The Lighthouse (Flick A Switch)

Victoria was fed up with everything. It was a Friday evening, and she decided she needed a break from all the drama and heartache of her life. She opened her closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and a black shirt. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and put on a black cap, then walked out the door.

The sun had set, and the cool evening breeze felt refreshing on her skin. It was a little after 7:00 PM, and the streets were quiet.

Victoria kept walking, enjoying the cool evening air. She heard the sound of waves in the distance and decided to follow the sound. Soon, she was at the beach, the sand cool beneath her feet. She sat down in the sand, staring out at the dark water.

The moon shone brightly overhead, casting a silvery light on the waves. The sound of the waves was calming, and she felt a weight lift from her shoulders.

She thought of her parents, her siblings, how much she missed them. She had been so caught up in her new life that she hadn't called them in ages. She felt a pang of guilt course through her heart.

Victoria stood up, turning to walk back to the road, when she saw a flash of light from the lighthouse, followed by a small figure in the distance. She squinted, trying to make out the figure, and suddenly she realized who it was. "Penny!" She called out, but the girl didn't hear her.

She started running away, sprinting towards the lighthouse. Victoria called out again, running after the girl, but the girl was out of sight.

Victoria reached the lighthouse, but the little girl was nowhere to be seen. She was sure it had been Penny, but she couldn't understand why the girl had run away from her. She looked around, trying to see if she could spot the girl, but the beach was empty.

Victoria felt a strange mix of confusion and disappointment. She didn't understand why she was here or why Penny had run away. She sat stood outside the lighthouse, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

As Victoria turned to leave, her eyes caught something odd - there were markings on the wall of the lighthouse. It looked like someone had drawn on the wall with chalk or crayons.

The marks were in different colors - red, blue, green, purple. Victoria walked closer to get a better look. Above the switches, there was an inscription in faded red paint. It read, "Flick the red switch. Flick the white switch. Flick the blue switch. Flick the yellow switch. Flick the pink switch."

Victoria frowned, trying to make sense of it. Why would there be a message like this? And what did it mean to flick a switch? She reached out a hand and touched the red switch.

Victoria looked at the switches, wondering if she should flick one of them. What would happen if she did? She looked at the red switch and thought, "Well, why not?" She moved her hand to flick the switch, but paused. Would something bad happen?

She shook her head. She was being ridiculous. What harm could flicking a switch do? She flicked it. But nothing happened. She frowned and waited, but still, nothing changed. "Well, that was a letdown," she said aloud. She headed back to the road, thinking about what to do next. Perhaps, retire home.

As soon as Victoria left, Penny came out of her hiding place, her breathing heavy and her heart racing. She took a moment to calm herself, then looked at the inscription on the wall. "What a strange place," she murmured.

Then she noticed the red switch that Victoria had flicked. "Red is my favorite color," she said, and impulsively flicked the switch back. She didn't know what she expected to happen, but nothing did. With a shrug, she turned to leave.

.

.

When Victoria woke up the next morning, she felt like a new person. The sun was streaming through her window, and she could hear the birds singing outside. She stretched, feeling lighter than she had in a long time. She couldn't explain it, but she felt happy.

She smiled, feeling a joy she hadn't felt in years. "Good morning, world," she said, getting out of bed and getting ready for the day.

Victoria showered, put on her favorite hoodie and some leggings, and headed downstairs to make herself some breakfast. She toasted a bagel, made some tea, and ate it all while watching the birds outside her window.

After she finished, she brushed her hair and wrapped it up in a towel before sitting down at her laptop. She had a renewed sense of optimism, and she was determined to find a job she loved. "Today's the day," she said to herself.

As Victoria sat down at her laptop, she heard a knock on the door. Puzzled, she stood up and went to answer it. When she opened the door, she saw Penny standing there. But this time, she wasn't looking at the ground. She was looking right at Victoria, a smile on her face.

"Good morning, Auntie Vicky," Penny greeted, her voice full of cheer. Victoria was taken aback. "Penny? You're... smiling?"

Victoria was stunned by Penny's change in demeanor. She was beaming, and she spoke so confidently. It was almost like she was a different person. "Penny? Call me by my full name, Penelope," she said.

"What's going on? You seem different today."

Penelope gave her a grin. "It's a long story," she said. "Do you mind if I come in?"

Penelope followed Victoria into her living room and sat down on the couch. Victoria got her some milk and a plate of cookies, and then sat across from her.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" she asked. Penelope looked at her with a mischievous grin. "It's Saturday, Auntie Vicky," she said.

Victoria's face flushed. "Oh, right," she said, smiling sheepishly. "My bad." Penelope laughed, and for a moment, it felt like they were just two friends, chatting over a snack. They were certainly different people from yesterday.

Victoria's eyes drifted to the large backpack Penelope had brought with her. "What's with the bag?" she asked. Penelope's eyes lit up. "My Aunt kicked me me out of the house."

Victoria's eyes widened in surprise. "She kicked you out?" she asked. Penelope just shrugged. "I guess she didn't like the fact that I got in trouble at school," she said, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

But then her expression brightened. "But I'm not worried. I have a place to stay now!" she said, grinning from ear to ear. Victoria blinked. "You do?" she asked. "With me?" Penelope nodded. "Of course!" she said. "We're best friends, after all."

Victoria couldn't help but smile at Penelope's enthusiasm. But then a thought struck her. "Penelope," she said, "You know I'm 25, right? We might be friends, but I'm not sure I'd call us 'best friends'." Penelope looked at her, the smile on her face fading a bit. "But... don't you like me?" she asked, a hint of sadness in her voice. Victoria's heart sank. "Oh, no, it's not that," she said quickly. "I like you a lot. It's just... the age difference, you know?"

Victoria turned serious, her curiosity piqued. "What did you do to make your aunt send you away?" she asked. Penelope bit her lip, looking ashamed. "I... I got in a fight with some other kids at school who bully me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't like to talk about it."

Victoria put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay," she said gently. "You can tell me." Penelope hesitated, then began to tell her story.

"Can I start again?" Penelope asked.

Victoria nodded. "Sure. You can tell me anything, you know that, right?"

Penelope smiled at her gratefully. "Okay," she said. "So, as I said, I don't have any parents. I was an orphan, and my aunt took me in when I was little. But even though she's been taking care of me, she's never let me call her mom. She's always just been my aunt."

Victoria listened, her heart aching for the girl. "That must be hard," she said. "Not having someone to call mom or dad."

Soon, Penelope's mood lifted a bit, so Victoria decided to move on to the next topic. "So, I know we are working on my job search, but I've got a question for you. What would you like to do for a living when you grow up? What's your dream job?"

Penelope's eyes lit up as she thought about it. "I've always loved animals," she said.

"Oh, thought you loved art. I think it would be amazing to be a veterinarian or a zookeeper." Victoria was impressed.

"Wow, that's really cool," she said.

"What made you love animals_" As Victoria was speaking, a notification popped up on her laptop screen. She glanced over at it and saw that it was an email she had received months ago. It was from a company she had applied to for a job almost sixteen months ago, but she had never responded to it. She clicked on the email and read it.

It was a job offer, asking her to come in for an interview. She checked the date of the email and saw that it had been sent several months ago. But she decided to write back, asking if the job was still available. Maybe it was fate that the message had popped up at that exact moment.

Victoria checked the time and saw that it was nearly 1:00 PM. She glanced back at Penelope, who had fallen asleep on the sofa, her head resting on a pillow. Victoria quietly picked up the girl and carried her to the bedroom, laying her down gently on the bed and tucking her in. She looked around, wondering what to do next. It was too early to go to bed, but she wasn't sure what else to do. She felt restless and bored.

With nothing better to do, Victoria decided to take a walk. She slipped on her sneakers and left the house, heading out into the fresh air. The sun was shining, and the birds were chirping in the trees.

Victoria took a deep breath, feeling the stress of the day melt away. She felt a sense of peace and calm as she walked down the street, taking in the sights and sounds around her.

As Victoria walked, she decided to stop at the grocery store and pick up a few things for dinner. She made her way to the market, choosing some vegetables, fruits, and meat. She was about to head to the checkout counter when she realized she had forgotten the milk.

She went to the dairy section and picked up a carton of milk, then made her way to the cash register. As she walked out of the store, a motorcycle whizzed by, honking its horn.

Victoria turned to look, and as she did, she lost her balance and tripped, falling onto the sidewalk.

Victoria struggled to her feet, cursing the motorcycle driver who sped off. She was angry and frustrated, and she shouted after him. "You horrible person! I hope you crash and die!" She cursed under her breath, then started to pick up the groceries that had spilled onto the sidewalk.

As she gathered her things, a kind woman came over and helped her. "Are you alright?" the woman asked. "I'm so sorry about that. Are you hurt?" Victoria thanked her profusely, then headed home.

When Victoria got home, she was surprised to see the people she could see outside her house. She stopped in her tracks, a bag of groceries in her hand. She couldn't hold her mouth from asking, "What are you all doing here?"