There was a little village in Germany. A girl named Jane
was living near that village with her mother. Their house
was surrounded by tall trees and colorful plants. Birds
chirped in the branches, and the scent of fresh flowers
filled the air. Vines covered the walls, making the house
look like a part of the forest itself. Jane had a natural gift
for crafting. With skilled hands, she carved intricate
patterns into wooden blocks, turning simple pieces of
wood into beautiful decorations. Every stroke of her knife
was precise, every design filled with creativity. She often
sat under the shade of an old oak tree, completely lost in
her work, the scent of fresh wood filling the air. Her
mother was very innocent and she had a disease in which
she would faint at any time, that's why Jane didn't let her
do much work. They both love each other very much.
Jane always dreamed of a bright future for herself and her
mother. She used to see the shining stars and moon at
night and thought that one day she will shine like them
too. As the days were passing, Jane was becoming more
creative.
One day Jane's mother was cooking and she was helping
her with that.
Jane: Listen, Mom!
Mom: Yes, dear?
Jane: (joking) What if I become a great artisan in the
future and someone hires me as their personal designer?
Mom: You will, my love. But remember, never let greed
take over your heart. Your talent is already a gift, and I
know your future is bright!
Jane: You're only saying that because you're my
mother… but one day, I'll try to make you proud.
Mom: You already do, sweetheart. Now, enough about
the future—just enjoy the moment.
Suddenly Jane heard some voice and she asked her
mother "Mother! Did you hear something?" her mother
said "No I didn't hear anything!". Jane heard that voice like
3 times. She was thinking about that only while eating.
After that she did not hear that voice again, and she
ignored it.
The sun set and it became night. As usual, Jane went
outside and started looking at the stars. While looking at
them she saw an airplane, although airplanes are rarely
seen in their area. Excited, she ran after the airplane, her
heart pounding with joy. While running she went away
from her home. The airplane got disappeared and she
looked around and realized that she has come away from
home. She was returning to her home, suddenly she
heard that voice again. She became worried and started
running fast. A strong wind blew past her, and suddenly,
something hit her shoulder and fell to the ground. She
bent down and picked it up. It was an old, crumpled
piece of paper. But when she looked closer, her heart
skipped a beat. There were words written on it in dark
red, almost like blood. 'HELP ME!'
Her hands shook as she held the paper. She looked
around, but there was no one in sight. Who had written
this? And why?. She got a little worried. She wondered
who would need help that she/he had written with
blood. She went back home with that piece of paper.
That night, Jane couldn't stop thinking about the incident.
She couldn't sleep. When morning arrived, she went
outside to paint, hoping to clear her mind. And there her
mother felt pain in her body and became unconscious.
Jane had no idea about it. After half an hour she
completed her painting and returned home. As she
reached home, she saw her mother lying on the ground.
She became worried and she shouted "MOTHEERR".
"What happened to you?" she said crying. Her mother was
not saying anything. She took her to a doctor in a nearby
village. And unfortunately, the doctor said that she had a
heart problem and they couldn't do anything.
AFTER A FEW DAYS:
Jane felt utterly alone after losing her mother, the
emptiness weighing heavily on her heart. She decided to
leave the village and go to the city. She was packing all her
belongings and was holding the piece of paper which she
had found in the forest wondering whether she should
take it with her or not. Then she took it with her.
She reached the city in about 3 hours. She was wondering
where she would live. Wandering around with her
luggage, Jane struggled to find a place to stay. Fortunately,
a kind old man, Mr. Walter, came to her aid, offering her
a room in his apartment at a lower rent. She was very
happy with him. She needed a job to support herself and
applied for a job as a cashier in a shop, she was asked if
she had any experience or not. She said that she didn't
have experience but she could do it. They said that they
will tell after a few days whether she should be hired or
not.
Jane returned home, her heart filled with silent prayers for
the job. Two days later, her phone rang—it was the shop.
Holding her breath, she answered. 'You're hired,' they
said. Relief and joy flooded through her. Jane was very
happy to hear that. She started work the next day. She was
working very hard so that no one would complain on her
behalf.
There was a boy named Zidane was living near that shop.
He used to come this shop often.
HIS STORY:
[When he was young, he lived with his parents and her
sister. His father was a businessman who was very honest.
But unfortunately, his parents died in an accident.
One year after their parent's death Zidane's sister asked
him to go somewhere. He agreed with her. Both of them
went to a hilly area where there were many ravines. She
was very happy to go there. They both were walking
around and taking pictures. While taking pictures she
came near the ditch where there was a river below, her
foot slipped and she fell into it. Zidane searched
frantically, his heart pounding. He had no idea what had
happened, and panic gripped him as he called out her
name. He searched for her a lot but couldn't find her
anywhere. He informed the police.
After much investigation, the police found out that she
had fallen into the river. They all went to look her but
couldn't find her anywhere. They thought she might be
dead and someone might have picked up her body. They
kept trying to find her. Now Zidane was all alone.]
One day Jane was doing her work in that store and that
guy came there. Jane was new to him.
Zidane: (glancing at Jane) "Hey, you're new here, aren't
you?"
Jane: (smiling) "Yeah, I just started a few days ago."
Zidane: "I come here pretty often, but I haven't seen you
before."
Jane: "Well, now you have! Nice to meet you."
Zidane: (chuckles) "Same here. Hope you like it here."
Sitting alone, Jane traced each word carefully in her
notebook, lost in thought. Zidane, noticing her deep
concentration, walked over curiously.
Zidane: (gesturing to the bench) "Mind if I sit?"
Jane: (looking up with a small smile) "Go ahead."
Zidane: (sitting down) "Thanks. What are you writing?"
Jane: (glancing at her notebook) "Just... about my life.
Everything I've been through."
Zidane: (nodding thoughtfully) "I get that. Life isn't
always easy."
Jane: (curious) "Have you been through a lot?"
Zidane: (sighs, looking away) "Yeah... I lost my entire
family. They meant everything to me."
Jane: (softly) "I'm so sorry… That must have been really
hard."
Zidane shared his story with Jane, and in return, she
opened up about bits of her own life. As days passed,
their conversations became longer, and their bond grew
stronger. They met every day, slowly turning from
strangers into close friends.
Yet, Jane never mentioned the strange piece of paper to
him. She feared he wouldn't believe her.
One afternoon, she sat alone on a park bench, staring at
the paper, the words "HELP ME!" still haunting her. After
hesitating for days, she finally made up her mind—she
would tell Zidane.
She pulled out her phone and texted him:
"Can you come? I need to show you something."
A few minutes later, Zidane arrived, his expression curious
but slightly concerned.
Zidane: "Jane? You okay? You sounded serious."
Jane: (fiddling with the edge of the paper, hesitating)
"Would you believe me if I told you something… strange?"
Zidane: (tilting his head, a small smirk forming) "Strange?
Now I'm curious. Of course, I'd believe you. We're friends,
aren't we?"
Jane swallowed, then, without another word, slowly
unfolded the paper.
Jane: (handing it over) "Look at this."
Zidane took it from her hands.
Zidane: (reading aloud, voice dropping to a whisper) "Help
me…?" (He looked closer, his brows furrowing.) "Wait… is
this—"
He paused, bringing the paper closer, his face darkening
as he noticed the stains.
Zidane: "Jane… this looks like blood."
Jane nodded, her voice barely above a whisper.
Jane: "Yeah… it is."
Zidane: "Where did you find this?"
Jane: (hesitates, her voice unsteady) "I… I found it in the
forest. The night before my mother… before she passed
away."
Zidane: (eyes narrowing, his tone more serious) "The
forest? At night?" (He steps closer, lowering his voice.) Tell
me everything—what exactly happened that night?"
Jane: "I love going outside at night to watch the stars and
little creatures. It's peaceful. But that night was different."
Jane: "I saw an airplane in the sky. It was rare to see one,
so I got excited and ran after it without thinking. By the
time it disappeared, I realized I had gone too far from
home."
Jane: "Just as I was about to turn back, a strong wind blew
past me. Something light brushed against my shoulder and
fell to the ground. When I looked down, I saw this
crumpled piece of paper." (She holds it up.) "At first, I
didn't think much of it… but then I read the words."
Zidane: "This sounds exactly like something from a movie.
You're not pranking me, right?"
Jane: (rolling her eyes) "Oh yeah, totally! What a great
prank, right?" (Then, serious) "Come on, why would I joke
about this? Can't you see I'm serious?"
Zidane: (nods, realizing) "Ah… right. But still, this is really
complicated."
Jane: "There's still something I have to tell you."
Zidane: "And what's that?"
Jane: "Actually, before that incident—"
(Before she could finish, a firm voice interrupted them.)
Guard: "Excuse me, the park is closing. You'll have to leave
now."
Jane: (sighs) "Great timing… I'll tell you later."
Zidane: (nods, standing up) "Yeah. We'll talk about this
later."
Jane went home, still wondering if Zidane believed her or
not. Pushing the thought aside, she made herself a cup of
coffee and sat down to rest.
A little while later, there was a knock at the door. It was
Mr. Walter.
Mr. Walter: "Hope you're settling in well. Is everything
okay?"
Jane (smiling): "Yes! The apartment is really comfortable.
Thank you so much."
Mr. Walter nodded. "Glad to hear that. Let me know if you
need anything."
Jane and Mr. Walter talked for a while about the
apartment and the city. After sharing a few kind words, he
gave her a warm smile and left.
After Mr. Walter left, Jane stood by the window, feeling
restless. To distract herself, she started cleaning her small
room and kitchen.
While working in the kitchen, memories of her mother
flooded her mind. She remembered standing beside her,
helping with meals, and hearing her gentle words:
"You will, my love. But remember, never let greed take
over your heart. Your talent is already a gift, and I know
your future is bright."
The thought made her pause for a moment. She missed
her mother more than ever.
She felt tears welling up, but before they could fall, she
shook her head and whispered to herself, "Be brave… be
brave." No more crying. She had to stay strong.
Another day, as usual, she went to the shop and started
working. During a short break, she began crafting a unique
piece for the counter. Her manager noticed and was
impressed.
Manager: "You're so dedicated to your work, and this
looks amazing! But honestly, with your talent, you should
be a designer or an artist, not a cashier."
Jane: Smiling softly "Thank you so much for your kind
words. I'd love to, but… I'm on my own now, with no
support. For now, this job is my stability. But I'm happy
with it."
Manager: "If you want, I can help you with that!"
Jane: Shaking her head with a small smile "Oh, no need!
Why would you waste your time on me? I'm okay, really."
Manager: "It's not a waste of time, Jane. Talent like yours
deserves a chance."
Jane: Pausing for a moment "I appreciate it, but for now,
I've made peace with where I am. When the time is right,
I'll take that step."
Manager: Alright! If you ever need help, just let me know.
Jane: Thank you! I really appreciate it.
As the manager walked away, Jane smiled to herself
thought, Maybe I'm not as alone as I though, kindness still
existed in the world.
Zidane didn't come that day. Jane thought about calling
him but decided not to disturb him.
After finishing work, she headed home. On the way, she
noticed a girl walking past her. She looked familiar, but
Jane couldn't remember from where.
As she thought for a moment, it suddenly came to her—
she was the daughter of her mother's friend. Jane hadn't
seen her in years, and memories of childhood moments
with their families together came rushing back. She
wondered if she should call out to her or just let her go.
Jane hesitated for a moment, then called out, "Hey Lilian,
do you remember me?"
The girl stopped and looked at her, thinking for a moment.
At first, she seemed unsure, but then her eyes lit up.
"Are you…?"
Jane smiled. "Yes, are you about to say Jane?"
Lilian's eyes widened in surprise. "Jane! Yes, it's really you!
I can't believe it—it's been years!"
They both hugged tightly, overwhelmed by the
unexpected reunion.
Lilian: Where have you been all these years?
Jane: After my father passed away, we had to leave the
city.
Staying here was too difficult for us.
Lilian: Oh, I see… But where is Auntie? I'd love to meet
her.
Jane (her voice trembling): She's… she's no longer with us.
Lilian (freezing for a moment): What? When did this
happen?
Jane (lowering her gaze): I'll tell you everything later.
Lilian (sighing softly): I'm so sorry, Jane… I had no idea.
She placed a comforting hand on Jane's shoulder, sensing
the weight of unspoken pain between them.
Jane: By the way, how are your parents? Are they doing
well?
Lilian: Yes, they're good! I'll give them a call after my
university classes.
Jane: That's great! Let me know when you do—I'd love
to talk to them.
Lilian: Of course! Oh, by the way, I saw you coming out of
that shop in uniform. Are you working there?
Jane: Yeah, just a small cashier job.
Lilian: Jane, why are you doing this? You know I'm here
for you!
Jane (smiling softly): No, no, there's no need for that. I'm
actually doing fine now—I've settled into my life.
Lilian: Alright! Where are you living now? Let me know,
and I'll come over after my classes.
Jane (giving her the address): Sure! Come soon.
They exchanged smiles before saying goodbye and
heading their separate ways.
After reaching home, Jane decided to tidy up a bit before
Lilian arrived. She cleaned her small apartment,
arranging things neatly, but her mind kept drifting back
to their conversation.
She pulled out an old box from under her bed—the one
filled with memories of her past. As she opened it, her
fingers brushed over an old photograph of her mother,
Lilian, and herself as kids. A faint smile appeared on her
lips, but it quickly faded.
Just then, a sudden knock on the door startled her. It was
too early for Lilian to arrive.
Jane opened the door, expecting Lilian, but to her
surprise, it was Zidane standing there Jane froze for a
moment, just staring at him.
Zidane: Aren't you going to invite me in?
Jane: Oh… uh, come in.
Zidane: Why do you look so surprised?
Jane: It's nothing… It's just that this is the first time
you've come here, so I was just…
Zidane: [cutting her off] Do you know why I'm here?
Jane: Yeah… you're here to ask about that incident,
right?
Zidane: (Smirks) Hm, you're good at guessing!
Jane: But right now, I'm in a good mood, and I don't want
to ruin it. Let's just forget about that for now and enjoy
the moment.
Zidane: Well, it's your choice… but you have to tell me
eventually, okay?
Jane: Of course! But first—would you like some tea or
coffee?
Zidane: No need to go through the trouble.
Jane: It's no trouble at all, really.
Zidane: Well, in that case… I'd love some coffee.
Jane: Alright, one coffee coming up! (She heads to the
kitchen with a small smile.)
A knock sounded at the door. Jane's face lit up with a
smile as she hurried toward it.
Jane: Finally! She's here!
Zidane raised an eyebrow. "Who?" he asked, curious.
Jane didn't answer right away. Instead, she eagerly
opened the door, revealing Lilian standing there with a
bright smile.
Lilian: "I still can't believe we found each other again!"
Jane: "I know, right? Come in!"
As Lilian stepped inside, her eyes landed on Zidane, who
was sitting on the sofa.
Lilian: "Oh! I didn't realize you had company. Who's
this?"
Jane: "Let me introduce you—this is Zidane, my friend.
And Zidane, this is Lilian, my childhood friend."
Lilian and Zidane exchanged a polite smile.
Lilian: "Nice to meet you!"
Zidane: "Nice to meet you too."
The three of them sat together, talking and sharing
stories. Lilian told them about her university life, Zidane
shared some funny incidents from his daily routine, and
Jane, for the first time in a while, felt at ease, laughing
along with them.
As the evening passed, they didn't realize how quickly
time flew. The sky outside had turned dark, and a cool
breeze flowed in through the slightly open window. Jane
looked at the clock and widened her eyes.
"It's already so late!" she exclaimed.
Lilian: Okay it is time to go now!
Zidane: Really.
Jane watched them leave, feeling a warmth in her heart.
Even in the middle of all the mysteries surrounding her,
at least for today, she felt at peace.
On another day, Zidane visited the shop and approached
Jane during her break.
"So, are you ready to tell me now?" he asked, leaning
forward slightly.
Jane took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. So, before I
found that piece of paper, I heard a voice coming from
the forest."
Zidane's expression turned serious. "What kind of voice?"
Jane hesitated for a moment. "It sounded like… someone
calling for help."
Zidane sat up straighter. "Then there's definitely
something in that forest. We have to find out what's
going on."
Lilian walked over, noticing their serious expressions.
Lilian: "What's with the serious faces? What are you two
talking about?"
Jane: "Oh, it's nothing important."
Zidane: "Actually, it is." (He went ahead and told Lilian
everything.)
Lilian: "Wait… what? Why didn't you tell me this before?"
Jane: "Because I knew you'd freak out, and I didn't want
to scare you."
Lilian: Yes I am but this is serious and I am your friend,
you should have told me this before.
Jane: Okay I am sorry Lilian.
Lilian: It's alright! But what to do now?
Zidane: I guess we should go to forest and then serach
about it.
Jane: Agreed but what if we faced something more
dangerous.
Lilian: "Exactly! I think we should inform the police
instead."
Zidane: "No way! What if it turns out to be nothing?
We'd end up looking like fools. Besides, this is something
we need to figure out on our own first."
Jane: "But the forest is too far from here!"
Zidane: "Don't worry, we'll take my car."
Jane: "But I'll have to take a leave from work."
Zidane: "That's up to you. If it's a problem, I can go
alone."
Jane: "Absolutely not! You're not going alone."
Zidane: "I'll be fine."
Jane: "No, I'll talk to my manager and take a leave. I'll
just say it's for personal reasons."
Zidane: "Alright then!" (Notices Lilian, who has been
silent.) "Lilian, why are you just standing there?"
Lilian: (Hesitant but determined.)"I'm thinking… maybe I
should come with you."
Jane: "Why are you both risking your lives because of
me?"
Lilian: I'm coming with you, no matter what!
Zidane: Alright then, tomorrow we'll meet up and go
together.
Lilian: Okay for now I have to go to university, meet you
later bye!
Zidane and Jane: Bye bye! --- End of Part One ---
Continue...