19/12/2025
HERALDING JOY | Where The Lights Glow Softest Glows Softest
Written by Daniella Velasquez
Snow falls over the vibrant houses of Bergen in a soft hush, dusting over windows that spilled warm light through them and muffling the distant buzz of families gathering together on the night of Christmas. The air smelled of frozen salt and of the scent of gingerbread. From a lone window, a pair of grey eyes could only watch the world below. Families and friends stood close together, laughing as they all linked arms and walked towards the place that buzzed with holiday cheer the most, the town square.
Avriel chuckled to herself as she spotted someone nearly tripping over because of the ice, their friends laughing at him whilst he shot them a playful glare. It was the last thing Avriel saw as she eventually let the heavy curtain fall back down in place, turning towards the room that was not, by any means, perfect. A fire crackled in the fireplace, weakening by the second due to the previous batch of wood she had placed turning to ashes. It casted shadows that were barely seen in the dark, making the whole vicinity look more eerie than what was appropriate for the holiday.
But the girl did not mind that not one bit, instead, her eyes flitted towards the short spruce tree in the corner, decorated with dainty silver and white lights that provided some light that did not feel all the more intimidating.
It was all so quiet, so still – the kind one would feel after everything was supposedly said and done.
Her family had celebrated here hours ago, their laughter and warmth filling the entirety of the house, somewhat bringing merriment to the mundane life she currently lived since the day she left the city and settled down in a remote area by the fjord, in hopes of finding herself, what she truly were in the midst of all the chaos and expectations.
Avriel once dreamed of a life surrounded by the scent of antiseptic and the urge to help save people. She never expected that the life that was planned just for her could all fade away in a span of a few seconds, though.
Yet, that was a story to be told for another time. Avriel was content where she currently was; she had a happy family, a peaceful life by the coastal side, and she was doing one of the things she loved the most besides medicine. Stacks of paper scattered over her wooden oak table, some with unfinished paragraphs, and most with more doodles than words – the everyday routine of a writer on the verge of a burnout. Avriel was well aware that she should already be finishing next morning’s new issue, but goodness gracious, she could already feel another bout of laziness engulfing her whole being once again.
A baritone voice cooed on her shoulder: “Come on now, my sweet… just leave it for tomorrow. One night of joy couldn't possibly be the end of the world, could it?”
A honeyed voice on the other shoulder defiantly countered, “As if she would be able to finish a dozen pages in a jiffy! A true writer, my dear, does not put off her duties just to dilly-dally.”
Whilst debating with herself, Avriel then remembered the worried look on her dear mother's face a few hours prior as all of her relatives gathered by the door, the others making small talk with one another and the children obviously itching to escape the stuffy parlor and bury themselves in the warmth of their comforters, because really, who would want to spend time listening to a bunch of grown ups talking about grown up things?
“I see the glint in your eyes, Avi,” the older woman whispered, brushing away a strand of hair from her face as she stared at her deeply, “When the world feels too suffocating, don't be afraid to tackle it. Explore it, instead.”
And so, with that piece of advice in the front of her mind, Avriel did not follow the honeyed voice who was tempting her. Instead, placing down the papers she had gathered into her hands and rushed towards the coat rack, grabbing her grey coat and rushing out the door, walking into the cold night.
The cold bit into her cheeks the moment she stepped outside, bringing her whole body to life after being stuck in the house’s warmth. It was then that Avriel might have underestimated how heavy the snowfall was as it then rained down on her in thick flakes, clinging onto her lashes and onto the sleeves of her coat, with her now looking like a gingerbread man sprinkled in powdered sugar.
Despite feeling like a lone wolf searching for its own pack. Avriel did not pay attention to any of that. Instead, she happily accepted her own company. Her boots crunched against the snowy gravel as she then followed the music playing in the distance, before eventually arriving at the town square.
The town square normally occupied a few vendors on regular days, catering only to the citizens of the town when it came to providing daily necessities and crops, but tonight was different. Lights of different strung between colourful buildings, glowing orbs of every color, making the sight look ethereal now more than ever.
Wooden stalls lined the area around the townsquare, displaying handcrafted ornaments, knitted hats, and offering food and drinks to those who huddled together for warmth. Safe to say, for Avriel, it truly was a sight to behold.
“Glögg, my dear?” An elderly woman offered her from a nearby stall, to which she happily accepted and thanked before going on her way. The first sip was a revelation, to say the most – a warmth that filled her chest, which was then followed by a citrusy aftertaste.
Fortunately, it was enough to get the usually uptight girl to let loose, mustering enough courage to explore other stalls and browse through anything that was to her fancy.
She wandered further and further into the town square, watching kids press their noses against the glass of a stall that sold marzipan figures, then saw some couples sharing a single serving of riskrem, their laughter jingling in the air like bells on a reindeer in motion. For a while, Avriel was simply part of the crowd. The girl was alone, yes, but she accepted being a quiet observer in the background.
Soon, the music from the central bandstand shifted, to which a crowd then began to gather around it, drawn to the chords of a Christmas ballad that was all too familiar. The space tightened immediately after that, families and friends huddling together to watch the live performance. An unsettling feeling made its way towards Avriel, a familiar urge to shrink back when she was well aware that everything was becoming overwhelming.
Instead of forcing herself to blend into the crowd, she turned and found a vacant wooden bench, in which she propped herself upon after dusting off the thin layer of snow. From there, Avriel had the perfect view, watching the whole crowd swaying and singing along with cheer. Whilst she was enjoying the music, eyes focused at the sight of snowflakes as they made their way down from the sky, a voice cut through her reverie, tinted in a soft and amused tone.
“It is better back here, is it not? You can see the whole picture.”
Earthy brown eyes met sullen grey ones, as Avriel whipped her head towards the direction of the voice so quickly, she almost got whiplash. There stood a man a few steps away from her – he looked like he was probably a few years older than her – his hands buried in the pockets of a dark woolen coat and a mossy green scarf around his neck.
Avriel managed to offer a shaky smile before replying, “The crowd seems a bit…overwhelming.”
“I can tell from your expression that you have tired yourself out,” He said, gesturing to the empty space beside her on the bench, “May I?”
She nodded, to which he then followed – a respectful distance between them but still close enough for the conversation to flow more naturally.
Once comfortable, Avriel shot him a curious glance, to which the stranger perked up as if he had just realized something. “I'm Elias, by the way. What about you?” He said, gazing at her directly, but not intrusively in fear that he would scare her away.
“I'm Avriel, pleasure to meet you.”
They sat in a slightly awkward silence for a while, the Christmas ballad playing in the distance serving as background noise, before the man quietly offered a small paper bag to her which was filled with krumkake. “They're my grandmother’s. It’s the best in all of Bergen, if you ask me, though I may be a bit biased.” He muttered the last part jokingly.
Avriel chuckled before accepting the offer, taking a bite and letting the crispy outer layer of the delicacy melt in her mouth. Elias then prompted another conversation to which both of them exchanged remarks about various things, like the town square and its improved state, and how many times they have gotten lost whilst wandering. Safe to say, the two did bond a whole lot quicker than expected.
Avriel gave a satisfied nod as she finished her food, before remembering what the man had uttered earlier. “What did you mean, by the way? Seeing the whole picture?”
Elias went still for a moment, almost as if he was planning his words, before gesturing to the crowd, “You see the old man reminiscing? Or… what about the child over there fascinated by the snow?” He waited for Avriel to nod before continuing, “What I meant was that each and everyone here has a story to tell, we just need the right person to unravel them. I am very certain that you have probably experienced that thought crossing your mind?”
His words resonated deeply, sending a pang into her own chest and awakening something in her – Something unfamiliar, but surprisingly warmer than the lights that spilled through the windows. “Hm, yes... You surely see the details,” she observed with a hum, clearing her throat as she averted her gaze from his.
“Well, it is something I train myself to do whenever I want to know more about someone, observing their every move,” Elias chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his nape. “Seeing you here, all alone watching the crowd with a yearning gaze – it makes me wonder more about you, what you've been through… where you have been all along.”
This was it. This simple, organic encounter – this was what she had been missing for a long time now. It wasn't a plan, and it wasn't a purpose either, but a presence – The warmth of another soul acknowledging her in the midst of the festive crowd. A missing puzzle piece that she searched far and wide, only to find it here all this time.
A small smile spread across Avriel’s face, her grey eyes losing their bittersweet glint and now reflected the golden lights strung around the town square. Her eyes darted towards Elias, the world around them only turning to static noise and leaving only the two of them in their quiet bench.
“I've always been here, maybe you just haven't set your eyes on me yet until now.” Avriel said at last, eyes sparkling a glint of a thousand stars as she stared into the boy’s own.
The live performance soon came to a stop, people went back to their homes, vendors had finished putting down their stalls, and lights eventually dimmed one by one, but the two remained side by side, undeterred by the decreasing temperature. Somehow, their hands found their way towards the other.
“Merry Christmas.”
Publication Material by
Isabel Dispeda and Thirdy Dayalo
