CHAPTER ONE

THE APPRENTICE

lack Eagle Lighthouse sat atop a small cropping of rock a few meters above sea level. It reached up from the ocean floor like a hand, the dark, jagged appendage of some earthly celestial, its fingers spread wide, the fingertips disappearing into the sea on the island’s eastern side. The waves made splintered assaults into the grooves between the fingers, crashing against the rocks in their ceaseless assault. On occasion, reached more than half the lighthouse’s height.

On the back of the hand sat Black Eagle Lighthouse. Slightly less than fifty meters high, it was painted in equal thirds of navy blue, white, and navy blue again before surrendering to the catwalk and lantern. A single door on the southern side supplied entrance to the lighthouse, which could be accessed by way of a small dock on the leeward side to the west. Once docked, one followed steps which had been dutifully carved out of the rock as they meandered their way up to the entryway.

A few miles to the west, the faint glow of the mainland and the nearest town beckoned in the greying day. It was dusk. Save for the flickering, distant lights from the town, there was ocean as far as the eye could see.

A small boat navigated the agitated waters and headed west into the waking night, making its way towards the lighthouse. The boat carved a purposeful path, cutting through the waves and spraying their remnants across the bow, drenching the crew in the process.

Dark, pregnant clouds murmured overhead, flashing alarm in stuttering bouts, illuminating the boat’s crew, who sensed they were racing the storm clouds to their destination. They worked with seasoned precision in the familiar waters. The boat’s captain held steady on the course, even as the boat strained against the strengthening storm. She would deliver the day’s goods and have her crew safely home in time for a late dinner.

The cargo they ferried was of the standard fare: dried foods and a few frozen steaks…a treat for the lighthouse keeper. There were two weeks’ worth of fresh fruit; there was milk and cheese, and some bars of chocolate. They carried with them a cord of wood for the lighthouse fireplace. The captain knew the keeper had rain barrels, but had brought a few gallons of fresh water for good measure.

There were newspapers and magazines from the previous weeks, and enough toiletries to last a month. There were other odds and ends, including empty trash cans, which the crew would exchange with the lighthouse keepe