Whispers of Hope

Standing outside the old cottage, Aria gazed at the weathered house that held a lifetime of memories, the distant boring city lights now replaced by the gentle glow of stars above the countryside. She had chosen to arrive at night to avoid attention from the people around. The last time Aria was seen in the village was the day her grandmother was buried, and it had been five years already, but she still missed her like it was yesterday. She turned on her flashlight as she walked towards the door.

The porch creaked beneath her feet and she took a deep breath, the scent of earth and memories filling her lungs. "How I've missed this place," Aria whispered, her voice barely louder than the rustling leaves as she searched her bag for the key. She exhaled as the door swung open after she had turned the key twice.

A strong smell of dust hit her nostrils, but the scent of her grandma still lingered around the house. Aria had grown up with her and only left the village because her uncle had asked her to come to the city to get a better life after her grandmother's death. The city hadn't been fair to Aria as all her efforts to progress had ended up in shambles, hence her decision to return to her roots.

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The flashlight was bright enough to reveal the numerous cobwebs that hung in different corners of the house. No one had been in it since she left, save the happy spiders and a few rats. The property was willed to her by her grandmother, so no one dared trespass without her permission.

"I guess there's a lot of work to do here," she muttered as she dragged her luggage inside and shut the door. The next morning, as she hammered a nail into the roof, an old man passing by called out, "Need a hand, miss?"

Aria looked up and smiled, grateful for the help he offered. "I'd appreciate that. It's a lot of work." She sighed. Soon enough, neighbors who had loved her and her late grandmother came by, each offering their support in the little way they could. In no time, the house was as good as new for Aria to live in.

As she stood at the gate that led to her grandmother's garden, she felt a sense of nostalgia and a longing to bring it back to life. She took the key and unlocked the padlock that held the gate together. Leaves crunched under her feet with each step she took. The plants had withered away except for one rose plant.

"Hey there," she muttered as she touched the petals. Then she shifted her attention to the water fountain that stood in the middle of the big garden. Leaves were scattered about in the fountain pool. Aria grabbed the old rake she found in the garden and raked out the leaves, which she heaped in a corner. Then she turned on the tap, and water bubbled up in the fountain and began to flow.

Aria was excited that the fountain still worked perfectly. She scooped some water with a broken cup she found laying close to the fountain and poured it on the rose. Then she sat beside it as memories of how her grandmother used to tend to the roses flooded her mind.

"I want to revive this garden, but I fear I'll fail like I've failed with several tasks in the city," she sobbed, her head buried in her palms. Suddenly, her childhood friend, Sarah, who had come to help her on hearing she had returned, tapped her on the shoulder. "Aria, there's something in the wind," Sarah said gently. Her voice was shaky as if she was frightened. "What do you mean?" Aria asked, confused as she tried to understand what Sarah meant. "Listen carefully, ria, listen."

Aria looked up, her eyes filled with tears, her vision blurred then she heard it; "You can do this, Aria," "grandma?" She called as she sprang to her feet, searching for the direction of the voice.

The two friends felt their stomach drop when everything stood still. They were surprised to see that the wind had formed words from the leaves it rustled around. Aria moved six feet backward to be able to get the words on the ground. "You're a fighter, follow your heart," she read and broke down in tears and Sarah comforted her. Then the wind came again, this time it blew the water from the fountain on both of them. This strengthened Aria as she got up from the ground, looked up at the sky, and muttered words of thanks to her grandmother.

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