Lantern Quay
Tobin
“A 9-year-old boy about 1.3 meters tall, with a striped cap, patched trousers, and rope marks on his palms.”
Tobin is an older boy who stands as tall as a doorway’s handle and works with careful hands among ropes, nets, and crates. He is patient and steady, but he has a habit of acting like every small problem needs a proper rule.
5 stories feature Tobin
Where you've met them
The Wind Reorders Everything
A playful wind blows in from the harbor and keeps switching signs, hats, and umbrellas around the quay. Soon the fishmonger’s stall, the ferryman’s rope, and the lighthouse steps all seem to be in the wrong place for the evening rush.
Footsteps in the Fog
A thick fog rolls in from the sea and hides the water completely, but the sound of tiny footsteps keeps circling around the pier. Something small and unseen seems to be using the quay as a path, and it is getting closer to the market stalls.
The Crab Parade
A parade of crabs marches out of the tide pools carrying bits of ribbon, buttons, and shiny coins. They are heading straight for the center of the quay, as if they are delivering an important message no one can yet understand.
The Lonely Harbor Bell
The old bell by the harbor rings all by itself, even though no hand touches it. Every time it rings, the seagulls lift off in surprise and one particular door along the quay rattles as if someone inside is listening.
Shells on the Hidden Steps
A line of tiny glowing shells appears overnight from the waterline to the end of the pier. They form a clear path, but the last shell points down a narrow stairway no one has opened in a very long time.