Loss

Zara Chen stood before the blank wall, her breath catching in her throat. Where her mural had been just yesterday—a vibrant phoenix rising from swirling ashes—there was nothing but a flat expanse of beige paint. She reached out, running her fingers over the surface. It was smooth, as if her artwork had never existed. “What the hell?” she muttered, glancing up and down the alley. A few early morning commuters hurried past the entrance, but no one paid her any attention. Zara pulled out her phone, scrolling through her gallery until she found the photo she’d taken upon completing the mural three days ago. There it was in all its glory—twelve feet of color and life. ...

Margaret Ashbury’s fingers moved deftly as she guided the needle through the delicate fabric, stitching intricate patterns of flowers and vines. The rhythmic motion was soothing, allowing her mind to wander as she worked. Outside the window of her modest cottage, a light rain fell on the English countryside, blanketing the rolling hills in a misty haze. It was 1865, and life in the small town of Millbrook had changed little in Margaret’s 28 years. The same families had occupied the same homes for generations. The same shopkeepers ran the same stores along the main street. Even the vicar who gave the Sunday sermon each week was the very same one who had baptized Margaret as an infant. ...

The elderberry bushes stood like silent sentinels in the early morning mist, their branches heavy with clusters of deep purple fruit. Mara Thorne moved between the rows with practiced efficiency, her calloused hands gently testing the berries for ripeness. The farm had been in her family for generations, and she knew every inch of it like the lines on her own weathered face. As she neared the far end of the field, Mara’s steps slowed. Something wasn’t right. The bushes here looked different - leaves curled and discolored, berries shriveled and pale. Her stomach clenched as she bent to examine them more closely. ...