Message in the Tide
The sea was calm that morning.
Zia walked along the beach, the soft waves touching her feet. She loved this quiet time—when the world felt slow and full of secrets.
She picked up a shell and whispered into it, like she always did.
“If someone’s listening... find me.”
She didn’t know why she did it. Maybe she was waiting for something. Or someone.
Today, the sea gave her an answer.
A small glass bottle floated in the water. Its cork was old, and the glass looked foggy. Inside, Zia saw a folded piece of paper.
She opened the bottle, took out the note, and read the words:
“I dreamed of your voice before I knew what silence felt like.”
There was no name. No sender. But the message felt personal, like it was written for her.
Her heart beat faster. She read the message again. And again.
She placed the note in her journal, where she kept her sketches and thoughts. She stared at it for a long time.
Far away, in another world, Silas looked at the stars.
He had sent the message—hoping someone would find it.
Now he knew she did.
“She’s real,” he whispered. “And she answered.”
