evils Rock had never seemed so aptly named, for I felt surrounded by shrieking demons intent on tearing the world apart. The rock itself trembled as the waves slammed against it.

Staring out into the darkness, my mind racing, I thought the unthinkable.

What if something did happen to Papa? What if he didn't come back? I'd be an orphan, too, just like Celia. I'd have to wait for the steamer or a passing fisherman stopping by to take us off the island. But then where would we go? Who would we live with? I didn't know any of Papa's or Mama's family or how to find them. Could I raise Celia by myself?

Please let Papa be all right, I prayed.

With each flash of lightning, I could see the masts tilt more, until the flash when they were gone. There were no more screams, either.

I waited for what seemed like an hour, but Papa didn't return.

Soaked and shivering, I stumbled back into the lighthouse, crept into Celia's bed, and wrapped myself around her. I must have frightened her, for she woke, crying. So I rocked her in my lap, crooning, “It's all right. Everything will be all right,” even after she'd fallen asleep again. I must have dozed myself, for the next thing I remember was hearing Papa shout, “Quila! Quick! Open the door!” and I leaped to do as he said, almost upsetting Celia onto the floor.

Papa came in like a gust of the storm, half carrying, half dragging a woman, her soaked skirts making a river on the floor.

“Help me, Quila,” Papa gasped.

I grabbed her feet and helped lift her onto the bed.

“Strip off her wet things,” Papa said. “I'm going to heat some rocks in the fire. We'll pack them around her to try to warm her.”

The woman's skin was blue, and she was ice-cold to the touch. Once I'd wrapped her in blankets, I rubbed her limbs to get her blood flowing. I talked to her the whole time, telling her she was safe now and begging her to wake up.

Papa lined the hot rocks alongside her body and poured little sips of hot tea between her lips, but most of it dribbled out the side. Both of us rubbed her legs and arms until I thought my arms would fall off.

She opened her eyes only once. They were green eyes, the color of the sea, but they were looking beyond me, to something I couldn't see. Her lips parted and I leaned forward to hear what she was trying to say.

“Mary?” she whispered. Her eyelids fluttered, then closed. A shudder ran through her body and she was gone.