Chapter 31
The rain tapped gently against Julia's window as night wrapped the village in quiet darkness. She sat curled beneath her grandmother's old quilt, notebook in hand, but the pages remained empty. She missed her words—those soft, healing things that used to flow from her heart. Now they stayed silent, like everything else she cared about.
A soft knock at the door startled her.
It was Mrs. Elric, the kind librarian. She held a small box wrapped in brown paper.
"This came for you," she said with a warm smile, then disappeared into the night.
Julia opened it slowly. Inside was a tiny cassette recorder. An old one. Along with it—a note.
*"Press play when you're ready to listen. Love always, Grandma."*
Her heart caught. Trembling, she placed the recorder on the table and pressed play.
The voice was scratchy, but unmistakably hers.
*"My Julia... if you're hearing this, it means I'm no longer beside you. But don't be sad, my love. I'm always here, in every story you write, in every smile you find again. You're stronger than the world tells you. Keep writing, even when it hurts."*
Tears streamed down Julia's face. It was like her soul had been given a breath of air. For the first time in so long, she smiled—not because everything was okay, but because someone still believed it could be.
And she would write again.