Night of the Red Sails

a short story about a quaint small-town tradition

There’s a tradition around here we don’t tell the city people about.

On the first new moon of the year, our village takes to the water with crimson lanterns that mark our boats safe from the Lady of the Shallows.

We always bring one outsider with us. We must explain to him what we are doing before we lower him into the water. That's important. It's not the flesh she feeds on, you see. It's the fear.

If she doesn't get her fill, she could come back early. She could take one of us. So please understand, there’s nothing personal about this. Careful now, mind the ropes as you go down.

Yes, that’s it. That’s the fear. Our lady will feed well tonight.

Oh, don’t curse now. You came to our sweet little village to tell us how quaint we are, to get your fill of our small-town ways and go home with a story.

Well, these are our ways. This is your story.

It’s not our fault if you don’t like how it ends.

Short story written by Peter Chiykowski

Story prompt taken from a photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen