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The Lantern That Walked Home

fantasyEveryone
5 contributors · 5 paragraphs deep

On the bridge, the lantern lit up wet footprints leading across the stones, fresh and small, going away into the mist. Wren followed them step for step, the gold light at her shoulder, until the prints stopped at the rail above the deepest part of the river.

At the rail, the lantern flared bright, and for one heartbeat Wren saw a boy standing there, smiling and free. He gave a small wave, then faded into soft mist that floated upward and was gone. The lantern went out at last, its work done, and the river ran quiet and warm in the morning light.

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