The Message

Lena stared at the old, brass key in her hand, turning it over with trembling
fingers. It had arrived in an unmarked envelope, slid beneath her door early that
morning. There was no note, no clue as to who had sent it—just the key.

She had lived in the small, coastal town of Everwind for five years now, escaping
the noise and pace of the city to start over after a heartbreak that had left her
hollow. The house she rented, perched on the edge of a cliff, was quiet, isolated,
and perfect for a life of solitude. She spent her days painting the ocean and
reading novels, content with the rhythm of the waves outside her window.

But the key unsettled her.

It wasn’t just its sudden appearance; it was the strange sense of familiarity it
stirred in her. Like she had seen it before, long ago. She decided to follow her
instincts and slipped the key into her jacket pocket, determined to discover its
purpose.

The only place she could think to start was the old lighthouse at the far end of
town. It had been abandoned for years, its light long extinguished, but there were
whispers of stories about it. Some said it was haunted; others claimed it held
secrets from the war. Lena had never paid much attention to the town's rumors,
but now, something pulled her toward the crumbling structure.

Reaching the lighthouse, she found the door padlocked, rusted from decades of
neglect. Heart pounding, Lena slid the brass key into the lock, half-expecting it not
to fit. But with a soft click, the door swung open, revealing a spiral staircase
leading into darkness.

She hesitated only a moment before stepping inside. The air was damp, smelling
of salt and forgotten time. At the top of the stairs, she found a small, circular
room, empty except for a dusty wooden box in the center.

With shaking hands, she opened it.

Inside, there was a letter addressed to her.

"Dearest Lena," it began. "If you're reading this, you've found what I couldn't tell
you years ago. Forgive me for leaving, but know this: you were always my
greatest love. This key was meant for you."

Her breath caught. The letter was from him—the one she had lost. And now,
finally, his message had found her.