HOW LUCIA BROUGHT THE FIRST LIGHT

At the foot of the misty mountains lay the quiet town of Sitio Ipil.

- By Zaida Marie A. Tambis

Long ago, it had been bright and joyful with laterns hung from every window. The people celebrated every night under strings of golden lights. But that was before the Great Fire.The fire came suddenly, swallowing houses, trees, and dreams. Many lives were lost that night, and when the flames finally died, so did the townspeople’s love for light. From then on, Sitio Ipil lived in darkness. Lamps were forbidden, candles were feared, and even the smallest spark made people tremble. The town’s nights were cold, silent, and lonely. It turned into a place where shadows became friends and light was the enemy.

One stormy evening, a girl named Lucia stumbled into Sitio Ipil. She was a homeless wanderer from the city, her clothes soaked and her shoes worn thin. She knocked on every door, but most people didn’t open and only whispered from behind curtains, afraid that even the glow from a lamp might stir bad memories.