The Signal

In Greyhaven, Lila follows a radio signal to save Sam, but a new voice shocks them.

The Signal

In the foggy coastal town of Greyhaven, 15 year old Lila Carter pedaled her creaky bike down a deserted pier, the salty air stinging her cheeks. Midnight’s glow lit the splintered boards, and the distant lighthouse blinked like a sleepy eye. She clutched a battered radio, her only link to her missing brother, Sam.

Sam vanished a month ago, leaving a note, “Follow the signal.” Lila found his old radio buzzing with static, a faint voice calling her name. Tonight, the signal was strongest at the pier’s end, where waves crashed like whispered secrets. Her heart raced, hope clashing with fear. Was it Sam, or a trick?

She tuned the dial, static crackling like a storm. “Lila, help,” Sam’s voice broke through, weak but real. Her fingers trembled. The signal pointed to the abandoned lighthouse. Doubt gnawed, go alone, or wait? She was just a girl with a bike and a hunch.

Lila pedaled hard, tires thumping against the pier. At the lighthouse, she found a hidden hatch beneath seaweed-slick rocks. Inside, Sam sat, pale but alive, trapped by a collapsed beam. “You found me,” he whispered, grinning despite the pain.

Using her bike’s chain, Lila pried the beam free. They hugged, tears mixing with sea spray. The radio buzzed again, crackling. A new voice rasped, “Lila, you’re next.” They froze, eyes locked in shock. Lila thought it was just Sam. Who could that be, they wondered, as the fog thickened around them.