by Adrien Leduc
We arrive at Aransas Pass at four-thirty in the afternoon and after grabbing drive-thru from a local burger joint, we head to the lighthouse. A man by the name of Hector Newman from the Friends of the Aransas Pass Lighthouse is on hand to greet us.
"So where y'all from?" he asks as we march up the boardwalk towards the looming brick tower.
"Longview," my dad answers.
"Longview? Can't say I've heard of it."
"Hundred miles east of Dallas on I-20."
Hector scratches his head. "Hmm. Must be a nice place. My wife's people come from up that way."
"Oh, it really is nice," says my mom, adjusting her sun hat as the wind coming off the water threatens to tear it from her head. "You really should see it in the Fall though. When all the - "
"WHOA!"
"Oh my God! Carl!" my mom shrieks.
I whirl around and see my dad on the grass, clutching his ankle. Evidently he's fallen from the stairs. Judging by the look on his face, he's in pain.
"Darn it. Here," says Hector, pushing me gently aside and making towards my dad. "You're not the first one to have done that."
I'm worried. "Dad? Are you alright?"
"Yeah...I'm fine..." he says through clenched teeth.
Hector jumps from the side of the stairway and lands beside my dad. "You took quite a tumble there, Mister Lipton. Did you hurt your ankle?"
My dad nods, wincing.
"We might have to take you the clinic."
"Oh, Carl," my mom moans.
"Dad? Are you alright?"
It's my brother asking now.
"I'm fine, son."
"Here. Up you get."
I watch as Hector helps my dad to his feet - carefully so to avoid putting too much weight on his ankle.
"Boy, that hurt pretty bad," says my dad, his arm looped around Hector's neck. "Think I might have sprained it," he adds, glancing down at his foot.
"Well, only one way to find out," says Hector. "Like I said. Best we get you to the clinic."
"Oh, Carl..."
"It's alright, honey," my dad says, throwing my mom a small smile. "It's probably just a sprain."
"Here, Mister Lipton," Hector interrupts.
I've quickly learned he's the type that doesn't like to be ignored.
"How's about I take you to the clinic? They can x-ray it there and see what it's all about."
My dad nods. "Sure, Hector. Thank you. And I'm sorry to trouble you like this. Of all the rotten luck, hey?"
Hector shakes his head, laughing softly. "Oh, 'tis no trouble at all, Mister Lipton. Like I said, you ain't the first to take a fall from them stairs. Probably won't be the last either."
I glance at my mom. She's wearing a worried expression and I can tell she's upset.
"Don't worry, honey. I'll be fine."
My dad's words seem to reassure her - though just barely.
"Let's get you to my car, Mister Lipton," says Hector, motioning towards the parking lot at the base of the hill where a teal green sedan sits parked in the shade of a tree. "I'll have you to the clinic in no time."
"I'm coming with you," says my mom suddenly, turning and starting her descent of the stairs.
"No. Laura," my dad says, the tone in his voice one that I'm not accustomed to hearing."You stay here. Watch the kids. Y'all can enjoy the sights. We came here to see a lighthouse and you're going to see a lighthouse."
"Carl - "
"Laura. Stay with the kids and look around a bit. Kids, you alright with that?"
I can tell from the expression on his face that he wants us to agree. We both nod.
"Alright, that's settled then. Hector and I will go the clinic - Laura I believe my insurance card is in your purse?"
My mom sighs. "Yes, it is. Just a minute while I get it."
We watch as she rummages through her purse and extracts the card. "Here we are," she says, reaching down and handing it to my dad who's still got one arm wrapped around Hector and one foot off the ground.
"Thanks. I'll be as quick as I can."
My mom nods and we watch as Hector leads my father down the hill and towards his car.
"Well that's just a fantastic way to start a weekend away," my mom whines once they've gone, flopping herself down on the stairs.
"Aww, mom," I say tenderly, taking a seat beside her. "It looks like it's going to be a nice night out at least. We can go down to the beach. Collect sea shells? Take some pictures?"
My mom smiles and pulls me in for a sideways hug as she kisses the top of my head. "You're the best daughter a mother could ask for."
"Thanks, mom," I say, blushing fiercely.
"Hey mom! Can we explore the lighthouse?" my brother asks excitedly from atop the stairs.
"I suppose...but be careful. We don't need another accident happening. And don't go too far. It'll be dark soon."
"I won't. Hey, Sair!"
I turn and look up the stairs. Carl Junior's leaning against the railing.
"Yeah?"
"Are you coming?" he asks, as though he shouldn't have to.
My mother gives me "the look" and I bob my head from side to side. Going trapsing around in a musty, old lighthouse is about the last thing I feel like doing right now.
I sigh. "Fine."
"Yay!"
"But only for a bit. Then I want to go down to the beach."
"Alright!" he yells, already running towards the lighthouse.
"I'll catch up!" I holler after him, the wind whipping the words from my mouth.
"It's gettin' a little windy out," my mother comments, pulling her sweater more tightly around her.
"Yeah, it is," I say, looking out at the water, a million whitecaps bobbing on the blue surface.
"I'm going to grab my jacket. Do you need anything from the van, sweetheart?"
I shake my head. "Nah. I'm good."
"Alright."
I watch her descend the stairs and then pull myself to my feet.
Time to go find my brother.
Scampering up the steps, I find myself on the boardwalk connecting the lighthouse keeper's residence to the lighthouse and I suddenly get an idea. I still haven't gotten my brother back for scaring me in the attic last week and I realize that I've just been handed a perfect opportunity.
Time to beat him at his own game.
With my brother still in the lighthouse, I hurry into the grey-blue lighthouse keeper's residence.
The front room has been done up like a miniature museum with framed newspaper clippings on the walls and glass display cases exhibiting various artifacts. Dim rays from the setting sun filter in through the window and there's just enough light to find my way through to the narrow hallway at the back of the house.
I think of my dad's ghost story and the Lady of the Lighthouse as I step into the narrow hallway and see what I presume is the cellar door. Dare I go down?
It's only a story, Sarah.
I open the door and am hit in the face by a cold draft of air. My heart begins to pound.
Ghost? Easy, Sarah. It's just cold air. Just regular, cold air.
I take one last look behind me. The house is dead silent except for the whistle of the wind through the screen door. The dim light from the front room windows carries through the hallway, but stops at the cellar door. I'm hesitant to follow the stairs down into the darkness, but then I hear my brother yell for me and I make up my mind.
It'll be totally worth it, I tell myself, planting my foot on the first step. I descend. One foot at a time. My feet scuffing on the dusty wooden steps. My heart is jumping into my throat now and I feel another cold draft of air.
What if mom was wrong? What if the Lady of the Lighthouse is...real?
I remember that the Lady of the Lighthouse isn't a "bad" ghost and this comforts me a little - though not much. Ten more steps and I reach the bottom. I can hear Carl Junior's voice in the distance. He's calling me and I slowly make my way towards the rear of the cellar, stretching my hands in f
ront of me to feel my way.
This better be worth it.
I hear the door bang open upstairs and I crouch down, holding my breath.
"Sair? Hey, Sair!"
I smile to myself in the darkness. I've become the ghost.
"Sarah? Where are you?"
I can hear his footsteps on the hardwood floor. He's drawing nearer to the cellar door.
"Sarah! This isn't funny! Where are you? Mom's looking for you."
I know this last bit is untrue. Or if it is, she's only just asked about me.
"Sair?"
He's at the door now. I left it open and I can almost hear the wheels turning in his head.
Come on. Come on.
"Sair?"
I hear his foot touch the first step and I snigger as I grow increasingly excited by the prospect of scaring my brother.
"Sair?"
He's definitely on the second step now.
Come on. Come down.
I don't want him turning around and I know he's close to it so I tap on the rock beside my foot.
"Sair?"
He's curious now and he descends the rest of the way, slipping on the dirt as he arrives at the bottom.
"Sair?"
I can't see him, but I follow the sound of his voice and as soon as I'm close enough to hear him breathing I reach out and grab hold of him.
"AHHHHH!"
His scream is blood curdling and I have to cover my ears as he tears back up the stairs, shouting, "THE LADY OF THE LIGHTHOUSE! THE LADY OF THE LIGHTHOUSE!"
I waste no time in following and I make it outside just in time to see him pounding down the steps towards our mom. She's making her way towards the beach and as he catches up to her I sit down on the steps and begin picking absent-mindedly at the bottom of my sandal.
"SAIR! WHERE WERE YOU!?" he yells angrily.
He's holding mom's arm and pointing towards the lighthouse keeper's residence.
"The...Lady...of the Lighthouse!" I her him stammer. "She's...real."
His teeth are practically clacking now and my mom smiles sympathetically as she pulls him in for a hug.
I'm holding it in, willing myself not to burst out laughing or the game will be up and he'll know it was me.
"The...Lady...of the Lighthouse! Mom! She was in there! She...grabbed...on to me!" my brother protests, breaking free of her and running towards the van and I have to lie back now as laughter spills over me.
Revenge is sweet.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
In researching the Aransas Pass Lighthouse, I stumbled upon many informative websites and on-line articles, the most comprehensive and well-written of which was this one, published by the United States Lighthouse Society:
https://www.uslhs.org/assets/resources/articles/aransas_pass.pdf
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Adrien Leduc makes his home in Ottawa with his fiancée and their two crazy cats. He is a graduate of Carleton University (BA ’10) and is passionate about Canadian history. An avid reader and writer, Adrien hopes to write and publish many more books in his lifetime.
