Night Time Story: The Lantern That Never Went Out
Everyone in Mist Harbor knew about the broken lantern on Sailor’s Lane. It stood at the corner near the sea cliff, rusted and forgotten. Town records showed it hadn’t worked in over eighty years, and the town council kept postponing its removal.
Eleven-year-old Leo passed it every day on his way to school. Most people walked right by without noticing it, but Leo always felt the lantern was watching him.
One foggy evening as Leo walked home alone, something impossible happened—the lantern flickered to life with a pale blue flame. No one else was around to see it. As Leo stared in wonder, he heard a low rumbling sound. Seconds later, rocks from the nearby cliff crashed down, blocking the path he would have taken.
The lantern had just saved his life.
Leo told his parents, but they dismissed it as imagination. The next day, the lantern stood dark and lifeless again.
A week later, the blue flame returned while Leo walked with his best friend Mira. This time, the light pulsed urgently. Following its glow, they discovered a small fishing boat about to crash against the rocks in the fog. Their shouts alerted the harbor master, who rescued the stranded sailors just in time.
Leo began researching the lantern’s history. He discovered it had been tended by a lighthouse keeper named Edwin Porter, who died saving seven children during a terrible storm in 1942. According to legend, Porter had promised to always protect the town.
When a hurricane warning came the following month, everyone evacuated except Mr. Grisholm, who refused to leave his seaside home. The lantern glowed brighter than ever before.
Despite his parents’ warnings, Leo convinced Mira to help him reach Mr. Grisholm before the storm hit. Following the lantern’s light through increasingly violent weather, they found the old man unconscious from a fall.
As they helped him to safety, the hurricane’s outer bands struck. The lantern’s light formed a protective path through the howling wind, guiding them to the emergency shelter.
The storm destroyed much of the harbor, including Mr. Grisholm’s house, but everyone survived.
When the town rebuilt, the mayor planned to replace all the old street fixtures, including the mysterious lantern. But the entire community protested. They might not all believe Leo’s story, but something about the old lantern felt important.
Instead, they restored it, adding a small plaque describing Porter’s sacrifice.
The lantern never lit up on its own again—at least not while anyone was watching.
But every so often, late at night when fog rolled in from the sea, those walking along Sailor’s Lane would feel a strange comfort, as if someone was keeping watch to guide them safely home.
By Amber Flamekeeper
