Hope
-
He came in, quietly and discreetly. Were these plants he smelled? And what of the miraculously refurnished roof? Thin rays of sunlight started to leak in and he noticed the new window on the wall. The once dying place seemed to liven up, little by little, with each passing observation.
"Hello, there!"
Slowly he turned around. She was an uncommonly pretty girl, wide blue eyes immediately brightening up the room. Behind her was a back door he had failed to recognize earlier.
"I've never had a visitor before, so I'm happy, but please feel free to lo-"
"So the rumors are true," he interrupted, murmuring wistfully, staring at her. She merely tilted her head.
"Rumors?"
"I've been hearing something about someone sneaking in here. Were you the one who did all this?" He gestured to the roughly patched up wall, the roof, and the potted plants meekly decorating the corners.
"Yep!"
"Why?"
"Why?" She repeated the question with genuine curiosity, eyes getting bigger. "Why…why…"
"You know trespassing on unauthorized property is strictly forbidden, especially this place."
"What's wrong with this place?"
The man quirked an eyebrow, commenting, "Surely you must know the stories." When the girl shook her head, he sighed.
"Then you must be new around this parts, or a visitor. Briefly summarizing, this place used to be the bane of all mankind. A disgrace. Our ancestors used to store creatures here." He shuddered, as if the very notion was tangible.
"What do you mean, creatures?" the girl asked with a hint of uncertainty.
"Evil creatures. Creatures with abnormal powers—creatures defying God Himself. You wouldn't understand it," the man said, shaking his head. "It was a horrible period, one we are not proud of."
The girl was silent for a while. She absentmindedly fingered one of the leaves on the plants, before blinking back tears. The man was startled.
"Oh, no, I'm sure you had good intentions for this place," he quickly reassured her, "Just that our townspeople generally disapproves of touching tainted groun-"
"That's not it."
Now the man stared with curiosity, asking her, "Then what's wrong?"
She avoided his intent gaze for several seconds, and then quickly looked up, plastering on that smile again.
"Well, don't you wonder sometimes? About the creatures, how they lived, how we interacted...about everything." She seemed to shrug helplessly, laughing.
"Not really," the man answered coolly. "And you'd do well enough to stay out of that business. Those were dark times, times a girl like you could never understand. It is a despictable yet indelible part of our history." He frowned at her lingering, saddened smile.
"What if they weren't bad at all?" she asked softly.
"Unthinkable. There are records to prove their terrible deeds."
"Records? What records?"
"None of your business. It's stored safely in a place, protected from the general populace. I don't see why you'd want to read it; really, don't try to poke into a unknown affairs," he sniffed.
The girl hesitated. The man checked his watch, wishing to end this talk.
"So you've never wondere-"
"No, I have not," he said briskly, heading toward the front entrance. The conversation was disturbing him. "And please," he added, "stay away from this place before I report you. It's senseless to revive a lost cause. Touching, but senseless."
"But...but the creatures!...how could you never ask yourself the truth? How will anyone know?" the girl was asking behind him, but he ignored her as he walked away.
All senseless, he thought. Really, I ought to inform the council about this...and what of the girl?
He frowned, half glancing back.
What of the girl?
-
From behind, she watched his disappearing figure. Vaguely she felt the plants, touched the leaves, and knew her own sadness. Behind one of the pots a moving leaf swayed back and forth, and she smiled, because she knew how to speak the lost language.
"Come on..." she happily coaxed, bending down. The leaf timidly touched her forefinger, sending kindness, radiance, and a small creature waddled out, unsure.
"There you go," she was saying. "Wasn't that hard, was it?"
"Oddish," the creature let out a single word in a soft voice.
Her brilliant blue eyes smiled sadly.
"You and I...you and I," she whispered.
"We'll bring them all back together. I promise."