CHAPTER 1 – TOUCH OF LIGHT

"Sol,” Amelia called him.

As his master's voice reached his ear, he abandoned his works to answer her call.

"Her meal is ready," she said after hearing the creaking door of Sol entering the room.

"Yes..." he nearly forgot to hide his excitement.

he walked down the stairs and a silver platter is waiting for him as he enters the kitchen.

"This is for Lumina, right?"

"Yes sir." the head chef's reply.

He grabs the cart, pushing it outside the kitchen.

He stopped to open the door leading to the basement. Carefully pushing the cart down to the ramp. He lit the candle to light up his path.

"I need to close the door," and he did.

The creaking sound of the cart's tires are being heard throughout the dark hallway leading to Lumina's room.

"Lumina!" he shouted, slamming the thick wall of her room.

"Yes?" she replied with a happy tone in her voice.

"I cam to bring your food," he blows the candle and opens a window made of steel.

Carefully carrying the silver platter, he put it inside and grab a long rod to push the it.

"Thank you, Sol" her gentle voice reach him.

"I recently climb a mountain and I saw a field of flowers on the peak."

"Really? Is it beautiful?" her curiosity.

"I wish I could visit the place again with you..." he set the cart aside and sat on the floor.

"It's fine, Sol."

"You don't have to worry about it," she said with a calming voice.

"You should come here more often since I don't have anything to do," she eagerly asked.

"I'm packed with Miss Amelia's orders, but I'll try."

"It's already 20:00 am I should get going," he closed the window, knocked three times before pushing the cart back.

"Lumina's third meal is done, prepare for the fourth after three hours," he told the head chef and placed the cart back to its first position.

He is ready to head back to the second floor.

"You should take a break," Amelia said before walking towards the door.

"Yes madam," he immediately run upstairs, crashing in to his room to change his clothes.

"I'll be back later!" he told the guards.

"It's all dry," as a farmer checked his crops.

"it's really hard every summer," one of them sat to the ground and drink water.

"What will you expect after 24 hours of straight sunlight?"

"Looks like you're having a hard time, uncle," Sol pats his shoulders.

"Hey, enjoying ya' break time?"

"Yup! Since Lamentine's house is busy," they both laugh in hysteria.

"How's Lumina?" he suddenly asked.

"She sounds energetic last time we talked."

"What a poor child..." They both sat under a tree as the sun is slowly falling.

"I'll get going uncle."

"Take care son..."

Sol entered the house with sweat running to his cheek.

The moon is already in place as he came back.

"It's already 1:00pm," Amelia's greetings.

"Clean yourself and bring Lumina's food at 1:45pm," she added.

He stood in place, waiting for Amelia to leave his sight and run upstairs with his remaining strength.

Pushing the door, he enters the room and sat on his couch.

Done with unbuttoning, he went to take a bath.

"Ahhh...." warm waters flowing out of the shower head.

Cracking sounds of breaking glass greeted Sol when he reached the lobby.

"It's too risky!" Amelia shaking her head back and forth, slamming the table with her hands.

"This medicine might give your daughter a normal life!" with furrowed eyebrow, the doctor said to her.

"The curse is just a prophecy," the doctor added.

"Just let her live there where she is safe!" pointing at the basement she glared at the doctor.

Sol heads to the kitchen, passing through the commotion.

"Lumina's?" he asked the chef.

They carefully placed the silver platter on the cart with the candle and matches.

"Thank you," he grabs the cart and went to the basement. Carefully running the cart down to the ramp. He again lit the candle and close the door.

"Lumina!" he shouted as he reached the end of the hallway.

"Yes?" she answered with joy.

"I'll open the window now." then he pushes the silver platter into the hole.

"Thank you!" her voice coming out of the window.

"Dr. Roman made a medicine for you," Sol said.

"It's fine, tell mother that I'm fine," without any changes in her calm tone, Sol felt better.

"What if I go there?" Sol asked.

"Eh?" no one attempted to say another word.

"Go... where?" she asked. With the tone of her voice, Sol thinks she's flustered.

"There's no way light is going with me isn't it?" He shrugs.

"Ehhh???"

"Wait, it's already 3:00pm."

"I have to head back," he again close the window, knock three times before pushing the cart back to the kitchen.

"You should have stayed a little longer..." her whisper.

When Sol is back to the lobby, the maids are cleaning the mess of the commotion a while ago.

"Dr. Roman," he greeted him.

"Oh, hello Sol," he answered.

"How's Miss Lumina?" the doctor leaned forward, near Sol's face.

"She said she's fine and doesn't need any medication."

"Even her!?" his loud voice echoed all throughout the lobby.

“They can't understand anything..." he said as he silently walked away.

He went upstairs heading back to his room.

“3:26pm, time to sleep,” he remove his clothing and went to his bathroom.

Splash, he rinses his face with soap. Grabs the toothbrush and brushed his teeth.

“Ahh…” he sat on his bed, grabbed his blanket, lay down and went to sleep.

The ringing alarm clock wake him up.

“16:00pm?” he stretched up his arms.

The moon is still up high as he look at his window.

He went downstairs after cleaning himself.

“You should sleep a little longer Sol,” he met Amelia on his way to the kitchen.

“It’s fine Madam.”

“Are you sure? You’ve been working 27 hours straight…” she stated.

“I also wanted to cook Lumina’s meal for tonight, “ he replied.

“Suit Yourself.” Amelia walked away.

“What do we have here…” he opened the food storage.

“It's been a while since she last eat some stew,” he grabs the carrots, potatoes, some pork and few mushrooms.

“Sir, what are you doing?” the head chef entered the kitchen.

“I just want to make some food for Lumina, or I might get rusty,” he laughed as he put all the chopped ingredients in the pan.

“Let me help you sir,” the chef stir the stew as Sol prepares the mushrooms for garnish.

The set off the fire and add the mushrooms. Placing the dish in a silver platter, Sol prepares the cart.

“Here you go sir.”

“Thank you,” he pushed the cart to the basement.

He blows the candle.

“Lumina, are you awake?” No one answered his call.

“Lumina…” he again attempted to wake her up.

He grabs the food and placed it in the opening of the window. He started pushing the dish as he is crawling into the narrow hole.

“Lumina?”

He removed the dish from the platter and pushes it. The clank of the silver told him that the entrance is near.

“Sol?” someone in the dark grabs the bowl of stew.

“Lumin—”

“Ouch!” his head bumped into hers.

“What are you doing here?” from her voice, he knew that she is confused.

“It’s pitch black in here,” he extended his hands and bump into something.

“It’s soft…”

“Watch what you’re touching, that’s my face!” she shouted at him, swinging her hand.

“I'm sorry,” he crawled further and fell to the floor.

“Hey, are you alright?” she grabs his arm and help him to get up.

“You have it rough huh…” he whispered.

“How did you manage to live here?” He asked.

“I relayed to my senses.”

“You’re voice every time you bring food told me where is the dining table, and I often spend my time finding where is my bed or my bathroom,” she added.

“So Sol,” she grabs his hand and her voice sounds so near.

“I want to go out.”

“What?”

“I want to see you,” she leans forward near to his face.

Then, the earth starts shaking. The sound of her creaking bed and the cracks coming from the wall makes their heart beats faster.

A part of the cement roof cracked off, and as she looks at it, a touch of light bump to his face.

“LUMINA!!” he hugged her wanting to hide from the light with tears falling to his cheek.