The Light at Gull Point: Evidence from a Story

The Light at Gull Point

1Marisol did not like the dark. When she stayed with her grandfather at the lighthouse on Gull Point, she kept a flashlight under her pillow and a lamp glowing all night. "This tower is as sturdy as a rock," Grandpa Teo told her. Marisol nodded and checked that her flashlight worked.

2One October evening, dark clouds rolled in from the sea. By suppertime the wind howled around the tower, and rain rattled the windows. Grandpa Teo climbed the winding stairs to check the great lamp at the top. Marisol stayed in the kitchen and stirred the soup. Each time thunder boomed, she jumped.

3Suddenly every light in the house blinked out. The refrigerator stopped humming. Grandpa's voice drifted down the stairwell. "Marisol! The power is gone, and the big lamp is dark. Ships are sailing out there tonight! There is a backup switch on the wall of the storeroom. Flip it, and the lamp will shine again." Marisol's stomach tightened. The storeroom was at the bottom of the tower, and it had no windows.

4She pulled the flashlight from her pocket and gripped it with both hands. Coils of rope looked like sleeping snakes, and stacked paint cans cast long shadows on the wall. Her knees felt weak, but she thought about the ships. "They need the light," she whispered, and she walked in. She swung the flashlight along the wall, found the switch, and flipped it up.

5A deep hum rose through the tower. Far above, the great lamp flashed on and sent its beam sweeping over the waves. Grandpa Teo hurried down the stairs, smiling. "You did it," he said. "That took courage." Marisol shook her head. "I was scared the whole time." Grandpa put his hand on her shoulder. "Being brave doesn't mean you aren't afraid. It means you do the job anyway."

6Later, Marisol climbed into bed and looked out her window. The beam swept past again and again over the dark water. She slipped the flashlight into the drawer and, for the first time, switched off her lamp.