My Dead Buddy - Finish The Story Contest - Week #53
This is my entry for @bananafish's Finish The Story Contest - Week #53
Photo by RYAN R from Pexels
Previously on La Sentinelle by @Brisby
Raging waves howled their fury against the granite of the lighthouse. Roiled by the gale force winds, the sea surged an endless barrage upon its foe. Beneath a canopy of leaded clouds, the frothy waters would accept nothing less than surrender.
The formidable tower, La Sentinelle, held firm to its duty. Dovetailed blocks flexed with the powerful onslaught to cleave the wall formed by the angry swells. Torrenting waters split, spraying up into the path of the shining lantern’s light.
Within the lighthouse, Hugo washed his dishes to the accompaniment of thunderous echoes. A seasoning of nine years had inured him to the turbulent storms off the coast of Hirveä. Most evenings the crashing waves were naught but background noise. Tonight though, he savored the violent melody of this final personal performance. Tomorrow the relief crew would arrive and he'd be bidding his post farewell.
Like the sea, time was always moving. Traditions of history slid away in the face of advancing technology. La Sentinelle's conversion to automation was cost effective and practical. No more need for a lighthouse keeper. Spreading the towel across the drying rack, Hugo clicked off the kitchen light. He chuffed to himself, wondering if he should get one of those cushy ‘tour-guide’ gigs up in Lutia.
Unperturbed by the waves that lashed the third floor window, he considered the packing he'd left to do. There wasn't much left. His plaid bedding and books could wait for the morning. Clothes wouldn't take long to throw into his worn duffle bag. The old radio would fit in there as well. It wasn't his but he figured that nobody was going to notice it missing. What did an empty lighthouse need for a radio anyway?
Hand trailing along the curved black iron of the railing, Hugo climbed the spiral stairs to the watch room. He crossed to the window, making a note to unpack his camera to take some pictures before he left. The low pressure front would have moved on by then and he could sell the daytime view to tourists.
Another monstrous wave broke against La Sentinelle's side. Subtle tremors shook the floor beneath Hugo’s feet as a wash of water blackened the window. He stepped back from the glass, feeling the tendrils of alarm creep along his spine. For an infinitesimal moment, everything went silent. Gone were the reverberating echos, the creaks from the wooden flooring, and the rush of his hastening breaths.
Sound returned with a vengeance. Sharp cracks and the shrieking shatters of exploding glass from below sent Hugo running to the stairs. The relentless sea had finally broken La Sentinelle’s defenses! Churning waters flooded in, rapidly surpassing the fourth floor. The lighthouse keeper watched the rising waters claim the fifth before turning to flee up the stairs to the lantern room.
Scrambling into the safety of highest room of the lighthouse, Hugo stopped cold. The beacon, that salvation for sailors, was no longer shining. Instead the room was awash with a haze of emerald light.
And now, my final
Contrary to what he thought, there was a warm, even cozy atmosphere.
Hugo walked to the lens of the lighthouse to determine the reason for its malfunction.
A familiar voice called to his ear
"Don't waste your time, it's stopped working. Come and sit next to me"
Hugo surrounded the table that separated him from that strange presence that emanated that particular color.
"So you decided to spend nine years away from everyone?"
"Hector? How the hell did you get here?"
"Really? That's the question you want to ask?"
Hugo stopped to think it over. Hector had fought with him in Vietnam. But only he'd returned from that nightmare. He swallowed hard. He wanted to avoid that particular question anyway. He wasn't really afraid, much less of his best friend. He had already lived through too many things, to feel fear at this point.
"When we came back. Everyone hated us for fighting that damn war. What did you think I could do?"
Another blow of sea rage shook La Sentinelle. Neither shuddered. They were used to the blast that still echoed in their memories, the bursts recalled a war that still weighed under their shoulders. The storm was just a baby coo.
"Angela?"
Hector didn't look at him directly, but Hugo shrugged and lowered his gaze.
"She'd abandoned me long before I came back."
"I'm sorry to hear that"
"I don't blame her, I wasn't the same one she'd known."
"You're not the same now either," Hector corrected.
Hugo was going to protest again, but Hector continued
"What you call suffering, problems, difficulties, no matter how cruel, believe it or not, is necessary. It is what drives us to overcome ourselves. You cannot enjoy well-being without having known suffering. The problem is in the connotation we give to suffering"
"And all damages we caused during the war," Hugo asked angrily.
"Was it righteous to the Vietnamese?"
"That's another misunderstood concept. There is really no such thing as fair or unfair. Do you think what happens to you in life is the fault of someone other than yourself?"
"Remember, for every action, there is a reaction. Do you want to make amends for your mistakes? Start by doing good deeds and start living"
"You learned how to destroy, now learn how to rebuild"
Hugo reflected on what he had just heard
"It's up to you to decide between doing the easy or the right thing"
"I must be dreaming"
"Does it really matter?" Hector interrupted again.
"Most likely I lie unconscious somewhere in the tower and all of this is just a dream or worse... Am I dead?"
Hector was about to respond when Hugo hastened to interrupt.
"Does it hurt to die?"
"It's like diving into a very cold pool on a hot summer day"
"I hate your analogies"
"I know," he replied smiling.
"You'd better close your eyes."
Hugo didn't understand the latter, so he looked up at Hector but a blinding light made him quickly close his eyes and cover himself with the back of his hand.
La Sentinelle lens had been lit again and Hugo was still at the edge of the stairs.
The storm had passed.
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As chilling as it is beautiful. You and your seriously thought provoking questions, as soon as we got to this one, I knew we were in for a treat
And damn the depth in that alone is astounding.
You address some tough things here, and you bring them forwards positively, there is so much to this one. But not so long after Hector asks him if he wants to take do the easy or the right thing, he asks him if it hurts to die 💔 ohh dude! That is some tough stuff Hugo is wrestling with, I hope he sees the metaphorical light just as clearly. So well put together.
I have to say, this wasn't at all what I thought we might get from this one, but then I do love having my expectations blown away, and it works building on how Hugo is with the storm in the first half. You walk a line between wider context and personal confrontation so well here, and a very well deserved curie to top it all off!
WAO! Speechless... As usual, you take my words away from my fingers
Did you know that your comments inspire me to write more?
A big thanks to you!
Well, that's the first question I wanna ask if I get to know someone from the other side (from beyond).
I like how Hugo handled the situation. He was not scared and he was ready for discussion with his long dead friend. I like your take on this story. And I'm glad that Hugo didn't die :)
Thank you for sharing and have a lovely day!
Hugo understood that there was still a lot of things to make up for, so he had to go on living.
Thank you!
I'm glad you took the time to stop by
Trauma is horrible. Hector couldn't escape the horrors of what he'd seen by hiding out in the lighthouse.
It was nice to see that some of his trauma got resolved.
Hey! Thanks for passing by
Yes. War is horrible. Many soldiers arrive after the war with a post-traumatic syndrome that prevents them from getting a job. So I thought most will be content to find one where they are lonely, outdoors and stress-free.
So I thought nine years was enough. And a paranormal experience would confirm it to him.
Wonderful, expressive but easeful descriptions here. You are a very elegant and effective writer.
I love how to you give insight into Hugo's character while giving the story the ring of reality. All showing here and not telling.
There was however an abruptness and jarring change of tone between the first half of the tale and the second. But hey, pressure of deadline, right?
That said, Yeah. You can write. Great prose:)
Hello @prydefoltz, I appreciate your kind words. Nevertheless, I think there's a misunderstood there.
Well, that's very true. But the thing is that part was written by @Brisby. So, the contest is to write or create an ending. You're right, @Brisby is a great, very expressive and effective writer.
That's true too. Of couse there is a change of tone in the 2nd half of the tale, it is my tone. I create the 2nd part.
I know it's not as good as @Brisby's writing. But maybe someday, you can say that I can write too,
I am sorry to have offended. We are learning and that goes for me too:)
Never mind. Water under the bridge
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YAY! thank you so much
Hi jadams2k18,
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Thank you so much! I appreciate it
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STOPThe best part of this story is you made an attempt to portrait the good and bad of a war and to be frank I really surprised with the way you interconnected with the human real life emotions arising out of a war.
I believe the traces of war and the intensity of sufferings, and the trauma it inflicted upon a whole people might had still persist in the people there, Are you from this place.
So, was it intentional from you to involve the topic to include in a tell me your story contest.
Anyhow the story is good. The relation between two friends were beautifully described. Thank you for this one..
Keep steaming and have a nice day
Thanks for your kinds words
I wanted to demonstrate that the war Hugo carried inside him was worse than any storm. Indeed, by calming his internal conflict, the storm also ceased.
Greetings!
Agree, I can understand now, That is the beauty of real story telling, you tried to portray the inner conflicts or the trauma he is carrying by comparing with a bigger than that example..
Good to see your response in the same way you had modeled the fictio.
Greetings from me too
Thanks. You are so kind.
Greetings from me too
Wow, Jadams2k18! You've treated us with such a thoughtful ending.
We're given an immediate shift of tone with your introduction of a cozy atmosphere. Perhaps through a mystical power of La Sentinelle or by the grace of Hector's caring and connection to Hugo, the lighthouse keeper is granted comfort and a few answers in what he thinks is his final moments.
Through your piece, Hugo's past, his time in service, friendship, the woes of returning home to find the live he knew as gone as the man who he'd been, all come to light. Hector, a true friend, gives guidance as strong and full of hope as the beacon of La Sentinelle.
Love this!
With Hugo's awakening at the top of the stairs and the passage of the storm, we're left with lighter hearts and a smile as your story ends with the returning of the beacon's light and a future of possibility ahead.
Congratulations on receiving a well deserved vote for your story from the Curie Community!
Thank you so much for those nice and pleasant words.
It wasn't easy to create the story. But I'm glad you liked it and so is Curie. I wanted to make the storm look like an allegory to what Hugo felt inside. And once his emotions are cleared up, the storm ceases and gives way to a new life. Because epiphanies are immediate, you don't need a whole life to understand a meaning, but as the light when you turn it on, everything is clear immediately. Maybe the goal is not achieved but he has now the path to reach it
May the force be with you
There's still 3 hours left to cast your votes for your favorite story in Finish the Story Contest's 53rd edition brave storyteller! Three votes are needed to activate the popular vote category prizes and our potassium deity would love to bestow the enhanced blessings upon one of the writers in our fintastical tribe!
Have a terrific day and happy Steeming! 😎
Thanks for the heads up. Maybe next time. Too much power cuts these days :/