The door creaked open behind them. He turned first to see what was following. Only shadows and a slight breeze.
“Kel, shut the door, you are letting all the heat out” he swept across the gray wooden floor and slammed the door shut which made them all jump.
“shh”
“sorry”
They huddled around the fire. Kel and Mary had just arrived while the others had been there for some time. Together there were six of them. They had gathered at the old light house which rested at the end of a forested bluff. The lighthouse itself was taller then most he had seen and spiraled of dull grey and a dark ocean blue. Every part of the light house was ornate and covered in some sort of symbol, picture, glyph or statue. Weird scenes of fish doing non fish things and odd monsters and spiraling cities coming out of the water were the subjects. Next to it, as dull as it seemed, was a regular wooden cabin where the light house keeper used to live. That was many years ago and it had since been abandoned. The city kept the light house around for its historic value. That and every attempt to demolish it was thwarted by unexplained weather. Now it had become a regular meeting place for Kel and his friends. A regular spooky hang out spot.
“Kel, go out and get some more firewood” a voice spoke from the fireplace.
He stood up and returned to the dark air that he had just emerged from. He was the strongest of the group and the woods never bothered him like the rest. Searching the outer rim of the woods he founds some sticks and large logs. Up above the light house loomed. It’s darkness blocked the the night sky casting an abyss at the eye. As he approached the door to return sounds erupted from the light house. Metallic gears moved, iron scratched against each other and light shot from the top of the massive tower. It casted a orangish glow and beamed out as far has his eyes could see. It then started to rotate. Before he relized Kel had dropped the wood and was in front of the lighthouse door. He opened it and it’s hinges screamed at him as he entered. He had never been inside, no one had, besides the light keeper. It was like he was stepping inside a galaxy. The walls disappeared and all he stared into was the endless space that now engulfed him. Galaxies, planets, stars and mysterious things glowed in every direction. In the middle of all this was a black spiral staircase that led to the light which spiraled above. He tired to pull him self back, but his body moved with out his command. First his hand grasped the metal of the stair case which sent shocks through his whole body, next his feet were climbing. Climbing towards that orange light. Like a moth drawn towards the light. As he approached he realized it was eerily silent. Outside he could here all the gears and things working, but inside it was deep silence. Nothing, not even the rotating of the light could be heard. He reached the base of the light. A full floor of see through metal sat below the spiraling light. There was a small seat and a small ladder that reached the light. He moved hypnotically towards the ladder. Something inside him screamed that he was violating something deeper then time and space by approaching the light, but it was to strong. He put his hand to the cold metal and pushed up. The light flooding his eyes, his mind and his whole body.
“Kel”
He was floating in an endless black ocean.
“Kel!”
His eyes flung open. He was on his back laying outside the cabin, his legs pointing towards the light house. He sat up. His whole body felt warm, liquid.
“what did you do, slip and fall out here?” Mary said grasping his hand to help him up. His vision swam with a pleasant motion.
“I must of - “ On the backside of his hand he could see something carved into him. Etched by something unseen. “hit my head or slipped” he gave a half hearted laugh and turned his hand over and then back. It was still there. He peered at the lighthouse.
Inspired by Moth by Former Vandal