just came out of. With its Salt and Pepper hair blowing in the wind,the wolf rears on its hind legs and lunges at the woman. As the wind blows through the windowless openings where widows once held strong,  I feel as though I have caught my breath, in anticipation . There is no one here to help this woman and there is nothing I can do.

The caw of the black crow echos in my head, interrupting what I anticipate to be the screams of a horrific attack, and yet it appears now the woman is smiling, the wolf rests its paws on her shoulders and she seems to sway as if dancing with this animal. As the wolf moves I can see the look on the womans face and it is not what I expect, she is smiling and laughing. The wolf removes its paws and returns to the ground, circling his pray, I hear the woman say "Well Sailor? What do you think? Welcome home"

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea this morning and for a look at a piece of my flash fiction. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com