South Solitary

The story unfolds during the World War II era, when wartime trauma shadows its characters. The absence of a steady lighthouse keeper and the threat of storms heighten the sense of danger and urgency. Personal histories from the war become the backdrop against which relationships evolve on the island.

South Solitary Island sits off the coast as a remote outpost with a lighthouse that watches over treacherous seas. Isolated lives form the island’s rough, functioning community, where routine signals and shared duties sustain daily life. The landscape—wind-swept, rocky, and unforgiving—shapes the characters’ rhythms and tensions.

🧭 Isolation

The island's remoteness drives every choice and emotion. Meredith and Jack must navigate life with limited contact and fragile routines, while the sea and weather are constant, indifferent witnesses. Isolation exposes vulnerability, forcing characters to confront past wounds and present needs.

💥 Trauma

War memories haunt the lighthouse and its keepers, shaping their fear, vigilance, and bursts of panic. Meredith carries personal losses from the war, including the death of her fiancé and her own trauma, which color her longing for permanence. Jack's wartime experiences deepen his guarded nature and reactivity. The combination of trauma and isolation intensifies each moment of connection and conflict.

🏡 Permanence

Meredith longs for a stable home, a place where she can belong beyond the lighthouse’s cycles. The island offers a fragile sense of community, but the future remains uncertain as departures loom. The desire for lasting attachment guides decisions and fuels hope amid harsh weather and loneliness.

💘 Love and Distance

A tentative attraction between Meredith and Jack tests boundaries in a place where closeness can trigger panic. Distance and fear of vulnerability shape their flirtation into something both hopeful and precarious. The story uses their relationship to explore how longing can transform, even as external pressures push people apart.