Northlight

It was the first cold snap of October, and Jason Palmer was jogging across the school courtyard, hoodie sleeves pulled over his hands. Cross-country practice had just ended, and his legs ached from hill sprints.

As he passed the library steps, he noticed someone sitting alone on a bench. The kid was bundled in a thick coat and gloves, even though the air wasn’t that cold yet. He had a stiff backpack at his feet and was staring toward the soccer field like he was watching something far away.

Jason slowed. He didn’t usually talk to new kids, but something about this guy seemed… different. Focused. Like he was waiting for something.

Jason gave a small wave. “Hey,” he said.

The kid looked up. “Hi.”

“You new here?”

The kid nodded. “I’m Nuka. I just moved here from Greenland.”

Jason blinked. “Wait—Greenland? That’s legit.”

Nuka smiled, just barely. “It’s mostly ice. The name tricks people.”

Jason sat on the edge of the bench. “I’m Jason. So, like… what’s it like there?”

“Quiet. Cold. Small,” Nuka said. “You have more lights in your school hallway than my whole village.”

Jason laughed. “That’s wild.”

Nuka looked down. “Everything here feels fast. I think people don’t know what to say to me.”

Jason shrugged. “Middle schoolers barely know what to say to each other. You should sit with me and my friends at lunch tomorrow. We do trivia. You’ll like it.”

“You would let me?” Nuka asked.

“Of course,” Jason said, standing up. “Oh, and we’re hanging out tonight at youth group. Free pizza. You in?”

Nuka hesitated. “What is youth group?”

“It’s like a chill club,” Jason said. “Games, snacks, sometimes we talk about life stuff. You ever watch superhero movies?”

Nuka brightened. “I liked Northlight.”

Jason tilted his head. “What’s that?”

“It’s from Iceland. Not many people know it. It’s about a guy who lives at the edge of the Arctic. He can bend sunlight through snow and make shields from frozen light. But he’s afraid to leave his village because he thinks no one will understand what he is.”

Jason blinked. “Okay, that’s actually awesome.”

“It’s not really about powers,” Nuka added. “It’s about being seen.”

Jason nodded. “Well, you’re invited. Come eat pizza and impress everyone with weird trivia.”

That night, after snacks and a quick game of charades, the youth group leader, Mr. Lopez, asked: “What’s something that’s helped you see the world differently?”

A few kids talked about a family trip or a tough teacher.

Then Nuka raised his hand.

“In Greenland,” he began, “you can go months without the sun. The cold is like another person. It follows you.”

The room went still.

“My village was small. Everyone knew me. But no one talked much about feelings or dreams. Coming here is like being dropped into another planet.”

He glanced around, then at Jason.

“But today, someone invited me in. That helped.”

He paused.

“In the movie Northlight, the hero hides who he is. He thinks people only want noise and flash. But it turns out someone does see him—and that changes everything.”

Jason felt his chest tighten. No one said anything for a second.

Then someone whispered, “That was really cool.”

Afterward, Jason caught up with him by the juice table.

“You seriously just quoted a superhero movie and made half the room think,” Jason said. “Legend.”

Nuka gave a small laugh. “Was it too much?”

“No,” Jason said. “You kind of are Northlight.”

Nuka raised an eyebrow. “You mean invisible?”

“No,” Jason said. “I mean someone with more to offer than anyone realizes. Until they finally look.”

They bumped juice cups and smiled.

For the first time that week, both boys felt like they belonged.

“Northlight” by Nina D. Smith © 2025. Retelling of “THE GREENLANDER” from A Day in the Country and Other Stories from “The Pansy” originally published in 1885.

This story is best suited for students in grades 5–7, as it explores themes of identity, belonging, and empathy through relatable middle school experiences and accessible, age-appropriate language.