THE LIGHTHOUSE

     He pulled her to him and held her close. Leaning down, he spoke to her in soft measure. “I can’t do this anymore Carol. The nightmares won’t stop…and she is going to find out. I scream so loudly that she begs me to tell her what is happening…but I can’t tell her about my horrible dreams.  And I cannot tell her about you.”

     Carol reached up and wiped the tears and saltwater from his face. She kissed him softly on his chin and said, “I love you. I know that you think that I’m involved in your nightmares somehow, but that’s not possible. It can’t have anything to do with me.”

     He moved away from her. “Carol, we’ve been through all of this. We are linked, you and me…in some bizarre way, our pasts have collided…people have gotten hurt. I don’t understand any of it, but the dreams…they keep happening.”

     “Listen to what you are saying. You are talking crazy…stop it! People’s pasts can’t come together; I don’t care what your dreams tell you. You are scaring me, so please, stop it, stop it right now!” she yelled over the crashing waves and blasting wind.

     “We are done. No more sneaking around, no more cheating behind my wife’s back. I’m sorry, I really am…but this has to stop today Carol, it has to stop now!” he yelled back.

     Carol grabbed his arm and yanked him around so that they were face to face. “Do you love me? Answer me that…do you love me?”

     He stared into her eyes and gave her a gentle smile. “Of course I love you. But I love her too. Don’t you see, I love you both, but I have to choose. These dreams are driving me crazy Carol…and they are trying to tell me something…something about you and me…and our past. They keep coming back, night after night, and I can’t stand it anymore. Please, just let me go, please.”

     As he finished, she could see that his eyes were filling with rage…and with terror. She did not want to see that look again, no matter what. She had seen it before, many years ago, right here in this very spot.

     At the lighthouse.

     But she couldn’t bear to let him go. She started to cry and then she grabbed him around the waist and screamed. “If I can’t have you, no one can have you. I love you like I have never loved anyone before…please, don’t do this to me…”

     So, as she had many years before, Carol began to push him to the edge of the cliff. He moved freely at first, unaware of what was happening. Suddenly, something deep within woke him up and made him realize what she was going to do.

     It was as if his nightmare had come alive.