I was Paul Revere's Lantern

I have to admit that my only recollection of Paul Revere prior to writing this tale was a man on a horse shouting the warning to the colonist. I was taken in by a contest to write a tale for 8-10 years old and among the rules was to make inanimate objects come to life. I choose Paul Revere's lantern, spent an hour surfing on the subject and then another to hour to write this. Its a short tale but I hope you enjoyed it.  Tomorrow, as some said the world would come to an end aka December 21st. To me, it would not, but there would be changes as we stepped into 2013.

Be it light or dark then, let us have our beliefs that life is a journey. As we move on, let us rejoice in the good tidings and work on the bad ones. We are given 24 hours a day to make that change in our life, so lets try. Work your way into history if not for the world, then at least be it for your family. Let them speak of you in the coming years even after you are gone that you did do something that matters to them. I am doing mine, so why not you? I am not the lantern mentioned here but in my children's mind I was one for them.

Onto the tale.......

School outings are boring with excursions to the parks or the historical sites. Who wants to know about them? I am for one who feels that at this age of mine, the latest games on the net would tell me more of history than any monument visits. But the Gladiator aka my History teacher, Mr.Smith had to called my mum and tell her all about this planned historical trip to the Old North Church. I replied to her, that we seen it the last time we were in Boston, but she insisted I go along. Its good for me to walked with my friends instead of chatting over the net.

So here I am in Old North Church listening to the Gladiator telling us about the significance of the church.

"One if by land, and two if by sea", we chanted on his command. How I wished he had said, "Slay the barbarians..." That would be cool, but I guessed that is as remote as me hitting the highest score on the 'Doom' game. I tagged along with the other twenty other five 'bored' classmates as we toured the church. We stopped at the infamous lanterns of Paul Revere. I knew about them from the Assassin Creed game.

Boring......

I listened in to the words of my teacher as he recounts by memory the exploits of the infamous ride while I was standing by the side of the glass display looking at the lantern. It looked like any lantern of the old days; candle to light up the path behind the four glass pane. Its used by everybody then to light up their homes, the roads, and the night walks. If not for Paul Revere, it would had remained a lantern.

"Joseph, what brings you to my home at this hour?" I looked up and saw Paul Revere opened the door to his home to admit in his guest. It was past supper time and I am all lighted up.

Me lighted up? I looked at myself, and I find myself a candle in the lantern. I am not any candle but the candle that lit inside Paul Revere's lantern. No, I am part of his lantern. I am Paul Revere's lantern.

"The British are coming." I heard the man telling my owner. " They are crossing the river to go to Cambridge."

"I must warn them." Paul grabbed his coat and hat before taking me off the table into his left hand. "I need to get to the church. Robert had to be informed."

Robert was the sexton of the North Church, whom Paul had told him earlier to alert the others in Charlestown on such warning. The signal was to placed the lanterns on the church steeple; "one if by land, two if by sea".We met Robert at the doorstep of the church, and while he was talking to the sexton, I was whispered to by the other lantern held by the sexton.

"Jonathan, is that you?" I looked at the other lantern. It was Marsha; she was made just after me by the same blacksmith. "I did not see you since the shop." We were sold as a pair to the shop owner to be sold as part of his merchandise. We sat by each other side for over a week; chatting and laughing while people runs their grubby hands over our glass panes. I was sold first to Paul and never got to see Marsha till today.

"How are you?" I asked of her. She told me she's fine. She has a new companion now; Rudy was his name. He was made by another blacksmith. I wanted to say more but I found myself shaking from left and right as my owner ran to the jetty. There he met the boat owner and argued on the crossing of the river. Finally the owner agreed but he told Paul to extinguish my flame. I was all in the dark when we boarded the boat. He must had placed me on the keel as I felt water at my base. There goes my polish surface as water may corrode its fine finishing.

"Who's there?" I gasped in my reply. I heard that voice but I can't see the other. "Are you a lantern too? I am one. My name is Micheal of London."

British made. Must be a spy. I would be careful with my words.

"Jonathan of ...Boston." He clanged me on the side while I tried to visualize his looks. Maybe he's a larger lantern; those used on the boats. I am told they are more sturdier in the frame.

"I am a lanthorn; we have a cylindrical look. I once knew Guy Fawkes lanthorn. We were from the same shop. She did not make it out well; crushed I was told by the Guards, and discarded." Micheal kept on whispering his tales while I kept quiet. I guessed his solitary life at sea made him that way, or he's just British.

Soon I found myself lifted up and re-lit to the brightness of the day. I wanted to say goodbye to Micheal but I soon find myself strung onto the chestnut mare borrowed by my owner.

"Wooh!" The horse rear its neck when I came into contact on its mane.

"I am sorry, but we are in a tardy of hurrying now." I apologize. Then I told the horse my name. "Jonathan Black the Lantern, my name. What's yours?"

"Betty.." She gallops fast on the urging of my owner. "Could you tell him to stop kicking? I am galloping the fastest I could manage. Irresponsible rider."

I looked up to my owner but I doubt he would listened now. I been with him for over a year and he's one tough cookie to crack when his mind is set on it.

"Where are we?" I asked the mare, and she told me it was Charleston but they are riding on the road to Lexington.

"Where's that? And why?" I was silly to asked but I thought it would be a conversational piece.

"Do you mind? I need to focus on the road. You burning my mane ain't exactly my cuppa of tea." So I kept quiet. I can see that she's one good runner, as she out ran some other horses from the British patrol who saw us. I wanted to cheer her but I guess silence is golden. Ever town we passed by, Paul would warned the other patriots while I shared note with the other lanterns. They are so many new friends I made that night but soon I soon find my wick getting dimmer but thankfully, Paul arrived at a place owned by the Hancock. The servants got me a new candle and wick that lighted up my life again but I was left at the side table by the door.

"Psst, did you come with Paul?" I looked up and saw the lantern hanging on the wall. I nodded as my vocals were hoarse from wishing to many friends on the way here.

"Snob, huh? Nevermind I asked." The lantern refused to speak me further. I can see she was a more delicate design. I seem some of then in those prints; they are lanterns from France. I tried to coax her to speak but she refused. Well, at least she's not British. Before I could try any harder, I was taken off the side table and going for another ride with Paul. This trip was with a doctor who was his cover to travel past the patrols. We almost made it but we got detained at Lincoln.

The British was lacking in lanterns so they placed me next to Paul as they questioned him. He told them that British army troops would be in some danger if they approached Lexington, because of the large number of hostile militia gathered there. I looked at Paul as he did that to warned them off Lexington, but he was taken at gunpoint to prove his point. I was carried by Paul to light up the way. There we heard gunfire and later clanging of bells. It was partly my effort as my lights does travel far and the other lanterns picked up my message and carried it on. The guards released us on fear of being ambushed by greater numbers just before Lexington. Betty was taken by the guards leaving me to Paul.

We walked to a nearby house with me lighting up the path, and soon met up with the rest of the other patriots. It was there when Paul made the most starting remark; "I am to go in the morning. I would leave my lantern here. Please take care of it."

I wanted to protest but Paul was in a discussion with the others. I tried to flicker my flame to him but he was not looking. In the end, I found the side cover opened and someone put my flame off. I am back into the darkness. I cried out but no one came to assist me.

"Paul, don't leave me." I felt a soothing hand on my cheek. I opened my eyes to see an old priest in the frock of God wiping my forehead.

"Its okay, son. You had a dream. We all have them." I stood up to find myself sitting on the marble steps in the church just by the lanterns. "Son, you must fallen asleep here. Your teacher is waiting for you. Its time to go home."

I looked at the priest and then at the lanterns.

Was it real? Or was it a dream? There was a spot of wax on my right palm. I wanted to asked the priest but Mr.Smith was signaling me to go. He looked very impatient and I know what he does when he's impatient. He becomes the Gladiator.

When I boarded the school bus, I looked up up at the steeple. I could had felt that I knew someone who was up there before. Someone who once lighted up many people's heart and dream.

"Thank you, Paul." It was then when I heard my school mate, Monique talking to me. She was just transferred from Paris this fall.

"Jonathan Black, if you do not reply to me, I shall not speak to you forever. Snob!"