Gemotions

The will was read, the formality of the lawyer’s voice barely registering in Liam’s ears. He'd expected the money, the inheritance his parents had always spoken of. But this… this was wrong. "Your sister, Chloe, receives the family home," the lawyer had stated. "You, Liam, are the new… tenant of the lighthouse."

The lighthouse. Liam knew the lighthouse. It stood on the isolated cliffs miles away, a lonely sentinel against the crashing waves. He hadn't been there in years. The thought of it, of the isolation, filled him with a sudden, overwhelming sense of dread.

He looked at Chloe, and their eyes met for a moment. She looked as perturbed as he felt. He cleared his throat. He had a sudden urge to get away, to run far and fast. He looked at the lawyer, struggling to find the words. The air in the room felt thick. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.