The Lantern of Terlingua

 "The Lantern of Terlingua"In the remote ghost town of Terlingua near Big Bend, locals tell of a mysterious lantern light that appears on moonless nights.
The story begins with Maria Vasquez, who in 1887 waited endlessly for her miner husband to return from the cinnabar mines.
After his death in a cave-in, she placed a lantern in her window every night, hoping somehow his spirit would find its way home.
When Maria passed years later, residents reported seeing a floating lantern light moving through the abandoned mining tunnels and across the desert landscape.
Those who have followed the light describe hearing whispers in Spanish and feeling a profound sadness.
The lantern never leads to danger—instead, lost hikers in Big Bend have reported being guided to safety by the mysterious light before it vanishes at dawn.
Park rangers dismiss the tales as reflections or natural phenomena, but longtime residents know better.
​They say Maria's lantern appears to those who have lost their way, both literally and spiritually.