The First Light

Saturday afternoon, Amina arrived at the community centre with her brother Sami and her friend Lina. The courtyard smelled of clean wood and fresh paper. Nuri, the orange cat, was waiting for them sitting by the door, his white tail curved like a question mark.

While they were looking for poster boards for story night, Sami opened a low cupboard. Behind a box there appeared a brass lantern, big and dusty. It had four empty gaps where colored panels used to be.

Mrs. Salma explained that the lantern had lit up many neighbourhood gatherings and asked them to restore it. Amina immediately imagined everyone admiring her work. "We'll make four panels," she said. "And mine will be the prettiest."

Amina drew delicate leaves on sage-green paper. Lina measured the frame and Sami sorted little cut-outs by color. But Sami turned around too quickly, bumped into the box, and hundreds of papers covered the floor.

From the courtyard came voices: the neighbours were already coming in. Amina could take her finished panel and receive the first praise. She looked at Sami, who was trying to gather the scraps with trembling hands, and put her design away without saying anything. "First we tidy up together," she said.

Lina knelt down beside her and Nuri trapped a rolling circle with one paw. The three of them separated each paper, cleaned the table and helped Sami start over. No one in the courtyard saw how long it took, but Sami smiled again.

When they finished, Amina no longer wanted the panel to be hers alone. The three of them glued the green sheets together and let Sami place the last piece. "Allah knows the intention, even if no one claps," Amina said quietly. Lina nodded and Sami held the panel very carefully.

As evening fell, they fitted the first piece into the lantern. The little candle cast a calm green light on the wall. It wasn't magic; it was paper, patience, and help that no one had needed to announce. The children walked home thinking about the other three lights.