The Lighthouse Keeper

The Centaur Gift Swap

The next day, we figure out where to go next again, at breakfast. It's Francis's turn to decide, and he takes a while. I'm on my third round of breakfast pizza when he says, "That's it, I understand it now!"

I swallow before asking, "What? What do you understand?"

"A snake's old life," he says.

"And what does it mean?" I ask eagerly. I had been pondering this for quite a while now, and the answer has not yet come.

"A snake's old life," he says again. "Snake's skin!"

"Oh!" I exclaim. "It seems so obvious! I can't believe we hadn't realized before!"

He sits back in his chair, seeming dazed. "Yeah, neither can I!" Then he sits up, and points out, "It should be easy to find, too. Now that we know what we need."

"Yeah, it probably will. If we can find a forest, perhaps." I suggest.

After breakfast we set out, found a door, and entered. It was a swampland, and we searched for hours... with no luck.

"We could try another door," I suggest, but Francis shakes his head.

"No," he says, picking up a rock and looking under it. "No, we'd better keep looking here."

So we continue, and another minute soon becomes another twenty minutes, which becomes an hour. Finally, we give up.

"C'mon, let's go. We'll look again tomorrow." I say, and Francis gives in.

"Alright," he says sadly.

Back in the lighthouse, we're still trying to figure out what to do. It's dark, and I'm starving, so we go to eat dinner. Afterward, we say goodnight and I go off to bed.

I sleepily change into a lace white nightgown (I just love using the watch!) and slip into bed. I then take the remote, and turn it to night. I lay beneath the stars, and begin to think. And think. And think. But no answers come, so I decide to sleep again. But the stars are bright and make it hard to do so, so I grab the remote again.

Savannah, I think as I click it. My bed becomes an acacia tree bed, and the walls and ground are dusty and desert-like. I look on the ground, when I realize. Snakes live in the savannah! A snakeskin is coiled up beside the wall, and I excitedly jump out of bed and grab it.

I run out the door, and to Francis' room. I open his door, and find him asleep. I rush over, and kneel on his bed, shaking him awake. "Francis!" I say. "Wake up, I've got the snakeskin!" He opens his eyes, and turns to me, confused.

"I found the snakeskin, Francis!" I say excitedly, showing him. Then I remember what I'm wearing, and, embarrassed, use the watch to change into regular clothes.

"How?" he asks, with a hint of amusement from the past event in his voice. I push that past me, and tell him about the savannah. "Well, that's another thing off the list! Now I wonder what we'll find tomorrow!" he says.

"Yeah, but we'd better get some sleep," I say, and get up to leave. "Goodnight," I add when I'm at the door."

Francis half smiles. "Goodnight. Oh, and Claire?"

I turn back. "Yes?"

"Nice pajamas." he says.

"Francis!" I say, annoyed. He's trying to embarrass me.

He laughs. "Okay, okay. Goodnight."

I leave, my face red, and go back to my room. Changing back into my pjs, I lay down in bed and curl up. I've placed the snakeskin on my bedside table, and my mind is buzzing with thoughts of what the future will hold. I wonder about Susan, I wonder about my foster dad, I wonder about the town and what Susan has told everyone.....