1

The Silent Watcher

"Huh, what time is it? Have I really been asleep for that long?"

By the time I woke up, dawn had already arrived. The sun was rising slowly, casting a warm, golden light over the landscape. I had fallen asleep beneath the tree, unaware of how much time had passed. Sunset to sunrise. Dusk until dawn.

I squinted against the soft morning glow, shielding my eyes with my hand before slowly lowering it. The sight before me was breathtaking—a moment of quiet beauty, tinged with nostalgia. A peaceful, almost dreamlike serenity settled over me as I closed my eyes again, letting the crisp morning breeze wash over me.

Now that I thought about it, this place was quite secluded. The path leading here was treacherous—uneven slopes, jagged rocks—almost as if nature itself was warning people to stay away. But for someone like me, a climber since the age of seven, that wasn't a deterrent. I thrived on the challenge, and in return, I was rewarded with views like this.

I had no idea such a hidden gem existed so close to the village.

Just as I was lost in thought, I felt something brush against my forehead. My fingers instinctively reached up to touch it, tracing the sensation with a lingering curiosity.

"Ah? What's this?"

Slowly, I lifted my gaze.

Standing before me was a figure with long, silken white hair cascading past his shoulders. His robes were traditional—white with delicate blue stripes, flowing elegantly in the morning breeze. Yet, his face remained obscured, his hair concealing his eyes.

I caught a glimpse of his mouth—pale, almost colorless. The absence of warmth should have made him unsettling, but instead, he seemed... ethereal.

Beautiful yet haunting. Radiant yet subdued. Colorless yet captivating.

Was he alive? Or something else entirely?

Time stretched into eternity as silence settled between us. My thoughts refused to form, my mind blank, as if entranced by his presence. There was an unearthly stillness about him, yet no sense of malice.

Still, I found myself speaking.

"Are you alright?"

I wasn't sure why I even asked.

"My name is Flynn. I'm from the village down below."

He didn't respond. Didn't even glance at me. Yet, something told me he was listening.

Hours passed in that silence. Three, maybe four. During that time, I wandered around, gathering mushrooms and herbs, occasionally glancing back at the mysterious figure. When the sun climbed higher, I decided to return home.

As I neared the village, an elderly woman greeted me near her small farm by the fence.

"Oho, young lad! Out collecting mushrooms again, I see?"

I gave her a small smile. "Yeah, just a few for dinner. Picked up some herbs too."

She chuckled, pausing in her sweeping to wave at me. Her three grandchildren played in the dirt nearby, their laughter ringing through the crisp air.

"Hey! Stop that or you'll break it!" she scolded, as one of them nearly toppled a garden gnome.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Quite a handful she has."

Back home, I set down my bag, glancing at the neatly stacked supplies—five bags of flour, three bags of sugar, and two bags of salt. This village was different from Earth. There were no ants to worry about, and the atmosphere kept mold and insects at bay much longer than I was used to. It was a small, quiet place, untouched by the usual troubles of nature.

After hanging my coat on the wooden rack near the kitchen, I got to work preparing dinner. I chopped the mushrooms, sprinkled in some dillweed and salt, and let the flavors simmer together.

Voila!

The simple meal was done.

Sitting by the window, I ate slowly, gazing outside at the calm village. My chair creaked softly as I leaned back, resting my elbow on the round wooden table covered with a hand-stitched handkerchief.

It was a gift from my grandmother.

She had passed away a few years ago—peacefully, in a field of golden paddy. A quiet, gentle farewell to the world. I didn't cry back then. But even now, the memory made something ache in my chest. A small, silent sorrow.

The mushrooms tasted warm and earthy, grounding me in the present.

Another quiet day. Another peaceful night.

I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.