Tonight, Fergus has arranged a Lighthouse meeting, to discuss what is to come. People, donning their green and gold badges, are sitting in chairs, facing a small podium Fergus has set up.

Then, he arrives, and the chatting stops as he stands up to speak.

“Greetings, Lighthouse members. I have brought you here to announce that… it’s time for me to step back from the spotlight, as the sole leader of Lighthouse — I am but a small part in what is to come,” Fergus says, looking around at everyone he has gathered, “and I wish for others to come and speak at the podium. I ask for your thoughts, for your lights, to guide us.”

The Lighthouse members look around themselves, surprised. They are used to following, despite the philosophical discussions and the online forum so far, and seem nervous to be the first to step up and talk.

Then, among one of the seats, a young person stands up.

“Uh, I’d like to speak, if that’s alright…” They say, raising their hand slightly.

Fergus welcomes them up, and stands down, moving to take a seat elsewhere in the room, to listen to what they have to say.

Soon, they start talking about their relative in prison, as a result of the Spark Registration Act, and how they’d like to prioritise legal cases. Another, after them, comes and mentions that they’d like to do something about providing spaces for Sparked people with no places to live.

Many come, following their example, and give their thoughts, their ideas, their opinions.

The tone changes, more and more, from less of a talk, to more of a gathering of equals. Less one leader, and more a collective — and then, one last person comes up, and asks for the chairs to be rearranged into more circular groups, rather than rows facing one speaker.

By the end of the night, the Lighthouse transforms: one Light, flickering, guiding others… spreads, and soon, it is a sea of Lights, discussing and making what they want to see.

The Light guides us — and yet, so do we guide the Light.