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Monday: A Storm Is Coming

My name is Ben, and I keep the lighthouse. The lighthouse stands on a rocky island, far from town. I have kept this bright light for thirty years. My father was a keeper, and his father was too. Every night I write in this logbook. A logbook is a diary for keepers like me. I write about the weather, the waves, and my work.

Tonight the sky looks gray and very heavy. The air smells like rain and cold, salty wind. The seabirds flew away from the sea this morning. That is a sign that a storm is coming. I checked the great lamp two times before dark. Keeping the light burning is my duty, no matter what. Duty means the work you must do, even when it is hard.

Tuesday: Wind and Rain

The storm arrived before breakfast, loud and wild. Rain hit my windows like a thousand small stones. The wind howled around the tower all day long. In the afternoon, a huge wave crashed over the wall. White foam flew up higher than my kitchen window.

I climbed the one hundred steps to check the lamp. My old legs ached, but the light burned strong. Ships far away need this light to stay safe. The light warns them about the sharp rocks below. I ate my soup alone and listened to the sea. Then I wrote it all down with my cold, stiff hands.