The Lighthouse

Once, long, long ago, lived an elderly lighthouse. Elderly indeed. The bricks were gray like rain clouds, and were holding themselves in, tring not to fall out. However, the light never got old. Every night, it was a beaming, shining jewel which pointed at the 'God of waves' (which was what they called it, crashing and bashing at the invincible rocks, trying to move them out of its way).

In this lighthouse, old and shaggy, lived a light house keeper called Mr Spincher, whom not one liked, for he was rude to all, and hated fun. Not suprisingly, he was quite bad tempered.

"Can you ever let us have fun?" asked a villager.

"Dont ask him, or he'll get so angry he'll burst like a volcano!" sniggered another. Mr Spincher could hear this, for his and the pub window (which was where the villagers were) was open as wide as possible.

"What a humbug. I think he's made a humbug gang in that stupid house!"

Now, when Mr Spincher heard his house was called 'stupid', he was so angry, he stopped studying, marched down the cobwebby staircase, threw open the door, hopped onto his boat, and sailed off to the pub.

As soon as he stormed in, with his frown scarier than a dagger, the villagers were statues. The crows flew, too! Screaming as they went.

"Right, who called my house stupid! Come on! Speak up!"

Cowardly, none of them did. They were much too frightened. Some of them fainted, while others slammed their faces in their food.

" I SAID...SPEAK UP! NOW!" he roared.

Frightenedly, someone did. "It was me!" he wailed. "Honest," the rest of them chorused. Frightened too.

Mr Spincher took foot to the man very slowly, thinking how he should be punished. How he was shaking! Shaking to his knees. "You wi ...".

Worryingly, as he was about to say 'dust my lamp' the pub lights went off.

Must be a power cut exclaimed the pub manager. But when they realised all the lights in town had frozen, they were spooked horses and began shaking like the punished man. Especially, Mr Spincher.

"I must run," he howled.

He was still selfish they thought. "He's still selfish," moaned a villager.

"Don't you get it? His house is the most important house in town! He's trying to save us all. We must help," cried the manager. Thinking, they all agreed.

They all ran home at the speed of light, as they discovered a ship was sailing towards the cliff, they ran even faster. They ran to their destination and climbed the cliff somehow and they were relieved!

Breathtakingly, they waved the lanterns they'd brought from home, sparkling like a thousand lighthouse beams. But his (Mr Spincher's) eyes sparkled brighter.

That night Mr Spincher learnt two things. One, the villagers cared for him. And two, he was described as important.

But the wind wasn't blowing.

Everything was gone.

Why did the lights go out?