Since third grade, young Samantha has had a profound affection for a boy cloaked in tattered garments, perpetually wandering the obscure corners of existence. His eyes, a deep abyss of emotion, held a wisdom burdened beyond his years.

With an intuitive empathy that transcended her years, Samantha reached out to him, driven by an unspoken understanding of his struggles.

Their initial encounter was marked by a simple yet profound gesture–a genuine smile that danced in her eyes, offering a glimmer of warmth amidst the shadows. She, too, had faced loss and isolation, and this shared vulnerability formed an unbreakable bridge between their worlds.

In a world testing their spirits, they became each other's refuge. Their friendship blossomed as years passed in the sunlit corners of the schoolyard, nurtured by shared dreams, whispered confidences, and unspoken promises.

Yet, cruel fate wrenched him away, leaving Samantha to brave the tempest of solitude. She found herself ensnared by the relentless ache of his absence. The site of his departure became her solemn pilgrimage, where his presence seemed to linger, and fragments of his voice serenaded her soul.

Does she hear his voice on the wind, or is it her cruel imagination?

Lost & Found is a paranormal short story with an HEA.

Copyright 2022 Ess Hughes

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