Even from a distance, I knew at once that something was wrong.
“Come on.” I urged my wife, taking her hand as we hurried towards the school where our daughter was enrolled.
“What the hell is happening?” She muttered.
The school was supposed to hold a Carol session tonight, to usher in the yuletides, and my baby girl was one of the performers. But as my wife and I drew closer to the school, we realized that it was engulfed in darkness. Not even the security lights were on. Other parents were outside, wondering why the program was yet to start.
I began to wonder if maybe there was never going to be a carol in the first place. Then where was my daughter? Because of this I had let her spend a lot of time outdoors thinking she was preparing for the carol.
I moved into the crowd, pulling my wife in tow as I plowed through the crowd of parents. Some of them were angry at being kept outside the school and were demanding to know what was happening.
“I was told to keep you all here,” the security guard told us. “Please try and be patient with us.”
Just then we saw a lone shadow walking towards us from inside the school.
“Someone is coming!” A parent exclaimed.
As we stared into the darkness, what seemed like a garment of white seemed to be floating towards us. It was so white the darkness could not conceal it. It approached us steadily and as the person got closer…
“Christ!” Someone gasped, “It’s a child…”
We kept watching as the child kept coming closer, I took in the body shape and the manner of walking, I squeezed my wife’s hand in mine, “that’s her.”
I had seen my daughter.
She was dressed in a white flowing gown that seemed to give off its light as she walked fluidly towards us. She looked so beautiful and innocent that the angry crowd fell silent till she stopped before us, her hands clasped behind her.
She surveyed the crowd, keeping her eyes pointedly away from her mother and me. It was then I realized the carol had begun, and my daughter was the lead. She didn’t want to break character.
The crowd was enthralled by her, and when she began to speak everyone heard clearly.
“In the beginning of time, the world knew only darkness. Nothing grew, nothing prospered, and the Creator sought to change it. He sent his son to bring in the light.” She unclasped her hands and in one of them was a candle stick. She walked to the guard and stretched it to him. He used a matchbox to light it up.
The flame of the candle cast an eerie glow about her, giving her this angelic look.
“And now…” she continued. “The light is among us, and through space and time it spreads to each one of us.”
Suddenly, right there in the crowd, candles began to come on. There were shrieks as we turned to find the children in our midst, holding up their lit up candles. When they had managed to sneak in, we had no idea. We had been too focused on watching my daughter. They too were dressed immaculately in white, looking so adorable with their candles. We didn’t need to be told; we parted ways for them so they could pass through.
As they approached the gate, it swung open, as if of its own accord.
“And so,” my daughter concluded. “By the angels in heaven, I welcome you all to the Season of Light.”
She turned and walked in, closely followed by the other children. And we then followed as well. And as we moved deeper into the school, lights began to come on. First the security lights, then the lights of the school buildings, before the decorative lights, bathing us all in their splendor and beauty. On and on, lights kept coming on, dispelling all darkness.
The last to come on was the stage; everything on it seemed to be made of light. There was a miniature manger, a crib, even some prop sheep. And they all glowed and shone brightly.
We couldn’t help it, we all began to clap. It all seemed so real, as if heaven had been brought down to the school.
My wife and I took our seats, not taking our eyes off the performers, especially our daughter. She had done so marvelously, I couldn’t be more proud of her. Now I knew all those hours of practice I had let her have was not going to be in vain.
The main show had barely started, and we all were impressed. It meant for a fact that the rest of it would be outstanding. And nothing on earth would ruin it for me.
My wife squeezed my hand, “that’s our baby girl.”
I nodded as I pulled her closer and settled to enjoy the carol, “yes honey. And she is the most beautiful of them all.”
The End.
This story is inspired by this week's prompt Season of Light. Feel free to try it out.
Thank you for reading.
Feel free to contact me via my Discord handle below:
bruno-kema#1355