Lily's Letter

Chapter 3:-The wind is rushing though my heart is not!

Lily pauses, recalling her grandmother's words and very memory she had with her childhood friend. In that moment, everything clicks into place. With a renewed sense of purpose, she starts her journey, yet not really understanding her own emotions.With a mixture of hope and urgency, she starts pedaling toward the train station, her thoughts racing as fast as her feet.Its already clear the girl has fallen for the boy yet she finds it hard to express.When she finally arrives, the station is unexpectedly quiet.The bustling crowd she had expected is nowhere to be seen. Only the train master remains, standing near the tracks, his face weary from the day's work as he nonchalantly says"what a hectic day,I hope these wars and hatred comes to an end quickly".

Lily approaches him, her heart pounding. "Excuse me, sir, has the train left already?"The train master nods solemnly. "Yes, miss. The last train to Liverpool Harbor departed not too long ago. I'm afraid it was the final one. It's heading straight to the harbor to the last ship to carry letters to the soldiers."

Lily's heart sinks as the weight of his words settles in. Her last hope of reaching Owen seems to vanish.The despair look in lily's eyes.

Noticing the distress in the young lady, the train master hesitates for a moment before disappearing into his cabin. He soon returns with a map, unfolding it on the weathered bench. "There's one more way," he says, pointing to a narrow route that winds through mountains and crosses valleys-passable only by bicycle and on foot."But it will take around 2to3 days to reach the harbor and I am sure its exactly the same day the ship will start to sail as you reach the destination".

Without a second thought, Lily grabs the map from the station master and clutches her skirt ,begins to run. Determined and focused, she knows she must act quickly. Instead of heading straight for the harbor, she turns toward her home, knowing that preparation is crucial for the days ahead.

As she arrives, a sense of urgency pulses through her. The journey will take her a few days, and she can't afford to waste any time. She quickly breaks open her piggy bank, scooping out the savings she had carefully tucked away over the years. Every penny will count.

She packs her essentials-just enough to survive the rugged journey ahead-and then pauses in front of the mirror.She looks so beautiful,like an angel that fell from heaven who showed me how to live again. Those truthful eyes that glittering at herself,that circular eyes and round face -ps

She grabs a pair of scissors .Grabbing her hair steadily and slowly ,she cuts it into half.She looks at herself with admiration in the mirror as her life is about to start just now.

She heads out of her house with efficient supplies packed.She know her mother won't let her go easily ,so she doesn't hesitate to lie to her.Pulling her bicycle,she starts her long journey.As she rides through the windy roads and rugged paths,she reaches the end of the very old town she grow up.The town is peaceful,the silence that she didn't notice just a few days back ago as many boys have left to report in the frontline leaving their homeland to protect their families and friends. Bathed in the soft glow of early evening light, and the silence is only broken by the distant call of birds and the gentle hum of her bicycle tires on the cobblestones.

With a deep breath, she passes through the arch, leaving behind the comfort of the town and stepping into the unknown.Lily's mind racing with thoughts of what lies ahead her and how she can reach her destination.Along the way, she notices a mother standing by the roadside, holding a letter in her hands. The woman's face is etched with disappointment and sorrow, her eyes distant as if searching for something lost. Lily's heart aches at the sight, a reminder of the weight of every letter, every message must reach the loved ones.

She quickly grabs the letter from the mother's hand and promises her to dearly it to the recipient and starts pedalling her cycle again.

At one point she pauses to catch her breath and pulls out the map from her basket. Tracing her finger along the route, she sees that the next part of her journey involves crossing a hill and then navigating the valley below. The path ahead looks challenging, but it's nothing compared to the emotional journey she's been on.

Just as she folds the map back into her basket, her eyes land on the crumpled letter she brought from the mother. The urgency of delivering it to the harbor weighs heavily on her mind. She had assumed that it was meant to be sent to the soldiers, just like all the other letters. For a moment, her thoughts are entirely focused on ensuring it reaches its destination. The image of the mother's tearful face flashes in her memory, reminding how important it is.

But as she grips the letter tightly, another realization slowly dawns on her.Silly girl! forgot the fact that She doesn't have a letter of her own for Owen. Amid all the chaos, the rush, and the determination to deliver this letter, she hadn't taken the time to put her own feelings into words. Owen, deserves a piece of her heart to carry with him on the battlefield. The thought tugs at her emotions. How could she have neglected something so important? She knows that writing to Owen is more than just sending words-it's about expressing everything she's kept inside, everything she needs him to know, no matter how far apart they are.

With renewed resolve, Lily plans to finish her letter during her short breaks that she get while she keeps moving to her destination.As she pedals through the wind as her journey begins.The air becomes thick and cool, carrying the scent of damp earth and wet leaves. A distant rumble echoes from the horizon, and the sky darkens little by little.The wind and wet air keeps dragging her backwards and backwards.Yet her determination makes her keep moving forward. As she gets closer to the hill,The path gets narrower and rocky.

She glances up at the towering hills ahead, where a dense forest looms, its tall trees casting long shadows that stretch like fingers across the narrow path. A small creek winds beneath the bridge she crosses, the water glistening faintly in the dimming light, its gentle streamline barely audible above the whisper of the wind. The silence is thick and soft, the sound of the rustling of dry leaves and the cracking of small broken wooden pieces are only audible as her bicycle's wheels stamps on these things as she pushes forward.

The wooden bridge she passes over feels ancient and worn like very less people travelled through this place, its planks groaning beneath the weight of her bike. The path ahead, lined with towering pines, feels both inviting and ominous, leading her deeper into nature's beauty. She pauses her journey for a break near a water body. As she rinses her face and hands, out of curiousity, she opens the letter which she had brought from the sorrowful mother. It was written a month ago, she notices. 

No one had really tried to deliver this letter, she wondered. It's addressed to a man named Samuel. She doesn't read it fully, knowing she has very little time. Starting her cycle again, she reaches the bottom of the hill.