There was a movement in the shadows, although if anyone were to look closely at them nothing would be there. For the young woman in them was not a solid figure, but the shadows themselves.
Some who could see through the mist might be able to make out her beautiful face, but only if they topped to watch her for a while. Only if they looked intently at the shadows of the old tone bridges, but no one here had time for that. Not now, not ever.
The young woman leant her head forward slightly, her eyes twinkling at the sight of the dazzling, yellow and white Narcissus' greedily looking down at the glassy pond.
Her silky long silvery hair hun down to her waist, and shimmered dully with every movement she made. She smiled at a little girl with golden curls picked the marvelous flower lovingly, and showed it to her mother. Her grey dress flutter slightly even though there was no wind.
She loved this little white bridge and it's pond. It was her favorite spot in the whole park. Thousands of the pretty flowers lined the waters edge, reminding her of the man she once loved. It didn't pain her. Not anymore. Just remind her of lost feelings, and loves.
The little girl did a waddling run under the bridge and smiled at the woman, who was taken aback. She waved and the small child smile brightly, showing pearly white teeth.
"Hello!" the little girl shouted joyfully. The young woman smiled, she knew that the girl wanted a reply.
"Hello!" she echoed just as gleefully to the girl and the child's smile brightened even more so than it already was.
She squealed and the lady echoed back. This went on for a few minutes before the girl went back to her mother.
As they were walking away, the girl suddenly broke away from her mother and tore off down the gravel path, towards the Narcissus' again.
She retrieved the yellow flower that she had picked earlier, and ran back to the bridge. Her mother had started chasing after her calling her name "Annika! Annika!" but stopped when she saw what the girl was doing.
When she got to the little bridge, Annika placed the flower in front of the woman.
"Bye-Bye, Echo." she said before turning away to leave, taking her mothers hand in her and looking up at her, eyes light up.
As they walked away down the path, Echo picked up the flower delicately, and looked at it longingly.
But then almost as fast as the people walking by, she threw the yellow flower into the sunlight, and watched it sink lightly to the ground.
Tears sprung to her eyes as she turned away, but she quickly dried her eyes and stopped them. She wouldn't fall for his trick again. He wasn't even there.
But she wasn't just crying for him she was crying for the niceness of a small child, Annika, who had stopped to make her feel good, even though she hardly knew the echo in the shadows. She was delirious as to how so many people could just pass each other over as if they were rubbish, not meant for humans to touch see or smell. How they could turn up their noses at someone, when a small girl or boy could be so kind a giving. Is that not what they taught their children?
And with that, she left, stronger than when she had come. Echo didn't return for a long time