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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/entry_id/1007999-Flight-of-the-Hornets
Rated: 13+ · Book · Biographical · #2198921
Norma's Wanderings around a small section of Montana
#1007999 added September 28, 2021 at 5:15pm
Restrictions: None
Flight of the Hornets


PROMPT
Wednesday, April 7

The Flannan Isles Lighthouse Disappearances

In 1900, three keepers of the Flannan Isles Lighthouse off the west coast of Scotland disappeared under the strangest of circumstances. The lighthouse was manned by a three-person team (Thomas Marshall, James Ducat, and Donald MacArthur), with a fourth man rotating in from shore. On Boxing Day (December 26) of 1900, the relief keeper arrived to find none of the lighthouse keepers present. The only sign that anything was amiss was an overturned chair near the kitchen table. No bodies were ever found, which has led to endless speculation. Theories range from drownings to abduction by foreign spies, a ghost ship, or a giant sea monster. Whatever happened back in December 1900 at the Flannan Isles Lighthouse, we may never know.

So, tell us what happened to the lighthouse keepers!


The three keepers sat around a small lighthouse kitchen. Their Christmas gifts were put away. Now the ornaments needed boxed up. They put the tinsel carefully in the worn boxes. Huddled around the potbelly stove, Thomas started the storytelling. He had a few good ones. Then James brought out the old Scotch. Donald added another interesting yarn. Soon they were laughing and not paying attention to a small hornet’s nest above their heads.

This nest was there all summer, but never noticed by the busy men. With the heat of the potbelly stove, some of the hornets somehow were waking up. They worked their way out of the nest, began flying about.

It’s easy to not notice some flying insects after a few snorts of Scotch. The hornets flew around their heads. They batted them away. The hornets returned.
The three men again batted them away. The third time the hornets did not leave. They stung the lighthouse keepers. Thomas screamed, ran down the steps and threw himself into the sea. James fell off his chair and followed Thomas into the sea. Donald tried to use the chair to swat the hornets, but soon followed the others into the sea.

These three men never learned to swim so they soon perished in the high tide. Their bodies were washed out into the ocean.

W/C 223




© Copyright 2021 Queen NormaJean Greeneyes (UN: normajeantrent at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/entry_id/1007999-Flight-of-the-Hornets