The Light at Bus Stop Seven

created with AI

At exactly 6:40 pm every evening, an old streetlight usually gets on at bus stop seven. No one in the town knew why it worked when all the other streetlights nearby had gone dark for several years. People waited there only because it was familiar, not because it promised anything special to them.

On one faithful evening, Mirabel sat beneath the light, tired from a day that felt heavier for her than it should have. Her bus was late, her phone was dead, and her thoughts were louder than the traffic. Mirabel stared at the glowing bulb and wondered how something so small could still shine without complaint.

As she sat down beneath the light, a young boy appeared beside her, holding a paper airplane. The young boy threw it gently into the air, and it landed at Mirabel's feet.

The young boy asked, "Do you want to try?"

Mirabel smiled for the first time that day and tossed the paper airplane back. It flew farther than expected, dancing briefly in the light before settling near the curb. The young boy laughed, a sound so light it seemed to lift the night itself. Then, as suddenly as he had come, he ran off, disappearing into the crowd.

Moments later, the bus arrived. As Mirabel stood to board, the streetlight flickered once and went dark. Strangely, Mirabel didn't feel sad.

Mirabel realised the light hadn't gone out it had simply done its job. And as the bus pulled away, Mirabel carried something brighter than the bulb ever was: the quiet reminder that even little moments can change the weight of an entire day.