Every time snow fell, Lily was reminded of the adults’ constant warning: “Never go near the forest.” In the snow-covered village, the forest was both a lifeline and a perilous boundary. Especially on winter nights, whispers were said to echo from within the trees, a phenomenon the villagers called “The Snow’s Whisper.”
One night, Lily heard it—a soft voice saying, “Come.” It felt as if someone was calling her, and she couldn’t resist the pull. Before she realized it, she had wrapped herself in a thick cloak and stepped into the forest under the pale moonlight.
As she pushed through the trees, she stumbled upon a small shrine. Sitting inside was a translucent boy, his form as clear as ice. His eyes carried a quiet sorrow, but when he saw Lily, he smiled.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said. “Waiting for you to come.”
Lily caught her breath. “You… know me?”
The boy nodded gently. “You don’t know the village’s secret, do you? But it’s time you learned. You were born of this forest.”
“I was… born of the forest?”
The boy led her deeper into the shrine. There, a frozen spring lay hidden. Its surface, as smooth as a mirror, reflected a vision of Lily as a baby, abandoned in the snow. It was the memory of the villagers leaving her behind.
“The forest saved you,” the boy explained. “You are both a curse and a salvation for the village. But the answer lies within you. Only you can decide what to do.”
Lily gazed at the spring for a long moment, then clenched her freezing hands into fists. “I’ll return to the village. I’ll tell them about the forest, about myself, about everything.”
The boy smiled softly. “I knew you would say that. Farewell, Lily. And thank you.”
As she stepped out of the shrine, the forest stirred, and snow engulfed the shrine behind her.
Walking through the biting wind, Lily set her sights on the lights of the village. Though the air was freezing, a warmth swelled in her chest. It was the warmth of having found, at last, her true self.
