The Street Lamp Pt. 1

The Street Lamp
Part 1

It was an ordinary street lamp along Cherokee Way where dozens of vehicles would pass by in the night using it as guidance on their journey. Like many street lamps it would dully flicker from time to time signifying either a close to dead light bulb, or possibly a shortage in the electrical system underground. Since it was one of many street lamps, it rarely received any special attention except for the occasional dog, which would sniff around it and eventually wet the base.
One particular warm summer night, an older retired couple on their nightly walk, were strolling down the sidewalk discussing a possible move to another community on the other side of town. A community specifically designed, built and maintained for older, retired couples.
The couple had passed the previous street lamp and was in that vaguely dark area between lights where the darkness teased the light. The upcoming street lamp was flickering ever so gently, and the couple stared up into the light as people often do when a bulb seems to be struggling to give off its full light. After staring into the light for a few seconds, the woman pulled her head back down to a more comfortable position and noticed her husband still staring into the light.
“Stan,” she said softly, “Don’t look into the light too long. Remember what the doctor said about your sensitive eyes.” Her husband didn’t say anything, but continued staring into the light. The woman shrugged her shoulders giving up in her plea. He was often stubborn, and she would just leave him be.
As they continued under the flicker of the light’s glow, he kept his eyes on the light.
“This is unbelievable Marge,” he said in a surprised tone.
“What’s that?” she said.
“I thought the light was simply flickering from a dead bulb but this is simply unbelievable.”
“Stan, what are you talking about?” she asked.
“Are you familiar with Morse code?” he asked.
“Isn’t that the code that you used back in the war?” she asked.
“Yes, it is,” he said.
“Well what about it?”
“If I’m not mistaken, this light is flickering Morse code,” he replied still staring up at it.
“Stan, don’t be silly. It’s probably just a light bulb dying.”
“That’s what I thought, but the light has been flickering a message in Morse code in repeat. It just keeps doing it over and over.”
“Stan, are you sure? I thought you had forgotten a lot of it.”
“I still remember some of it, enough to understand this simple message.”
“Oh, so the light bulb is flickering a message in Morse code?” she said sarcastically
“Yes, it is,” he said firmly.
“And what is this street lamp trying to tell us?” she asked.
“It says, ‘Help us,’ and, ‘beware of the thing that comes out at night,’” he said focusing on the light. Marge was confused by not only the message but also her husband’s tone while translating the message.
“Stan, is that some kind of joke?” she asked.
“No.”
“Well, it’s not funny,” she said, and they kept walking without noticing the faint shadow that moved passed the bushes behind them.