Midnight Pupusas on Banana Leaf in Havana Market

A wooden tray rests on a weathered metal counter, holding four thick, golden-brown pupusas wrapped in fresh green banana leaves. The leaves glisten with moisture from the monsoon rain, their veins sharp against the warm dough. A sweeping beam of white light cuts through the dark midnight air, illuminating the steam rising gently from the hot corn cakes while the surrounding market stalls fade into shadow. Distant haze hangs low over the horizon, softening the outlines of the harbor. The metal surface shows scratches and rust spots, at the base of the scene in the gritty reality of an outdoor fish market near Miramar. one drop of condensation slides down the edge of a banana leaf onto the tray.