The house was terrifying at first.
Every shadow felt alive. Every creak of the floor sent a chill crawling down her spine.
But fear or not...this was their only refuge.
And then came her grandmother's words. Words that would forever bind Talotkan to this place:
"Child, always remember this…
Not all ghosts are evil. Sometimes, even good souls become spirits.....especially those who spent their lives helping others, only to die with their own dreams left unfulfilled.
But the ones who suffer the most… are those whose wounds, whose deaths, were caused by their own loved ones.
Such souls… they do not seek harm. They only seek solitude.
If you respect them, they will never trouble you. Because their way of existing… is not like ours.
And if you ever feel a presence nearby, don't fear. Just leave a flower. That spirit will understand...you honor them, not fear them."
Those words became Talotkan's shield. Her comfort. Her strength.
So instead of trembling, she picked up a broom.
She cleaned. She dusted.
She breathed life into that crumbling house.
---
Days turned into weeks.
The house that once stood like a graveyard of forgotten memories now bloomed with color...literally.
Bright fabrics, dyed in shades of crimson, sapphire, violet, and gold, swayed in the wind like flags of victory.
Laughter began to echo in its walls. The warmth of her grandmother's stories lit up every dark corner.
And somehow… it felt like the spirit of the little girl.....whoever she was...had begun smiling with them.
As if their happiness had given her peace.
---
Years passed.
Their name spread like ripples across the city and the villages beyond.
People came from far and wide for their traditional dyeing craft.....the art that Talotkan now mastered with pride and love.
She greeted everyone with kindness, with respect.....because of a promise she once made to her grandmother:
"I will never break a heart.
I will never let hatred poison me.
Not in this life. Not ever."
That day, Talotkan buried every tie to her parents.
Even her anger. Even her hate.
She forgave them....because forgiveness was her way of moving forward.
And just like that… she began her new life.
---
Flashback Ends.