The Bamboo Dance
The music had already started when I ran into the school gym for our Bamboo Dance Festival. I was late, and everyone was watching me.
As I held the bamboo poles, I remembered last year when my grandmother taught me the dance.
She smiled and said, "This dance is part of our culture. Dance with pride."
The performance began. I was nervous, but I followed the rhythm. When it ended, everyone clapped.
Then our teacher announced, "The judges have chosen our group as the winner!" I couldn't believe it. As we celebrated, my grandmother walked up to me and whispered.
"There's something I never told... I was once the champion of this same festival."
Before I could ask her more, she pointed to an old trophy with our family name on it. I smiled, feeling proud of our family's tradition.
Just then, the school principal opened the trophy. Inside was an old folded letter. My grandmother's smile suddenly disappeared.
"I thought this letter was lost," she whispered.
Before she could open it, the lights in the hallway suddenly went out. When the lights came back on...
The letter was gone.
