Lila had always been fascinated by the old lighthouse that stood at the edge of Silver Shore. As a child, she would often sit on the rocky beach, staring up at its towering structure and imagining the stories it held within its weathered walls. The lighthouse had been abandoned for decades, its light long extinguished, but to Lila, it still seemed alive with mystery and history. One summer afternoon, as the sun dipped lower in the sky casting a golden hue over the water, Lila decided to explore inside the lighthouse. She had heard rumors from her grandfather that the lighthouse was haunted, but she was more curious than afraid. Climbing the rusty spiral staircase, she felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. Each step echoed softly as she ascended, the air growing cooler and dustier with every turn. At the top, she pushed open the heavy door and stepped onto the lantern room. Through the broken glass, she saw the vast ocean stretching endlessly beyond. The room was filled with old, rusted equipment, and dust motes danced in the sunlight filtering through the cracks. Lila’s eyes soon caught sight of a small, battered journal lying on a nearby table. She carefully picked it up and brushed off the dirt. The journal was weathered and fragile, pages yellowed with age. As she read, she learned about a lighthouse keeper named Thomas, who had tended the lighthouse during the early 1900s. Thomas wrote about storms that threatened to sink ships and nights spent watching for ships in distress. His words painted vivid pictures of the sea’s fury and the calm that followed each storm. But what caught Lila’s attention most was an entry near the end, describing a secret passage behind a false wall in the lighthouse’s basement. Intrigued, Lila hurried down the stairs and into the basement. Sure enough, behind a loose brick in the wall, she found a small opening leading into a hidden tunnel. Heart pounding with excitement, she crawled inside. The tunnel was narrow and dark, but she could see faint light at the end. As she moved forward, she realized the tunnel led to a small chamber beneath the lighthouse. Inside, she found old maps, a lantern, and a metal box. Opening the box, she discovered a collection of photographs, a locket, and a letter from Thomas. The letter explained that he had hidden these items for someone special, in case he ever needed to leave suddenly during a storm. It was a time capsule of his memories and hopes. Lila felt a mix of awe and connection. She wondered about Thomas and his life, imagining him in the lighthouse, watching the sea and dreaming of the world beyond. Carefully, she took the items and promised herself to keep the secret safe. When she finally emerged from the tunnel, the sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the water. Lila knew she had uncovered something extraordinary—a story from the past that belonged to the lighthouse. From that day on, she visited often, not just to explore but to listen for the whispers of Thomas’s stories carried by the wind. The lighthouse, once silent and forgotten, now felt alive again through her discovery, a bridge between history and her own imagination.

Answer the following questions based on the passage above.