"That old lighthouse!" Dakota decided. The lighthouse she was indicated stood on the very end of the pier, and "old" was really a generous term for describing it. Its wooden walls looked like they'd been rotting away in the salt air for years now, the paint had been all but stripped from its sides, and it looked like the beacon at its top might not be there any more (though it was hard to tell from the ground). A few tourists seemed to wander around it, but no one seemed to be keen about actually going inside of it.
"Ooh, the Haunted Lighthouse, huh? Interesting choice," Piper said, a sly expression on her face.
"Oh, please, don't tell me you actually believe that story," Zack scoffed. He didn't seem to share Piper's sudden enthusiasm.
"Wait, haunted?" Dakota asked, he tone a little curious.
"Well..." Piper said, her voice getting a little lower, "They say that years ago, there was a man who lived and worked in the lighthouse there. He'd taken the job because his lover had gone out to sea, and he wanted to be the first to see the ship bringing his lover back home again. However, one night he fell asleep during the job, and the light went out. The ship bearing the lighthouse keeper's lover sailed in that night, and was dashed upon the rocks. When he learned what had happened because of his negligence, the keeper threw himself off of the top of the lighthouse and into the sea. To this day, people say that if you go into the lighthouse at night, you can still hear the keeper's voice moaning in misery."
"Is... is that actually real?" Dakota asked Zack after Piper had finished her story.
"Obviously not. It's just one of those stories that locals tell to scare the tourists," Zack said with a certain finality to his tone.
"Is it now? Have you actually been in the lighthouse at night?" Piper asked, her sly expression returning.
"Well... no... but-" Zack began to answer.
"Then I know what we're doing tonight!" Piper interrupted.
"I don't know..." Dakota murmured, looking at the lighthouse again. Could that story really be true?
"Come on, Dakota. You aren't chicken, are you?" Piper asked.
"No!" Dakota immediately answered. She definitely didn't want her friends thinking she was a coward. She was from Texas, after all. She had a reputation to uphold!
"Ugh... fine," Zack sighed after a moment. "I just know this is going to be a bad night."
"Don't be so negative!" Piper said, her sly expression suddenly gone. "This is gonna be fun!"
- - - - -
Dakota had never really explored Daven's Port after dark before. While she was definitely scared, a part of her was also kind of excited. She made her way to the pier easily enough, wearing a sweater and carrying a flashlight. She discovered both Piper and Zack already waiting for her, both of them also dressed in warmer clothes and carrying flashlights.
"So, shall we?" Piper asked. Dakota couldn't see it right now, but she was sure that Piper was making that same sly expression she was making earlier today based solely on the tone of her voice.
"Yes, let's get this over with," Zack muttered. The three of them made their way down to the end of the pier. The door into the lighthouse had a rope barrier in front of it which was easily bypassed, and soon the three were inside. The interior of the lighthouse smelled of salt and decay. Dakota's flashlight moved around the space, catching ruined walls and dilapidated furniture in its beam. A few picture frames could be seen here and there; what pictures hung in them had been either removed or faded out completely.
"Well, there's no ghost here. Let's go," Zack said.
"Don't tell me you're scared, Zack," Piper teased. Zack remained silent, but the embarrassed flush on his face was somehow audible.
"I'm gonna look around some more," Dakota said.
"Go for it," Piper replied. Dakota moved over towards another room, which contained a metal staircase which lead strait up towards the top. Feeling her curiosity override her caution, Dakota started to climb the staircase, which aside from a little creaking was in excellent shape. It was about when she was halfway up that Dakota first heard it.
"Ooooooo..."
She gasped a little, but quickly mastered herself and climbed up to the top. As she did, the moaning noise grew louder and louder. Finally, she was at the top of the lighthouse, and discovered the source of what she was hearing.
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