In a sleepy coastal town called Driftwood Bay, there was an old lighthouse that had been sitting around for decades. No light, and no one using it. But, a young boy named Enzo knew better. It was the home to his pet tiger, Ember, who would shine that light bright for Enzo each night.

When Enzo would sneak off into the cliffs, he would bring a jar of fireflies and a loaf of bread. Ember would emerge out of the lighthouse, laughing softly. Her and Enzo would play among the waves, build their castles, and set the fireflies free, as they paint the dark sky their natural emerald green color. 

“Someday,” Ember whispered, “you will sail across this ocean, and I’ll light the way” 

They met each other every night after that, through storms, snow, and everything you could imagine. Until one night, Enzo didn’t come out. Ember left the light shining, patiently waiting for Enzo to run around that corner, ready to play. She even made a big pile of sand to prepare for their sand castle that night. 

Ember came to realize that pile of sand had been sitting there for weeks. She stopped turning on the light as nights went on without Enzo meeting. Did he forget? Why did he never tell her why? Was he ever going to come back?

Night after night, light after light, she continued to create a pathway for him to return. As each day passed, her hopelessness grew more, and she worried for him and his safety. Ember would find little projects to do, but it was never enough to take her mind 0ff of him. Her nights grew longer… each one filled with memories of Enzo’s laughter and the warmth of their shared adventures. Every wave that crashed on the shore seemed to whisper his name, and every breeze carried a heavy and dark feeling.

Years passed, and the lighthouse hasn’t been lit. The sand pile was taken by the waves, with the current being higher then usual. Enzo walked around the corner, coming down the cliff, letting the waves go to his ankles. A few years ago, those waves would have been up to his knees. Enzo looked around, and sees the lighthouse.

“Ember?” He cried. “I brought fireflies.”

No answer. He didn’t see her running out of the lighthouse to greet him with a hug this time. Where had she gone off to? Was he really gone for that long? He looked out into the ocean, and let the fireflies free. Then, just for a moment, the sea began to glow, a shimmer forming the shape of a familiar, gentle face. Enzo smiled through his tears, and somewhere within that glow, Ember smiled back.

She held the promise she always made: she would light the way.