Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-25825682-20150202040754

"Oh, man! Now I'm glad you convinced me to come Alexander."

"Well, I couldn't let you miss out on your B-day party Eathan," replied Alexander on video with Eathan.

That morning in Alki Point, a sandy blonde-hair, fresh-face young man, with green eyes was at home on his bed. Alexander laid there watching a year old cellphone video on his iPhone6 of a surprise birthday party for Eathan dated June 24.

"I can't believe it’s almost been a year since your death," he said.

Alexander sat up and stretched, took a glance out the window seeing the sky had overcast and it begun to rain. He turned off the video, stood up from the bed and got himself ready for the day. Alexander opened up his bedroom door and left. His cellphone lay on the bed askance to the window across from the open laptop. A shadowy figure swept by reflecting on the cellphone and laptops screen.

Fifteen minutes had gone by when he finished with his shower. Now in his bedroom, Alexander stood before his dresser having put on his blue jeans, orange T-shirt and black jacket, and noticed his cellphone on the dresser. He quizzically looked at it wondering why or how the phone moved and he thought, "Guess mom put it there," putting the phone in his jackets pocket.

Before exiting his room he thought he saw a figure go by him, once he glanced back all he could see were droplets of rain on the window. He paid it no mind at first, yet he looked again to make sure. "Must've been a bird or something," shrugging it off as he left his room.

Downstairs, Alexander walked down the hall and passed the kitchen archway. He paused when he felt his stomach rumble. He figured he should eat, but did not want to show up late for school. "I'll just get going," he thought getting ready to leave. Suddenly his phone rung and he answered.

"Yes?"

"You’re up," said his mother. "Did you eat?"

"Yeah I did," he answered.

"No you didn't. I know you," scolding him. "At least take them as you go." Alexander picked up the left half of the bagel on the plate, covered in cream cheese and took a bite of the bagel as she said, "Alright, I'll let you go. I'll be home around nine."

Alexander finished the first half and reached for the other half, and then he saw something out the corner of his peripheral right view. He curiously looked toward the farthest right side of the kitchen ceiling and saw a damp spot on the ceilings corner and water coming down from it.

"Yeah... nine," he responded curious. "Did you notice a leak in the kitchen?"

"Yes I did. Don't worry about it," she assured him. "I placed some papers on the floor under it with a pot."

Suddenly the phones connection began to scramble. His line disconnected, so he text his mother to call him later. In doing so, he looked carefully at the leak as he put his phone away watching the drip. Something about it made him not want to approach it. "Leak or not I need to go," he thought ignoring the leak and left his home.

Outside his home, Alexander noticed the rain had not let up. He groaned at this aspect. Alexander did not hate the rain, but he was at least hoping it would ease up during his walk to school. To him though, Alki point was like any other place seen before. Jutting out into Puget Sound, you can make a view of the bay from Hamilton Viewpoint. Being in the western most part of Seattle, Alki beach is along the coastline. Farther beyond you can see the octagonal lighthouse that the Viser family owns which overshadows any tourist at an estimated 11.277 meters.

Alexander then saw a police car ride by along the street. He knew the brusque, brown eyed, black haired man in the police car as Lt. Xavier Moss, from being a good friend to his father and mother. He recalled in his head what Xavier told his dad "In Alki October last `till July, then around mid-July it's dry and departs in September," when he was over their house. Alexander placed his hood up over his head when the police car stopped.

"Need a ride, Alex?" asked Xavier.

"Nah, I don't mind the rain. Appreciate the offer."

"You sure it's not out of my way?" questioning why he would rather walk.

"I'm bloody sure. I actually like rain walking," he proclaimed. Xavier understood remembering he liked to do that and rode away.

Half way to the high school, Alexander chose to lower his hood. He figured the first person he would see on the school grounds would be Olemilia. He knew her well as a close friend from her bright red hair, her green eyes covered by professional looking glasses, and her fair delicate skin. Being an avid reader himself he often would see her taking out books at the library, or see her nose deep in a novel.

"I wonder if she's at school already," he said passing a particularly tall tree. A strange, low pitch noise then pierced into Alexander’s ears.

"Ah, what the hell!" he exclaimed barely making out what sounded like words. It was so erratic it sounded like opaque gibberish. A car pulled up alongside Alexander while he stood there as if paralyzed by the noise, trying to recollect his thoughts.

"Alex. Alex, what's wrong?" asked Olemilia. Alexander was able to recognize the familiar voice from the haunting noise ruminating in his mind as she called out to him again, "Do you need a lift to school?"

"No, no... I'm fine," he responded to her voice.

"They said it'll downpour off and on today. You should get in," recommending him a ride.

"Okay you win," he agreed with the idea of that unearthly, wretched noise coming back made him want to get as far as he could from it. Once he entered her car the noises stopped ruminating.

"Do you feel all right?" she asked.

"Yeah, just light-headed was all," trying to recuperate mentally from that ear-splitting noise.

"Mind if I turn on the radio?"

"No, go ahead," Alexander turned up the radios volume and changed it to his favorite station. Suddenly, an unnerving white noise much like before came screeching into the car. It caused Alexander to jump at the broken cacophony of words, startling him to stop it.

"What the bloody hell was that!"

She glanced over at Alexander trying to keep her eyes on the road. She saw Alexander's chest heavily breathing fast. Alexander's stomach felt twisted into knots. To him the radio sounded like its transistors choked.

"What’s the matter? You look ill," she asked.

"That noise… that noise was bloody awful," he expressed.

"You mean that song," she presumed switching the radio back on and heard a popular rock song.

"It's not so bad," Alexander began to wonder if she heard the same noise.

Later that day after school let out at 3:45 P.M, the rain started to come down heavy. The students ran hastily toward their cars or the bus avoiding as much of the rain as possible. Alexander and Olemilia quickly ran toward her car, Alexander waited as she unlocked the doors. Over near the school buildings entrance a student with messy brown hair, a lean body frame and blue eyes, carrying a dark blue backpack that has a white star on it had just exited the school before the bus left.

"Damn, that was the last bus."

The student looked around and managed to make out Alexander’s profile near the left side door of a car. Once the doors were unlocked Olemilia and Alexander got in. As she began to start her car, Alexander looked out from the window and could see a student with messy brown hair, carrying dark blue backpack with a white star on it coming toward Olemilia’s car.

"Is that, Arnold," Alexander surmised.

At Alexander’s side window, Arnold tapped at the glass and asked, “Could I get a lift home from you guys?”

“Couldn’t he ask someone else?” Alexander questioned.

“Don’t be like that. Besides it’s pouring down out there,” Olemilia objected.

She unlocked the back doors and he got in behind Alexander. “Thanks, I really appreciate this,” Arnold stated.

Olemilia rode away from the school. As all three of them sat in the car she became prompted to ask Alexander about class earlier. “So, what will you do your project on?”

“I figured I’d do it on the Alki lighthouse,” he answered shrugging.

“You mean that old run down tower,” supposed Arnold. “Why’d you pick that of all places?”

“It’s still in operation, in fact people still take tours of it,” she disclosed.

“The lighthouse has a lot of history in it, which makes it ideal for a history project,” said Alexander dismissing the remark.

“I guess it makes sense to pick it then,” Arnold agreed. He contemplated on the opportunities it could present.

“If you want Olemilia you could come too,” Alexander offered her.

“Um... Sure I can come I guess,” she replied with hidden displeasure. “And don’t forget on Wednesday we’re going to Michael’s hockey match.”

“That’s right it is around the start of the playoffs,” recalled Arnold.

After a while, Alexander was at home and opted to get started on his project. He went into the kitchen, sat at the table after putting his bag down and took his tablet out of his bag. He skimmed through for geographical data on the lighthouse, and then heard the noise of a faucet dripping. He looked over toward the old leak and saw nothing coming from it.

"Don't tell me there's another leak," annoyed he looked back over his left shoulder towards the sink. He saw the water was off, so he looked over by the stove. He then saw something beyond his scientific explanation. Black, grimy water was dripping from the wall, but in reverse. His eyes followed the waters trail to the ceiling as he became mystified at the phenomenon, and then realized his room was over him.

Alexander ran up to his room and saw a pool of black water ankle high. "Give me a break. How did this happen?" he thought. He carefully trudged into his room noticing how cold and dark the water was. He could not see his feet, so he chose to leave his room to wait downstairs; as he left he swore he heard footsteps splashing in his flooded room. That evening his mother came home and he met her at the door.

"Hey did you want to order food or not tonight?" asked his mother going into the kitchen.

"Order out," answered Alexander as she agreed. "By any chance did a pipe burst in my room?"

"No, why would it?" she laughed believing he was joking.

"My room is flooded mom," he stated.

"Pipes don't just burst Alex," she dismissed his claim.

"But..."

"Let's go see this flooded room then," she said wanting to dismiss his story. He and his mother entered his room upstairs; there he was confused at the sight of it. His entire room was as dry as ever, Rachel shook her head and walked out. He stood there unable to put together what he saw earlier.

On Wednesday the following morning, Alexander was walking up to the Viser manor; he walked onto the porch and rapped at the door. Knowing how big the manor house is he would need to knock loud. Waiting there, he took notice of how immaculate the yard is even after the endless storms this month, until a chill came over his body. He could see his breaths giving off fog as he grasped himself shivering.

"Why's it so bloody cold now?” was shaking at the cold breeze around him. A dreadful sounding noise was heard when he felt an icy touch from a hand going through the back of his hair. He jumped as he reached for the back of his hair feeling nothing, but his own smooth hair. Alexander figured it was the wind, although the whole experience left him uneasy with disturbing thoughts believing it had to be a hand in his hair. The door eventually opened to a woman with straight, lengthy raven black hair, a ghost like complexion and bright blue eyes.

"Alexander, my word you're soaked," said Igia noticing how wet he looked.

"Hi, Mrs. Viser," greeting her.

"Come in," she implored him to get out of the heavy rain. "I can tell the speech therapy has helped your stuttering habit. Does your mother know you were coming over?"

"No this is an impromptu visit," he answered. "See my bike is still in the shop for a new alternator."

She closed door behind him, "Dear, if I knew you were coming over I would have picked you up."

"It doesn't matter. I was actually hoping you could, well, allow me to enter the lighthouse," he worried she would deny him.

"What for?" she inquired at his request to see it outside the tour.

"We have this historical project assigned to us in class," explaining with clarity. "And I need private access to it."

"I see no problem with that," she permitted.

"Thanks," he sighed with relief. "This will really help my research."

"But it'll have to be tomorrow afternoon," raising her left index finger. "That's when I'll be able to be there.

"Oh, that's fine by me," thinking it strange to postpone it until tomorrow. Igia showed Alexander out and watched him leave. Her gaze changed to suspicion as he closed the door behind him. She could see a black mist followed close to him before it faded away.

That afternoon at Lake Washington high school, a hockey match for a spot in the playoffs was underway between Lake Washington’s team and Bothell high schools team. Michael who has straight black hair, sharp athletic features and brown eyes was playing on Lake Washington’s team, while his father, mother, older brother and sister watched in the packed audience. Alexander was in the crowd as well along with Olemilia and Arnold.

The game was in its third period with Lake Washington at 12 points and Bothell high school at 12 points too. The time was nearing its end as the crowd was anxious, anticipating an overtime shot. Michael had gotten the puck away from the other team’s player and was set up to take the shot. However, after examining the situation he passed it over to a nearby team mate before being body checked by an opposing player. The team mate who received the puck then took the shot. The puck darted by the opposing team’s goalie and won the game for the Lake Washington team as the clock hit zero. Most of the crowd roared for the winning team’s goal.

After the game as everyone was preparing to leave Alexander, Olemilia and Arnold walked out from the rink and toward the main entrance. Michael and his father were standing off to the side away from others.

“Isn’t that Michael and his dad?” Olemilia said noticing them.

“Look’s like they’re talking about something,” commented Alexander.

“My team won the game,” Michael said satisfied.

“You could have done better,” Michael’s father remarked.

“Better, I won the game at the last second,” Michael contested.

“Your team mate won the game… not you,” his father said correcting him. “You disappointed me; you lack the enterprise your siblings have. Now let’s go.”

“Yes sir...”

Alexander, Olemilia and Arnold were at the front door the same time Michael and his father approached it. Alexander opened the door allowing Michael and his father out first. Alexander, Olemilia and Arnold were silent as the two of them walked away toward the parking lot. Once they were gone the three of them stood back inside.

“Man, that was cold what his dad said,” remarked Arnold.

“Definitely cold,” Alexander and Olemilia agreed.

“We better get going guys, I don’t want my sister to worry why I’m not home yet,” she said.

Olemilia drove Alexander and Arnold back to Alki Point. Later that afternoon it had started to drizzle lightly in Alki Point. Olemilia dropped Arnold off at his house first. She waved him off and waited to make sure he got to his house safely. Arnold walked up to his door and used the house key to unlock it. Upon opening the front door he saw his father stumble up to him.

“And where were you all day?” questioned Arnold’s dad.

“Away from here,” Arnold replied.

“What now you getting an attitude like that tramp mother of yours,” his father remarked.

Arnold’s father slammed the door shut. Olemilia and Alexander looked at each other and he said, “We should go before he sees us.”

“What kind of father drinks like that,” Olemilia uttered disgusted. She pulled away from the curb and rode away. Later she pulled up to Alexander’s home and dropped him off. Once Alexander was out of the car she conveyed to him, “I’ll see you later.”

“Catch you later,” Alexander said back.

She stayed back a while to make sure he got to his home safely. Alexander went toward his home and unlocked his front door. After he gave a wave back to Olemilia she departed. Before Alexander could open his front door he heard the sound of miserable, obscure cries in his ears. He started to feel heavy and ill. Alexander opened the door and entered his house locking the door behind him, and then leaned back on it for support.

“What just happened to me,” he questioned as his ill feeling began to fade. “I don’t feel sick anymore?”

Alexander was at a loss to the odd feeling he just experienced. He put the whole thing out of his mind and went to relax. A few hours went by; Alexander was watching T.V. upstairs in his room when knocks came at the front door. He went to see who it could possibly be and was astonished to see Arnold at the door.

Alexander opened the door and answered, “Why are you here?”

“Well, getting out of the rain would be nice,” Arnold replied in jest.

He let Arnold inside, “Okay now will you tell me why you came over here.”

“Jeez, you never drop the attitude do you,” commented Arnold. “This still isn’t about when we were kids is it?”

Alexander closed the door, “It’s not like I could forget it.”

“We were kids let it go. Besides you have to admit the way you stuttered was hilarious,” Arnold expressed. “It’s all water under the bridge right.”

“You’re right it is,” he said cynical. “Now just tell what you want.”

“I just had to get away from him tonight. Plus it’s actually about the class project. I was never able to pick one and before you give some snide remark, I couldn’t because I can’t afford any of the requirements for the research,” confessed Arnold.

“And you can kiss my ass if you think I will pay for-”

“My family has always had financial problems, especially after my mom’s affair with that bank CEO. The only reason I could afford stay on the soccer team was due to Kristian getting his mother to financially back me,” continued Arnold. “I can’t fail this project or I’m kicked off the team.”

“Couldn’t you ask Michael?”

“He always spends his money on his girlfriend and he doesn’t even go to our school,” stated Arnold.

“Sigh, we could collaborate on the project I guess,” conceded Alexander understanding Arnold’s position now. “I’ll call Olemilia and tell her.”

“I’ll be there,” responded Arnold. “By the way is your mom or dad here?”

“They’re at work, why?”

“I need a place to stay, I... can’t be at home when he’s like that,” disclosed Arnold.

“I could call Mrs. Viser and ask for you. She’s an understanding person,” he offered.

“I’d appreciate that,” Arnold said as he sat on the sofa.

Alexander called Igia and explained to her Arnold’s predicament, “You see Mrs. Viser, Arnold’s dad isn’t all himself tonight and Arnold came to my place to get away from him,” he stated. “But I’m not sure if he could stay the night. Can you let him stay with you?”

“Arnold’s nice enough and my son gets along with him. I see no problem in him staying over for the night,” she permitted. I’ll be by later to pick him up.”

The call ended, Alexander informed Arnold of what Igia said. Once Arnold heard he was allowed to stay he was relieved. He and Alexander spent the remainder of time watching T.V, until Igia came to get him.

The following day on April 17, Olemilia had driven herself and Alexander to Alki Beach. The two of them walked toward the lighthouse at the far end of the beach. Upon approaching the tall construct he and Olemilia saw Mrs. Viser conversing with someone to Alexander's dismay. He reluctantly walked up to them with Olemilia.

"Hey Alex y-y-you made it," said Arnold teasingly. "Sorry I was just messin’ with you."

“Arnold,” Olemilia said sighing.

"My ass," Alexander mumbled under his breath. He was ready to tell him off when Igia approached them before he could say anything.

Igia brought them to the lighthouse, once at the main door they went inside after she unlocked it. Alexander, Olemilia and Arnold looked around the newly based, polished oak wood flooring. The four of them spent hours in the lighthouse. During that time Igia would show them around and explained the history of the lighthouse.

“On June 1, 2013 the lighthouse celebrated 100 years of helping keep Puget Sound mariners safe,” she stated. “Much of the early Alki Point lighthouse equipment has been preserved in good condition for the public to view. The Fog Horn still shines for all visitors to see, as is the standby generator and standby air compressor. There is a 4th order Fresnel Lens the same size as the original lens in the lighthouse.”

Alexander took shots of what she showed them. Olemilia eagerly listened to the in depth history and Arnold went along uninterested.

“According to legend the first Aid to Navigation at Alki Point was a Kerosene lantern hung on a barn in the 1870’s by Hans Martin Hanson. In 1887 the Kerosene lantern was updated with a Post Lantern by the Lighthouse Service. The Lighthouse Service hired Mr. Hanson to tend the lantern. Mr. Hanson and his family, and then later descendants continued tending the Post Lantern until the Alki Lighthouse was lighted on June 1, 1913. The original Alki Point Post Lantern is on display at the Coast Guard Museum at the Coast Guard base in this state,” proclaimed Igia.

Within that hour a downpour began outside as the four of them were now in the main room. Alexander surveyed the area and spotted a unique lantern hung on the wall hook near the staircase. He focused his phones camera on the lantern. “That looks new,” he said.

“It is. That is an exact replica of the Kerosene lantern,” stated Igia. “In fact the lantern room light at the top of the tower is always lit at night. Of course, now it’s by an electric lamp.”

Alexander took a picture of it, in doing so he thought he saw a brief mist go by his phones screen. “Must’ve been a glare from the light,” he presumed in his head as he adjusted his phones brightness. A few minutes went by; Arnold walked a few inches forward and stepped onto a part of floor with two hinges at its end.

"Hey, check out this floor,” he said. Olemilia, Alexander and Igia came over and saw what he found.

"I see you found the door to the cellar," said Igia imploring Arnold to get off it.

"You don't mind if we take a look in it do you?" asked Alexander.

"I don't mind," she replied. "You just can't enter it right now. That cellar has been closed for several years since I last ventured down in it and is cluttered with old equipment from the seafaring times. I haven’t gotten around to installing lights in it yet and I don’t want any of you getting hurt down there."

Alexander crouched down to lift the door. It lifted right before his eyes, as though a tomb door revealed itself. The particles of centuries passed seemed to cling and reside by his skin. All foul matter of human histories escaped his senses, which intrigued his mind.

Once the door lifted completely the three of them gazed down into the cellar. As they stared down into the room it made them feel as though they were gazing down into an unknown abyss, filled with several forbidden secrets hidden away by the desolate times of darkness. Alexander took out his phone and used its flashlight so to see down there. From that angle the three of them had to lie down to see some of the cellar. They saw the cluttered antiques stacked in several piles.

“I wonder what they could have done with all this equipment?” questioned Olemilia.

“More than fishing that’s for sure,” observed Arnold. “You think it could be worth anything?”

“I guess. Hard to say from here if they’re of any practical value,” stated Alexander.

The three of them spent a few minutes looking down into the cellar using Alexander’s light trying to make out the equipment down there. All of a sudden knocks hit the front door of the lighthouse. Igia answered it and then saw a fair faced mid-to-late teen, with dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

“Kristian, I thought you were going to be with Michael today,” she queried.

“Something came up,” he alleged. “Can we talk someplace?”

“Well first come in,” she said letting him inside and then locking the door.

Igia and Kristian approached Alexander and the others. Kristian was holding himself; he kept his face hidden under a hoodie as he stood off to the left behind Igia. “I need to speak with Kristian. If either of you need anything I’ll be upstairs,” Igia stated.

Both she and Kristian went upstairs, Olemilia wondered why Kristian seemed to ignore her, Alexander and Arnold, considering they have been good friends with each other.

“Did Kristian seem off to either of you?” she asked.

“What do you mean?” Alexander inquired.

“He looked pale,” she commented.

“As long as I knew him he was always pale. I think the whole family’s like that,” said Arnold.

“He does have a point, even Eathan was pale,” agreed Alexander.

“I don’t know he just seemed worried I guess,” she contemplated. “Never mind, it’s probably the rain or something.”

The three of them continued examining the cellars content. After a while they waited close to ten minutes for Igia to come back down to let them out of the lighthouse. Arnold went to look around in the meantime as Olemilia stayed with Alexander. Alexander passed the time looking out of the bared window and saw the rain was nowhere close to ending. She noticed Alexander staring outside the window for some minutes.

“Looking at the rain Alex?” probed Olemilia.

“It just reminds me of something,” he answered back.

She walked over toward him. “Reminds me of when I first met you,” she recalled. “Remember that day?”

“It was in May, nine years ago right,” he inquired.

“Yup, you were waiting for your father to come get you and Arnold kept making fun of your stuttering that day,” she stated.

“Yeah I remember. You came over and called him a jerk, and then we sat on the schools front steps,” he recalled. “What made you do that anyway, I hardly talked to anyone at school?”

“You looked so sad at school most days and I noticed you really struggled saying most words. It just seemed wrong to pick on you for a minor quirk,” explained Olemilia.

“Then why’d you stay mates with Arnold?”

“Arnold has some rough edges, but he can be nice despite his family issues. So I could never discard him as a friend,” she admitted.

“You’re either a really good person or you’re bloody bonkers,” he said in jest.

“Thanks for that, I needed it,” she laughed then became solemn.

“I know. You lost your parents on that same day,” consoling her.

Just then, Arnold returned into the main room. “Hey either of you know how long we waited?” requested Arnold.

“About ten minutes I think,” answered Olemilia.

“I’ll go see what’s taking them,” offered Alexander.

Alexander approached the staircase and began to ascend them. As he went up he noticed how old the stairs are from the very low creaking noise it made from each footstep. Nearly half way up the stairs, Alexander could over hear voices in conversation.

“It almost happened again,” said Kristian.

“No one saw you I hope,” concerned Igia. “Did you say anything?”

“Sigh, no… I think Ms. Dugan saw me though.”

“You’re doing well then,” she complimented.

“Can’t you do something to get rid of it mom?” he asked pleading to her.

“You know I wish I could, but this has become our burden. You have to endure it as I did,” she said comforting him.

Alexander came further up the stairs and saw them in front of a Victorian styled door. He saw Kristian’s hoodie was down revealing his face. Kristian appeared no different to Alexander at first glance; looking more carefully in the lighting he then noticed a difference. Kristian’s skin looked discolored similar to a corpse’s complexion after being dead for some time.

“Um, Mrs. Viser,” spoke Alexander. Kristian placed his hood back on with haste.

“Oh Alexander, forgive our time elapse. We’ll be down shortly,” she assured him.

“Okay,” understood Alexander.

Alexander turned around and headed back downstairs. “What in bloody hell were they talking about?” he wondered in his head. “And why does Kristian look so... anemic.”

Downstairs Alexander, Olemilia and Arnold waited, and then Igia and Kristian came down to meet them. “I trust you got everything you needed,” Igia said.

“You okay Kristian?” Olemilia asked.

“Fine, nothing to worry about,” he answered.

“I think we got enough,” stated Alexander. “I just have to check my pictures.”

As Alexander checked his pictures Igia began to notice the evening set in, and a sudden hidden dread came over her. "It's getting late," she stated. "We need to leave before nightfall."

Alexander and the others where astonished at the demand. Igia closed the lid of the cellar quickly. Baffled by her sudden action they came to agree it was late and dismissed the minor scene. Outside the lighthouse, Alexander and Olemilia walked together with Arnold behind them. Igia was locking down the lighthouse while Kristian was outside with her.

She looked up at the lighthouse and turned her right ear a bit to the door. She could hear a low pitch, eerie wail coming from the cellar inside the lighthouse. Igia could hear the noise as barely shouts or cries. Moving her right hand over her heart she looked down as if mourning, and then turned away calmly leaving with Kristian.

Alexander, Olemilia and Arnold were at the parking lot approaching her car. "That was strange the way she reacted like that in there," stated Olemilia suspicious.

"It is getting late. She probably wants us home safely," Alexander figured. "They never caught Eathan's killer."

"I guess you're right," she replied considering his view.

Alexander wanted to tell Olemilia about Kristian’s unnatural complexion he saw earlier, but he did not want to worry anyone. “I’ll ask him about the skin discoloration later when I get the chance,” he thought. Alexander let the whole matter go for now.

That evening, a shadowy figure skulked in the night around the lighthouse. The enigmatic figure used a hairpin and small knife to break the lock, and entered inside. Once inside the lean framed figure removed his hood and took out a cellphone using its flashlight to pierce into the darkness.

"Leave it to an old lighthouse not to have an alarm." Arnold thought from how easily he entered. He walked over toward the cellar door and crouched down near it. "A treasure trove of antiques is my ticket out of Alki," imagining the value he will obtain. Arnold opened the cellar door and climbed down the ladder descending into its room. Inside the cellar he could see a lot more lied within this crypt than what he perceived earlier.

"Man this place is loaded." he noticed at how much was really down there. Exploring its content he came across a table at the end of the room; it had a single chair pulled out from it. Arnold stopped when realizing he reached a dead end. It was then he heard a trickle, he aimed his cellphone around and spotted the leak at the upper right corner of the ceiling. "A leak… figures," cogitating that a place this old would have some. Arnold began picking through the antiques for the most valuable. After a while he went back to the table. Soon he spotted a cellphone at the center of it.

"A cellphone, I guess someone else has been down here too," baffled. He tried to turn the phone on, yet nothing happened. He put the phone back down and turned away. The constant drips became louder as he could not ignore them anymore. Obsessed by the leak he did not see the phone light up on the table. His own cellphone vibrated as he saw a new message and pulled it up. A box popped up with a question asking, "Eathan suffocated?" Along with two answer boxes "Yes," in the right box and "No," in the left box. Without a second thought he deleted the email.

"Well Michael screw off," he remarked assuming Michael attempted to scare him. The email erased itself, but suddenly the cellar door slammed shut. "Whoa!" dropping his phone when he jumped at the noise. "What the hell was that?" He picked up his phone shaken a bit and scanned the room. He stopped the light at the cellar door. "I can't believe my freaking luck." he thought cursing the lighthouse. Arnold went toward the ladder leading up to the cellar door and climbed up it. He reached the cellar door and struck it repeatedly.

"Oh, come on!" he climbed back down the ladder vexed. Hearing more dripping almost like running water he scanned the area and spotted another leak in the far left corner of the ceiling. "How did that start up?" he wondered in his head becoming fearful of the leaks. A call came in on his phone as the one on the table lit up. He saw it was an unknown caller.

"Okay this isn't funny Michael," as he rejected it. The phone on the table lit up again, however this time he noticed. Curious to how it still worked he went over to it. He picked it up taking calming breaths and saw the screen was black with an icon at the bottom left showing it was recording.

He had a feeling of something or someone was watching him when his phone rang again. He answered this one, but then dismissed it and then another leak formed far behind him. His heart began to beat fast from the springing leaks as if the whole cellar would flood soon. A third call came by the unknown caller, Arnold answered in frustration.

"What do you want?" demanding an answer. No one responded on the other end. Suddenly the call ended and another call followed after. Arnold did not answer and allowed it to ring out, once it did his phone rung again more than before. He hesitated to accept the call, after he did a voice spoke on the other end.

"Never alone," it said in a gurgling voice.

Looking into the recording his eyes became wild and frozen at what he saw in the phone. A person stood close to his back while its head was looking downward. A murky white noise echoed in the cellar, but soon the sounds faded and only silence remained.

A week went by and the rains cease to stop. People at the high school began to question where Arnold was and why he never came to school. At the beauty shop Ms. Dugan owns, word of the disappearances circulated like wild fire.

“Did you hear about the disappearance of that Arnold boy?” asked Mrs. Dunkirk. “I can’t imagine how such an athletic boy would disappear like that.”

“My daughter told me she hadn’t seen hide or hair of him all week,” answered Ms. Wainwright. “I know his parents are worried sick. I don’t even want to think if it were my child.”

“I swear you two are the most gossiping ladies I know. Now quit that talking, what if that boy’s parents were to walk in and hear you,” ordered Ms. Dugan.

Then the bell at the front door had rung which is triggered to do so when a person opens the door to walk in. It was Olemilia coming into the Beauty shop wearing the store uniform of black khaki pants and a white buttoned up dress shirt. “Sorry I ran a few second’s late Ms. Dugan. I had to drop my sister of at elementary school,” Olemilia apologized.

“It’s all right just get started on Ms. Wainwright,” ordered Ms. Dugan. “I’ll work on Mrs. Dunkirk.

“Okay,” Olemilia complied. She quickly put her things away in the back room and went over to Ms. Wainwright. “Do you want the usual style or something else this time?”

“The usual this time around,” she answered. “By the way how’s that writing coming along?”

“Well I finished and sent it off to a publisher. Hopefully they will accept a new children’s short story,” Olemilia answered getting started on styling Ms. Wainwright’s hair.

“You’re time will come I’m sure. I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t accept it. The copy you gave to me, my two youngest just loved after I read it to them,” professed Ms. Wainwright.

“I hope so...”

“By the way I heard that Arnold boy’s mother disappeared too,” mentioned Ms. Wainwright.

“I bet she left with that banks CEO. You know they were having an affair behind his wife’s back,” speculated Mrs. Dunkirk adding in.

As Olemilia did Ms. Wainwright’s hair her interest was peaked after hearing about Arnold’s mother. “First he disappeared and now his mother, that’s pretty odd. Maybe she took Arnold with her,” she thought. Olemilia did not want to involve herself in the gossip knowing how her boss disliked it and did not want to lose her job, so she quietly listened.

“I just wish the best for that little girl’s family,” hoped Mrs. Dunkirk.

“That’s true. It’s a crying shame that little girl disappeared,” stated Ms. Wainwright troubled at the thought.

“I pray this isn’t the return of that killer who killed the younger Viser boy a year ago.” wished Ms. Dunkirk concerned.

“You two are like old women at a sewing circle. Enough of this needless gossip of talking up people,” demanded Ms. Dugan. “What’s next?”

The front doors bell rung again, Igia came in and approached Ms. Dugan. “Mrs. Viser, I wasn’t expecting you so soon,” astonished Ms. Dugan.

“I know I called earlier saying I would be by later, but figured I’d come by sooner rather than put it off,” stated Igia.

“But I’m not sure this is the right time to-”

“It’s no trouble. My son is sincerely sorry for the damage the soccer ball he kicked caused to your car,” appealed Igia. “I’ve written out a check to pay for any damages. Just promise you won’t talk about the incident.”

“Thank you and I won’t,” assured Ms. Dugan.

Olemilia observed the conversation and wondered what Igia meant by damages her son made while styling Ms. Wainwright’s hair. “Good afternoon Olemilia,” greeted Igia.

“Oh, good afternoon Mrs. Viser,” Olemilia reacted as she accidentally nicked Ms. Wainwright’s hair a bit. “I’m sorry Ms. Wainwright.”

“Its fine dear, just balance it out on the other side,”Ms. Wainwright consoled.

Olemilia went back to styling Ms. Wainwright’s hair as Igia departed. She was relieved Igia was gone and had confidence she would have no more mistakes in her work.

In the Uptown area of western Seattle, Alexander was riding the bus going toward the city district. After getting off the bus he went up the street and proceeded into Murray’s bike shop. Alexander approached the front counter.

I’m here to pick up my bike I left here for a new alternator,” stated Alexander.

“And your name is Alexander Renbauld right,” presumed the clerk.

“That’s me,” he assured him. Alexander showed the clerk his receipt. “The mechanic said it would be ready by now.”

“Okay, wait here a moment while I call to see if it’s ready,” the clerk said.

The clerk went toward the phone line and called for the mechanic that worked on Alexander’s bike. Alexander in the meantime looked around at most the things displayed in the front of the shop. He saw a bunch of parts and accessories promoted at the front counter. Most of it he owned for his bike or seen before. As he looked around he could overhear two teenage girls around his age he guessed, talking about the recent strange events in town.

“I swear it’s so weird. A few days ago I saw my neighbor heading out for work, but by the time me and my parents came back he was still gone. I haven’t even seen his car in the driveway since,” the teenage girl alleged.

“That’s as bizarre as when I went to my art class. The teacher and the student that takes me home were missing. They’ve been missing for three days,” stated the other teenage girl.

“Arnold hasn’t been around much either,” spoke the teenage girl.

“He’s probably out sick,” dismissed the other teenage girl.

The two girls soon left the shop; Alexander did not particularly indulge in gossip and did not think much of all the rumors going around. “People love to exaggerate stories... still,” he thought wondering about the coincidence of all those people vanishing like that.

As he continued his perusing of the items displayed another person came into the shop wearing a black sweater and had his hoodie up. Alexander ignored it believing he was another person come to pick up a bike after hearing him approach the counter across from him.

“Excuse me. I came to pick up my order,” called Kristian.

Alexander looked over toward the individual hiding his face under the black hoodie. He could see some of the persons face. “That’s Kristian? He looks even paler now than he did at the lighthouse,” he thought. A clerk came up to Kristian and addressed him.

“Sorry about that, we’re a little short handed today,” the clerk apologized. “Can I help you?”

“I ordered for a new bike, the Ducati Monster 1200 a month ago under the name Viser,” stated Kristian.

“Oh yes, I sincerely apologize. Your bike arrived three days ago,” the clerk stated. “It’ll be delivered to your address post haste.”

The clerk handed the receipt paper over to Kristian to sign. Once he signed for its delivery he got a copy of the receipt and walked away. Alexander had to ask about the skin discoloration now before Kristian walked out. He caught up to him and put his left hand on Kristian’s left shoulder to get his attention.

“Kristian hold on a tick,” Alexander requested.

“What is it Alex?” Kristian asked.

“I have to talk to you about something,”

“Then make it fast, Michael’s waiting for me in his car.”

“At the lighthouse when I came upstairs I saw how white you looked, almost like wax paper,” admitted Alexander. “Are you sick or something? Why’d you dodge us at the lighthouse?”

“I told Olemilia and I’ll tell you, it’s nothing to worry about,” he uttered. “So back off will you!” snapping at Alexander.

All of a sudden the glass on the front door to the bike shop cracked some. The impact got the attention of Alexander and the shop clerks. Kristian opened the front door and left quickly slamming it behind him.

Alexander looked at the crack in the glass door and Kristian getting into Michael’s car. “What’s his bloody problem?” he questioned.

He put off Kristian’s attitude and went back over to the clerk who had Alexander’s bike brought into the back of the shop. Once Alexander retrieved his bike he left the shop pushing his bike out toward the curb. He moved his bike off the curb and walked down the sidewalk pushing it trying to find a spot he can ride out onto the street safely. As he walked he started approaching a pet store and could hear a commotion happening inside of it.

Alexander walked passed the windows; in doing so he glanced over at the shop and seen how berserk the animals acted inside their cages. He and other people walking by couldn’t understand why they were acting so ferocious. Alexander hastened his stride concerned one of the animals might leap out at him. Once he was safely out of the vicinity the animals ceased their behavior and went back to normal.

Outside the city, Kristian sat in the passenger seat as Michael drove them to an empty lot outside the shopping district and parked.

“So, how long are you going to keep hiding?” asked Michael.

“Until my pallor comes back tomorrow,” Kristian indicated.

Michael went into the glove compartment and took out a pack of cigarettes. He handed one to Kristian, “Here take one.”

“You know I don’t smoke,” Kristian objected.

“True, but it’ll tone you down. Besides just remember when we used to smoke in the boys bathroom,” he coaxed him.

Kristian looked at the cigarette box, and then took one out putting the butt of it in his mouth. Kristian lowered his hood as Michael lit his own cigarette. Kristian leaned over to Michael to let him light his cigarette too. The two of them smoked for a bit.

Michael lowered a window some. “Just like when we were in our freshmen year at school right,” he said.

“Yeah,” Kristian comfortably acknowledged to the fact. “Remember how we tried to get Alex to smoke with us and our asses almost got suspended when that teacher caught us.”

“I also remember how we tried to get him to play soccer and he picked baseball. At least we got Arnold though, he’s good,” recalled Michael. “I’ll probably try to convince Alexander onto the team now though.

“That wouldn’t be a bad idea, but man my mom freaked when they threatened to suspend me,” laughed Kristian.

“They wouldn’t have done anything. Our families have status in Alki, whatever small thing we did would get swept under. Either by my parent’s power in politics or your mother’s money,” Michael arrogantly noted.

“You swear you won’t talk about any of this right?” inquired Kristian. “People are all ready looking at me differently.”

Michael put his right hand on Kristian’s left shoulder. “My family knows yours. If I were to out you I’d be disowned. So don’t go blowing out these windows too, relax.”

“You sure your dad won’t mind us getting blasted in his new car?” Kristian inquired.

“Nah he won’t know I’ll wash it out way before he gets back home,” assured Michael. Kristian was content with Michael and the two sat in the car for a while before driving off.

The following day, Alexander was on the main road riding home on his motorcycle from school. He pulled into his garage and parked off to the left. When he got off his bike and removed his helmet his phone rang. He answered it and then heard a low pitch white noise in his phone. Alexander paid it no mind assuming it was scrambling. A shadow suddenly moved out the corner of his eye. He felt as if this figure stood right up to his back, feeling an icy, cold breath brush up the back of his neck.

Alexander quickly looked over his left shoulder and saw nothing there. All he saw was the torrential rain outside the garage. He tried to ignore his unnerving feeling and went to put away his helmet, in doing so he accidentally dropped his phone. So naturally he bent over to grab it as he did he felt the presence again.

Alexander picked up his phone, and then heard the sound of slight shuffling behind him. He jumped up and looked behind him to see who or what it was. Alexander relaxed when he saw Kristan who had his normal pallor back standing next to Michael.

"Man, you're jumpy," said Kristian.

"You should really cut loose and get a girl," suggested Michael.

"What is it?" asked Alexander ignoring Michael.

"You saw Arnold around by any chance? Kristian asked. "He was supposed to be at practice this week."

"Last I saw him was at the lighthouse a week ago," answered Alexander.

“He might’ve disappeared like that girl and dog,” speculated Michael.

“A dog?” inquired Alexander.

“Yeah, that little girl who disappeared owned a dog. It probably ran off or the parents gave it away,” commented Kristian.

“You know Alex, the soccer season will start up soon. You could still try out for it since you stopped with baseball,” said Michael.

Thanks, but no. I stopped the sports thing a while back,” Alexander responded.

“Well, just think about it at least,” suggested Michael. “Anyway, Kris and I got to go.”

As Michael and Kristian left Alexander went into his house, he figured since Kristian’s skin issue has been resolved asking about it seemed pointless. Within the house he sat in the kitchen and started to watch the video of him and Eathan again. "I wonder if the person who killed you took that girl?" he thought remembering his days with Eathan.

Alexander stopped the video and looked over his pictures of the lighthouse on his cellphone. He skimmed through a majority when he spotted an out of focus picture of the lantern replica which seemed to show a dark mist image of human figure in the main room.

"Sigh, now I need another one," he said at his misfortune. He called Mrs. Viser and she agreed to meet him at the lighthouse. She also suggested he call Olemilia believing she would like another visit.

Later on that day, Alexander was in the shower as it began to run. He started to clean his hair and closed his eyes. He kept his head down and felt sudden warmth on his head. He flipped his hair back to throw off most of the water, and then opened his eyes seeing red splattered droplets on the ceiling.

Alexander hesitantly reached for his hair with his left hand. He felt around his hair and then looked into his left palm of his hand, and saw it stained with blood! Alexander began to panic at this sight and felt around his head for any wound. He vigorously felt his head, but had no injury.

"Where's this blood coming from?" he exclaimed. He then saw the water on the tub floor mixed with blood. Not wanting to look, but had to see if he was hurt. He soon found his torso and hands covered with blood! Alexander stared wild eyed at this horrific scene shaking. Suddenly at Alexander's feet he saw the bloodied corpse of Arnold in the water.

"Ah!" screaming and fumbling out of the shower. He then tripped and fell to the floor grabbing the shower curtain to catch his fall, but ripped it down instead. He got up on his hands and knees, and stumbled to his feet running out of the bathroom. His heart racing he ran toward the safety of his bedroom as fast as he could. Naked and wet he went into his bedroom, locked the door behind him and stood back against the door catching his breath.

He did not realize he left his clothes and towel in there. Normally he would never dream of leaving the bathroom nude and running down the hall. However, the intense drive to escape the nightmare within made him lose all rational thought. He avoided the bathroom as much as he could that night. Later that night, Alexander envisioned a black room. The room leaked water from three ends of the ceiling. Arnold stood at the end of the room in front of a table holding a cellphone. Alexander began to walk on the wet floor bare foot coming toward him.

In the phones reflection Arnold could see Alexander approach him from behind with his head lowered. Before he could react, Alexander slit his throat with a jagged knife and repeated to stab him more and more crushing bone! Arnold fell to the floor dead as Alexander stood there covered in blood.

"Aha!" yelled Alexander waking up in his bed. He had broken into a light sweat. Alexander slowly calmed his breathing down to relax himself and looked at the time display 2:26 A.M, "Is... Is that what happened to Arnold?" He had trouble going back to sleep the rest of the night.

On Saturday, Alexander and Olemilia went back to the lighthouse. Alexander had an air of stress and fatigue about him. She noticed this and thought it best to accompany him this second time.

"You did hear the police found Arnold dead inside the lighthouse cellar?" she asked.

"Kind of," he replied with his mind elsewhere.

"They cross-examined Mrs. Viser and Kristian, but couldn't place them there. Plus the hand prints on Arnold didn't match theirs." explaining the investigation reported on the news days before.

"How was he killed?" he had some idea.

"From what I heard his throat was cut and his body was stabbed several times, most of his bones were shattered," she affirmed. "Or they're exaggerating it."

"They're still investigating Mrs. Viser?" he inquired.

"No, she had an alibi. Her and Kristian were over Michael’s house," proclaiming they are innocent. Once at the lighthouse Igia let them inside, and then a strong smell assaulted their olfactory. The smell was so strong like rotten seaweed and sulfur, that Olemilia and Alexander had covered their noses.

"Ugh! What's that smell?" said Alexander taken back by it.

"It smells putrid,” proclaimed Olemilia.

"I'm sorry, but didn't I mention the workers struck an old sewage pipe," explained Igia. "Here, these medical masks will help until you get your picture." Alexander and Olemilia put on the medical masks like Igia. The smell was filtered a bit to allow a couple minutes of research. Alexander took a picture of the main room with his cellphone and an extra just in case.

“Mrs. Viser, can me and Alex go down into the cellar to get a look down there this time?” asked Olemilia.

“The police are still investigating that area of the lighthouse, so it’s restricted. The upper levels are still accessible to have a look around though,” Igia stated.

“That will be fine then,” understood Alexander.

Igia escorted them to the upper levels and allowed them to enter the rooms. Igia switched on the lights for them as soon as they reached the top of the stairs. Alexander and Olemilia explored all they could in a small amount of time allowed by the penetrating odor. Alexander separated from them wanting to get a new picture as he came across the Victorian styled door he saw before. It was still closed which struck him as odd considering all the other doors leading to rooms were not.

Meanwhile Olemilia was in the master bedroom with Igia. Olemilia looked around the room carefully while occasionally glancing over toward her. It seemed like Igia was in a dream state, just looking out the window at the sky. There was a kind of unspoken tension in the room with them. Nevertheless, Olemilia tried to ignore it. Her eyes began to set upon a cloth at the far end of the room. She went over to this tarp covering the table against the wall.

In the hall, Alexander looked back toward the master bedroom. He could make out Igia and Olemilia still in there. He decided to see what could be in the room with the only closed door. Reaching out with his left hand and grabbing the door nob, he started to turn it when a sudden headache emerged. Images flashed rapidly before his eyes of the lighthouse and of him slaying Arnold, and then standing in a black room over his dead body with a bloodied jagged knife in his left hand. Alexander came out of the vision breathing heavy. He leaned on the door with his left arm feeling as though he were going to pass out any minute now.

Back in the master bedroom, Olemilia carefully lifted the tarp over the table and saw a cellphone at its center. She did not understand why such a new thing is in such an old place. Her first thought was to leave it, but whether it was curiosity or a need to indulge her intellect she did not know. She hoped it was her interests in the unknown motivating her as she put the phone in her purse. She looked back at Igia who was still it appeared to be daydreaming when they heard something outside the bedroom.

“Ah!” screamed Alexander.

Olemilia and Igia quickly left the room to see what was wrong. They were astonished to see Alexander leaned on the Victorian door with his left hand grasping the left side of his head.

"Alex!" she cried. She ran over to him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he responded gasping for air.

"You sure, you don't look-"

"Let’s just go... quickly,” he begged her. Olemilia helped him up; Igia glanced back into the master bedroom and noticed the tarp over the table was slightly misplaced. She put her attention back on Alexander and helped Olemilia get him into the master bedroom. Once they were in the bedroom Igia helped Olemilia sit him down on the king sized bed. Alexander sat there catching his breath. He could not understand what did that to him. It was as if when he touched and turned the door nob he went back in time.

“Are you all right dear, what happened for you to scream like that?” Igia inquired.

“I just got this splitting migraine.”

“Maybe you should be at home then,” Olemilia recommended.

“I’m fine really, besides I have to get a few more pictures for the project,” contesting her recommendation.

“Olemilia is right you should be at home,” Igia agreed touching his forehead. “You’re having a fever. I’ll call your parents and tell them what happened.”

Suddenly Alexander felt his throat fill with liquid like he was suffocating. He managed to get himself up and make his way over to a trash bin, crouched down and threw up in it.

“Don’t worry Mrs. Viser I’ll take him home,” promised Olemilia. She went over to help him up. “Come on Alex.”

Olemilia helped Alexander out of the lighthouse as Igia escorted them.

Afterward at Alexander’s house, Olemilia was getting something to drink in the kitchen while Alexander lay on the couch in the living room listless. She came into the living room with a beverage inside a cup and sat across from him on another couch. “I couldn’t find any tea so I poured you some juice,” she stated.

“Thanks...” Alexander said.

“What happened back there? I’ve never seen you look like that,” she inquired.

“I wish I knew.”

“Seeing you like that scared me,” she conveyed her concern. “I’m just glad to be out of there.”

“I promise you I’ll be tops. It’s no big deal,” assuring her.

“I do believe you, but that’s not the only reason I’m glad to be away from there,” she corrected. It’s Mrs. Viser.”

“What about her? She’s a nice person,” he delved.

“I’m not saying she isn’t. Nonetheless I always felt a bit of discomfort around her,” Olemilia concurred.

“Why?”

“You remember the day you invited me over. Your parents called my parents and told them where I was,” she disclosed adjusting her seat. “The time they were coming to get me they were hit by a reckless driver. Xavier informed my aunt and uncle of the crash and that the driver was intoxicated.”

“Mrs. Viser was the other driver then,” Alexander presumed. “Her I never pictured a drunk driver.”

“Don’t get me wrong I don’t think she’s consistent with it. I just wished it never happened,” she said with remorse. “At least she apologized for it though.”

“I never would have guessed that,” he admitted.

“I never told this anyone, so you’re the first,” she stated. “Anyway I have to go, but if you need anything until your parents get home don’t hesitate to call me.”

“I will,” guaranteeing with a content smile.

That evening around midnight, Igia returned to the lighthouse. “I moved that cellphone from the cellar so the police wouldn’t find it. Kristian must have placed it in the master bedroom when I told him to hide it,” she thought. Igia walked into the main room and approached the cellar door, and then opened it. “Wake up darling. It’s time to play.”

At Michael’s home, Michael was playing the new Call of Duty game on his Xbox while online with others. He had a headset on to communicate with his team. "I got this one," he said arrogantly. He was about to shoot down an enemy player when a message came in at the bottom of the screen. The message indicated he had a new message sent to him by 999999. Then his system disconnected from Xbox live.

"Huh? Oh seriously," annoyed he removed his headset. He was going to test his connection during which he recalled a message being sent to him by a 999999 person. Michael knew no one by the username 999999, but decided to see this message anyway.

"Let's see who this ass hat is," still vexed at his disconnection. He went to the inbox and found the message at the top. It struck him as odd the message had no heading. He opened the message and saw it was a question asking, "Eathan suffocated?" which surprised Michael as if he never expected this to be asked. Instead of closing it out he selected "No," on the question. Then for no reason the message all out deleted from the inbox.

"What was that about?" confused. He put the whole thing out of his head and went to test his connection. As his Xbox connection got to the last stage his system and router shut down completely. Michael looked away from his phone and looked dumbfounded at the T.V screen.

"Ah, the router must've crashed," using the motion sensor to try to turn the system back on. However having no luck turning anything back on Michael decided to lie down on his bed and talk to Christi on Facebook, but before he could send her a message his phone rung. It was an unknown number listed on the screen. He decided to reject the call, except soon after a voice mail came in. Michael checked the new voice mail and listened to it. He could not understand the words the voice spoke for it seemed scrambled.

"What the hell is this?" trying to stop the voice message. Soon the message paused and changed to a new one. The sound heard was that of low whimpering noises, like muffled pleadings of "no," while the sound of chains rattled. Shaking from the sounds he could not take the eerie message anymore. The last sound heard was that of fabric ripping before he removed the phones battery shutting it down. He tossed his phone to the beds edge, and then sat frozen.

It was now mid July and the torrential rains ceased, but soon started back up sporadically. Within the Viser manor Igia was in the upstairs study. She sat at a desk and appeared to be writing something down in an old book covered in black. Igia heard footsteps come up the stairs and looked up seeing the shadow of a person draw closer to the threshold.

Kristian walked into the study looking to have just woken up for the day. “Did you sleep well?” as she went back to writing.

“Better than usual,” Kristian replied yawning.

“The police came by to finish up assessing the crime scene,” Igia stated. “I should be able to allow public tours again.”

“Oh,” walking over to the bookshelves.

“It’s terrible what happened with Arnold,” Igia said. “I know exactly how his parents must feel,” sympathizing with Arnold’s parents.

“People are saying more deaths than disappearances are happening now. Murders with crushed bones, suffocation and suicides you name it,” he divulged to her. “Ever since word got out of the police questioning us everyone at school looks at me like I know something due to Arnold’s body being found in our lighthouse. I can’t go back to that place anymore.”

Igia stood up and approached Kristian. She wrapped her arms around him and said, “It’ll pass from their thoughts I promise.”

“Alexander wondered about my skin discoloration.”

“Don’t worry; no one will take my eldest boy away. I can only hope that Olemilia could ever forgive what I caused her,” admitted Igia.

“Dad left you with two kids and a lighthouse to maintain,” consoling her.

“That still doesn’t excuse my reckless act,” she stated. “Anyway you need to get more sleep, so to avoid any drawback of stress.”

He walked back from her. “Sigh… whatever,” he said reluctantly conceding. “By the way what are you writing?”

“A sort of mental note for you when you mature,” she answered.

“What kind of mental note?” he questioned.

“One that must be met,” she alluded towards.

Meanwhile over at the high school in the gymnasium, students were preparing for a play. Two students were opening the curtains when the sand bag fell hitting the stage. One of them saw the rope for it snapped apart. All of a sudden, the body of Michael fell from the rafters hanging by the same rope! Students were in shock or dumbfounded at the scene while others giggled from nervousness or fainted. Olemilia and Christi were among the onlookers seeing in horror at a fellow student hanging there. Olemilia was alarmed as Christi was hysterical.

"Michael!" she screamed her words caught in her throat. Overwhelmed Olemilia tried to comfort her as she called 911. Alexander walking by saw and heard the commotion inside, but ignored it seeing how much uproar it was. As he walked by the window though, he could hear dripping and an obscure noise.

He stopped and thought it was ambulance sirens, and waited to see the ambulance vehicle drive by the window. However, as he looked out the window into the school yard he saw nothing, but his own reflection. Once he turned away a wraithlike face appeared in the window out the corner of his eye, although when he looked back at the window his reflection only remained. The first thoughts to enter his mind were of the lighthouse. He began to walk faster to the doors humming a song believing whatever was in or beyond that window was close behind him following.

Three days passed and the rain showers still fell infrequently. On Sunday, Alexander wanted to call Igia so he could enter the lighthouse again when Olemilia came over. “Olemilia, why are you here?” he questioned.

“You hadn’t heard the news have you?” she inquired. “Nearly everyone in town is cautious now; they barely go out at night.”

“What do you mean, what’s happened?”

“When I was at work, I saw your dad talking with Xavier the other day in the Uptown area. Xavier was really upset over all the rumors that emerged after Ms. Wainwright vanished. I even saw a couple people directly ask him what the police were even doing to locate their missing loved ones. It got so depraved that they blamed the police and some officers had to arrest a few distraught people there,” she stated.

“How’d they figure it was the polices fault,” he remarked.

“People have to place the blame on something,” she commented. “Apparently people are starting to believe it to be a police conspiracy. They’re threatening to get Xavier fired thinking he is allowing this killer to stay loose.”

“But that’s insane, Xavier has always been helpful to people. I doubt he’d take part in some blimey conspiracy,” contesting the ridiculous claims.

“Michael’s parents aren’t helping matters either. They blame police for not investigating Eathan’s murder more to find the killer they believed killed their son,” she informed him.

“The way Michael’s dad degraded his own son, Michael’s suicide was probably his doing,” he remarked.

"There was a note found in Michael's bedroom by his parents," she claimed.

"What did it say?

"From what Christi told me it read, "I'm doing this because of Eathan," and that was the last line on the note," she revealed.

"What would Eathan have to do with it? I don't remember them being close friends."

"Alex, there's something I've been meaning to show you," said Olemilia. She reached into her purse and showed him the cellphone she found in the lighthouse master bedroom.

"You wanted to show me a cellphone?" he scrutinized thinking it trivial.

"I found it the second time we went to the lighthouse," claiming her find.

"I never saw it there before," he responded skeptical.

"It was under a tarp in the master bedroom. I saw it when you were about to faint," she explained. "It won't turn on though."

"Did you try charging it?" questioning her.

"I've been having trouble finding a charger to fit into it."

"Must be a specific one," he presumed.

"Probably, but I have a strange feeling this phone might be connected to the bizarre events that have happened,” she speculated.

“It... might be related,” he replied with doubt toward that suspicion.

“By the way Christi mentioned there’s a rumor circulating about a call that some people have gotten,” she said in confidence. “I know you hate gossip, but this seems meaningful.”

“What’s it about?” he asked her.

"I don’t know, but apparently her father who's a police officer said to her mother that the police found a strange email on the computers or phones of all the people who vanished or died,” she informed him. “And those same people received similar calls from an unknown caller."

"Really?" he said intrigued at the prospect of it being true.

“It’s really sickening that who ever’s doing this has such easy access into people’s lives,” she remarked. “Anyway how have you been holding up?”

“I’ve been brilliant,”

“Well that’s good to hear,” she said relieved after his near fainting incident at the lighthouse.

After their talk Olemilia said her goodbyes and left. Alexander closed the front door and leaned against the wall. He did not want to her to know he was also on-edge at the inexplicable events going on, and especially in his life. Alexander could not understand why he kept having visions of death and why the lighthouse was a recurring manifest content.

Later that evening around 3:33 A.M, Alexander stood upon a stage with a diabolical smirk in a black room. Before him dangled Michael’s body from the rafters hanging by a rope as he held the snapped off end in his left hand. In the distance, the lighthouse stood out within the darkness as Alexander hung Michael higher.

Suddenly, Alexander awoke in his parent’s bedroom as they lay asleep. He stood over their bodies on the bed holding a wire. Alexander taken back by this dropped the wire. The sound of his startled reaction awoke his parents.

"Alexander, what time is it?" asked his mother.

"Too early to be up," his father said still drowsy.

"S-Sorry to wake you," apologizing to his parents. "Goodnight."

He left their bedroom as his mother was confused by his behavior, but soon went back to sleep. Alexander went back to his bed secluding himself inside his room. "Was I trying to… no, no of course not." he cogitated trying to convince himself he would never hurt his parents. He tried to go back to sleep that night, but had difficulty and would stay awake until his parents woke up.

The following morning, Alexander's parents had gone to work as he hoped. He slept in through the morning, waking up in the afternoon and then got ready for the day. He sat down at his desk to send an email to Igia asking to enter the lighthouse, and then knocks came at the front door. He left his room and went down the hallway, yet as he did he began to see the walls leak black water and heard a sharp white noise pierce his ears.

He covered his ears and closed his eyes to escape the scene, “This isn’t real. This isn't real!”

Amid the white noises Alexander still heard knocks as it become louder almost like cannon blasts hitting the door. He went back to his room and trudged through ankle high black water. Alexander opened his eyes and saw in horror not only how devastated his room is from the excessive leaks, but the bodies of Arnold, Micheal and a few others found dead in town.

It was then Alexander could no longer hear the loud knocks, but instead heard something splashing outside his room like that of footsteps made in the water. The sound grew steadily closer to his bedroom door. Alexander’s stomach quivered from what headed his way. Instead of seeing what it was he made his way to his window, opened it and climbed out of his room. Still hearing the sounds behind him he walked along the rooftop and climbed down the drainpipe. He stood before his house in the downpour still shaking after the experience.

"I can’t go back in there," Alexander felt he was slowly losing his grip on reality. From the visions, to the nightmares, to the white noise and now attacked in his home he could not rationalize any of it anymore. "I can't keep doing this. I’ll stay at Olemilia’s house until then," he thought.

"Tonight I'm entering that lighthouse and find out why my nightmares keep leading to it. My parents won't be home until morning anyhow," he decided so to avoid anyone seeing him enter in case they perceived him as a burglar.

Around midnight, Alexander silently made his way up to the lighthouses front door. He saw the door was for some reason unlocked. Entering the dark lighthouse the bad odor from the last visit was stronger. Alexander covered his nose with his left hand and activated the flashlight on his phone. Surveying the lighthouse for any kind of answer to the phenomenon occurring in his life he looked around the main floor, but found nothing. "This is the only area left to check," he thought as he went up the creaking stairs.

Half way up his left leg fell through one of the stairs. He struggled to get loose, but it felt as if someone was grasping his ankle trying to pull him down toward it. He managed to get his leg free from the broken stair, yet the experience left him a bit shaken. Alexander did not notice the muddy, faded hand print on his bottom left pants leg. At the top of the stairs he sensed against his will that the horrific odor was stronger upstairs than anywhere else in the lighthouse he visited.

"Ugh! What the bloody hell is that," he said feeling the contents of his earlier meal about to expectorate. "That's too bad to be backed up sewage," he thought. The odor worsened which made him back into the doorway where the smell permeated even stronger. He turned and saw the Victorian styled door once again. He reached for the handle hesitant, and quickly opened it to escape the lingering smell.

Inside the room where there was emptiness aside from the candles on the floor aligned in a circle (about 1547.187m squared), at the center of the room. Alexander stepped carefully into this arcane chamber. He stepped into the candle circle and felt a weaker density. Here the smell was at its worst. It was so bad he had to leave the room before he vomited.

"I have to see what's causing that smell," he said as he braced himself to go back. Alexander noticed how much colder this room was from the rest. As he looked around he saw a pedestal at the wall toward his left. A book of dark coloring lay on its surface. Having the volume of a diary Alexander picked it up and looked inside the arcane tome. He began to read its context, but could not decipher its foreign writings, for its sentences and images looked ancient. The only word he could make out on the title page was Woordenboek.

Alexander wanted to dismiss the tome, however could not abandon it. He tucked it away under his shirt with a fraction of its lower half held under the jeans waistline. Alexander walked over to the circle and knocked on the floors surface, he felt a hollow part.

Realizing it was probably a false floor built during early construction. He carefully removed the false floor and laid it aside. He looked in the opening and to his horror saw a preserved decaying body of what barely looked like a dark-red haired teenage boy, with cyanosis of the skin and wearing a black formal outfit.

He let out a horrific scream falling backward on his rear. Now knowing the source of the bad smell he stumbled back up onto his feet and turned to escape the horror. Upon his surprise, he ran into Igia who stood at the top of the staircase.

"Mrs. Viser t-t-there's a body in there," he exclaimed stuttering on his words.

"I'm aware of that Alexander."

"You knew?" he asked not understanding why she left it there.

"It’s been there for some time," she stated. "That's my son, Eathan."

"You stole his body from the grave!" he said appalled.

"I had to, so he can have back the life taken from him," she claimed. "I used a family spell and summoned his spirit back, and on midnights open the cellar for him."

"The cellar... that's where Arnold," he said realizing the truth. "It's not you... Eathan's the one causing all the incidents. He's probably responsible for the strange rains as well."

"You seem to know a lot for an ordinary human," she complemented. "Ah, I see. Eathan must be projecting his thoughts to you in you're sleep. He must have picked you as his host."

"His host," he inferred afraid of her next action.

"It'll be over with soon," she promised as she unveiled a sharp kitchen knife from her coats inner pocket.

Alexander knew the only way out was a break for the stairs and out a window. He tried for the stairs, but Igia prevented him. They got into a brief scuffle which put Alexander facing left toward her pointing the knife at him. This gave him a chance to disarm her, but in doing so got a small cut on the side of his face! He retreated and went toward a bedroom. Inside the bedroom Alexander locked the door and went toward the window, except before he tried to open it he noticed it locked with bars.

"Damn it!" he could then hear keys opening the door.

Soon she opened the door and entered. Igia examined the room carefully and came to the closet door. She figured he would hide in there. Alexander watched her reach for the door. He covered his mouth to muffle his breaths so she would not hear. His heart beat faster as Igia opened the door with her knife raised ready to stab him. From after seeing no one inside and thinking to herself, "What? This can't be?" Alexander crawled out from under the bed.

Igia heard this and realized where he was. "The bed!" she thought. Before she could react, Alexander lunged at her shoving her in the closet. He ran out of the bedroom and hurried downstairs.

He approached the front door and tried to open it, but realized Igia locked it more than likely. He looked for another exit, yet with the doors locked and bars on the windows his hope for escape looked grim. Feeling trapped in a cage he could suddenly hear the sound of droplets hit the wooden floor as well as footsteps upstairs and knew she was coming.

He looked around desperately in the main room, kitchen and back rooms. Nowhere could lead him to salvation, it was then he passed by the alcove to the tower. He went over to see if he could access it thinking there was no other way. The way in was blocked by a newly installed chain he then noticed the walls slowly leaked black water. Alexander could hear a wailing noise echo all around the main floor. Coming down the stairs Igia could hear the noises too as a concerned look came to her face.

"I'll get rid of him soon my darling, and then I'll open the cellar for you."

Alexander could make out Igia’s footsteps getting closer; ignoring the leak he climbed over the chains and raced up the lighthouse steps. Inside the tower Alexander saw the walls were leaking even more in here. He ran up the water-covered steps knowing Igia was close behind.

The further he ascended the lighthouse the louder the wretched, murky wails became. Hearing his footsteps splash in the sheets of water, Alexander saw the tower lights flicker until shutting off completely. He stopped at hearing the sound of splashes behind him. He looked back and to his disbelief did not see Igia or anyone. Instead he saw splashes in the sheets of water ascend the steps as though something were coming up after him.

Petrified at what he could see his mind had to register the inconceivable as the splashes became faster coming toward him. Alexander hurried up the stairs hearing the splashes behind him getting closer! He finally reached the summit and caught himself at the guardrail escaping the terror.

Soon Igia arrived up there and said, "Stop making this difficult!"

"Yeah, like I really want to be killed!" he protested cautiously avoiding her.

Igia walked toward him while Alexander retreated from her. He and Igia circled around the overlook as black water leaked over the lights lens and the optic station. Alexander did not notice the clutter of old loose wires on the floor behind him. He ended up tripping backward over them. He crawled back on his hands and feet as she came closer to him, and then the lens over the light suddenly burst out from the light source just behind her. Making the glass fly out as the light dimmed off.

Startled by the loud burst of glass behind her she turned and was shocked to see the light of the lighthouse burned-out. Alexander finding no other escapes took the opportunity he had and climbed onto the guardrail. Igia looked behind her and saw Alexander jump over the edge.

"Alexander!" she cried.

Igia became worried and ran back down the lighthouse. Alexander braced himself as he landed on the ground; he lost his balance feeling his ankles being stunned from the landing. He fell to the ground and hit his head on a rock causing him to go unconscious. Back inside Igia was on the main floor; she unlocked the door and attempted to open it, but could not. The door had swelled from the excessive water inside and was trapped by its rubber bumpers underneath.

Elsewhere a concerned neighbor who lived nearby in view of the lighthouse heard the noises outside and went to see the cause. He saw the lighthouse light was out and became concerned of a break in. He could not see anyone in the darkness, so he called 911 on his cellphone. Alexander regained consciousness and began to make his way toward the lots.

Within minutes the Alki police arrived at the lighthouse and found it nearly flooded on the inside with water, the search and rescue task force were then called into the scene. It would take nearly the whole night to assess all the water damage and to recover anything lost. Alexander made it home at 4 A.M; he stumbled into his house and managed to lock the door behind him. He did not care to change clothes and just went up to the bathroom. However, after the lighthouse flood Alexander carried within his thoughts and feelings an ominous presence of darkness upon him. As if something that came out of that place was to become a part of his existence now.

Alexander had washed off the blood traces from the cut on the left of his face and the wound at the top right of his forehead. He turned off the faucet and walked to his room. Unbeknownst to him while he lay on his bed asleep, water started to drip from the faucet as the walls started to leak black water around him. 