Light Within The Darkness
In the quaint little town of Arville, there stood an old, dilapidated lighthouse, a vestige of history, long forgotten by many. Its once vibrant color had weathered down to a ghostly white, making it a beacon of dread that loomed over the town. Its rusting iron railings and cracked glass windows told tales of trials and tribulation, while year after year, the lighthouse silently endured.
People called it cursed, for, every once in six months, inexplicably, someone invariably went missing at night, only to be found the next morning near the lighthouse, under the haunting glow of the moon with a content smile on their face, miraculously unharmed but totally devoid of memories from prior night.
One day, a young writer, Julia Fenton moved to the town, intrigued by the mystery surrounding the lighthouse. Her intuition as a writer sensed a story in the colloquial whispers and town's legends. She began excavating the town’s history, exploring local library archives and old news cuttings, listening to the elderly folks spinning tales about the infamous lighthouse, inspiring dread and fascination with the same breath.
Julia, seeking firsthand experience, decided to spend a night observing the lighthouse. Armed with a night vision camera, binoculars, and a notepad, she stationed herself in a concealed location with a clear view of the lighthouse. Hours passed as she braced herself against the chilled wind, her eyes glued to the lighthouse. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as the clock hit midnight; the lighthouse, against all logic, magically lit up. On more observation, she was taken aback by a figure appearing at the doorstep. Lucy, the friendly town baker, stood at the entrance, looking up at the lighthouse, her eyes filled with happiness. Then mesmerizingly, she disappeared within.
Next morning, Lucy was found near the lighthouse, repeating the pattern of past victims, with no memories of last night and a placid smile plastered on her face. Julia was puzzled but consumed with an irresistible desire to explore further. The allure was strong enough to overpower her fears, and she decided to enter the lighthouse at midnight.
As the clock struck twelve, Julia walked towards the lighthouse, her heart pounding against her chest. The door creaked open, revealing an ethereal glow, strange warmth enveloped her, not scary but welcoming. Stepping inside, she saw walls etched with carvings of countless faces, all smiling—the past visitors, she realized. A winding staircase led to a room with a magnificent light source—bright yet soothing with no apparent bulb or flame. Drawn by its enigma, Julia extended her hand towards the mysterious light. At the touch, a surge of emotions flowed through her, a profound understanding of life, serenity, and peace like nothing she had known before. Time seemed suspended in that euphoric state, and the surrounding realm vanished into inconsequence.
As morning light peeked in, Julia found herself lying near the lighthouse, devoid any fear of the unknown, instated with a deep sense of enlightenment; she now understood the nature of the phenomenon. The lighthouse was not a place of terror but a portal of solace where weary souls found a brief escape from their mundane lives, a sanctuary offering a taste of transcendent peace.
Julia returned to her journey, not as a witness but a storyteller, to weave 'The Light Within.' The news of her 'encounter' spread, changing people's dread into reverence. Gradually, the cursed lighthouse of Arville became an enchanted beacon, a symbol of hope, annually celebrated by the locals and explored by the curious souls from the world beyond, in search of their tranquil sojourn.