Ocean waves of timeless magnificence, caressed the golden sand. The breeze flowed amongst the divine as it grazed the trees, a natural wind chime that was a necessity to mother nature’s orchestra of life. The sun ceased to cast his warm touch upon Panama, receding into the horizon. Allowing the denizens to rest as he tended to other corners of the Earth.
Young Pablo always found difficulty finding peace in the night and likened himself to being a scared cat. Skittish, easily startled, his mind raced as he thought of what lurked in the dark, dreading the time of day when he had to face it alone. His fears were difficult to keep at bay, unrelenting and haunting, seemingly alive in some unseen way. He laid in his small bed, sheets pulled up to his eyes. Paranoid, held captive in suspense.
The window was aloft as the curtains swayed, his eyes darting around, occasionally jerking his vision to them as if they were a monster reaching into his room. Various critters and animals evoked their unique calls, chittering and chattering. The moon, a celestial sentinel casted her pale light, watching over as shadows had arisen. Her light was ethereal, garnering an undeniable grace.
Unruly residents were also not scarce, adding fuel to little Pablo’s looming paranoia. He sat frozen in his bed, an animal’s call was seemingly too close to his bedroom window, the anxiety urged him to close it. Within this act, there was a final call, he stood paralyzed, clutched by fear, unsure of what to do next. The sounds didn’t stop, his paranoia ever growing, ever blooming, but he mustered the will to slowly back away, amidst this a board creaked. It caused him to stammer, falling over towards the door. He fumbled for the doorknob, his heart pounding as he hastily left his room.
Pablo and his family were of modest origin, but they knew their blessings well. They were not rich in material, yet their love for one another was absolute, transcending the valleys of despair and uncertainty. Their home, though humble, carried the essence of warmth—aged wooden floors creaked softly beneath bare feet, walls adorned with simple yet cherished trinkets. The lingering scent of the evening meal clung to the air, mingling with the faint aroma of burning candle wax. It was a home shaped by love, where laughter had long soaked into its bones.
Despite this, the night always held a different kind of weight for Pablo. Shadows stretched long across the dimly lit hallways, and the usual warmth of their home faded into an eerie quiet. He could hear the hushed voices of his siblings from behind closed doors, murmuring in the comfort of their rooms. A thin glow of candlelight seeped from beneath their doorways, teasing him with the presence of safety just beyond reach. He sought their reassurance first, knocking hesitantly, but they turned him away with the usual dismissals—”There’s nothing to be afraid of, Pablo.” Their words, though meant to comfort, felt empty against the ever-growing unease tightening in his chest.
With nowhere else to turn, he hesitated at the last door—Dafne’s. His fingers trembled slightly as he raised them to knock. What if she turned him away too? His heart pounded as he finally mustered the courage.
“Come in!” she called out, her voice warm but firm.
Cracking open the door, he peeked inside, fear still lingering on his face. Unlike the rest of the house, Dafne’s room felt untouched by the night’s quiet dread. The candle on her nightstand flickered gently, casting a golden glow over the small but well-loved space. A faint scent of lavender clung to her blankets, and Eugene, her little chicken, rustled softly in his nook, a living presence that made the room feel even more alive.
She took one look at her little brother’s anxious expression and softened. “Oh, Pablo, what’s wrong?”
His voice wavered, the words nearly catching in his throat. “The dark scares me…”
Dafne smiled, the kind of smile that made worries shrink into nothingness. “You can sleep with Eugene and me, baby brother.”
Relief washed over him in an instant. The weight that had been clawing at his mind dissipated, replaced by the gentle embrace of security. He nodded quickly, a small smile breaking through the fear as he climbed into her bed, sinking into the warmth of her presence.
As he settled in, he glanced at the small wooden box on Dafne’s shelf, a keepsake from their childhood. It had been a gift from her on his fifth birthday, filled with tiny trinkets she had gathered—pebbles smoothed by the ocean, colorful bits of broken pottery, and a single silver button she had once called “lucky.” Pablo remembered how she had told him, “Whenever you’re scared, hold something small and remember that love is always near.”
A quiet chuckle escaped Dafne as she caught his gaze lingering on the box. “Still got it, huh?” she mused.
He nodded, his small fingers gripping the edge of her blanket. “Yeah… I like having it close.”
She ruffled his hair playfully before tucking the covers snugly around him. “You’re always safe with me, little brother.”
After tucking him in, she smirked mischievously. “Want some of my crackers?”
The sight of the crackers made his joy boundless. His sister always shared what she had, no matter how little. Grinning, he took one, savoring both the taste and the moment.
That night, he slept without fear. No nightmares. No looming shadows. Just the quiet comfort of knowing he was loved.
Love and compassion for others were qualities imbued into the essence of his sister’s soul, qualities that she embraced for her entire life. She was selfless, always nurturing others, doing whatever she could to put other people’s minds at ease. Even if it meant sacrificing a bit of her own comfort, she wanted others to know love too.
The Cosmics 