Cape May's Last Secret

As the retreating waves exposed a gleaming stretch of sand, she knelt and picked up a shell. Although it seemed devoid of life, it appeared to be harboring something that was breathing. She pressed it to her ear and heard a raspy voice saying, “Visit the lighthouse.” It was a simple command tinged with sadness. In the distance, the lighthouse was dark, and its beam was just a memory. She tucked the shell into the palm of her hand and started walking towards it. Her footprints vanished behind her, while the foamy shoreline ahead pressed firmly against an unpredictable ocean.