The Lighthouse Lantern

On a windy evening in a small coastal town, Maia and her cousin Theo helped their aunt close the fish-and-chip shop. As they carried a rubbish bag outside, Maia noticed that the lighthouse lamp was dark. A thick fog was rolling towards the harbour, and boats were still at sea. “The backup lantern is in the keeper’s shed,” Auntie said. “But the path is flooded.” Maia remembered a higher track through the flax behind the shop. She and Theo hurried along it, holding the lantern between them. At the lighthouse, they climbed the spiral stairs and lit the lamp. Its beam swept across the fog. A moment later, a fishing boat sounded its horn safely from the harbour. When the cousins returned, Auntie wrapped them in warm towels. “You noticed a problem and found a way to help,” she said. Maia smiled. The storm still rumbled, but the harbour was safe.