The Lantern's Secret

The Lantern at the Edge of Dawn Every morning before the sun rose, a faint blue lantern

glowed on the highest hill of Valmere. People said it had always been there, older than the town,

older than the road leading to it. Most avoided it—except for a boy named Arlo.

Arlo wasn’t brave, but he was curious, and curiosity sometimes feels a lot like courage.

One chilly dawn, after dreaming of the lantern flickering like a heartbeat, he climbed the hill.

Grass brushed his ankles, dew soaked his sleeves, and the sky was still dark enough

that the stars hadn’t decided whether to stay or leave. At the top, the lantern hummed

softly, as if it were waiting.