Yumeka's Arc

Chapter 3 of 3

Yumeka left the cottage at dawn, her mat rolled tight against her side. The swamps stretched ahead, but she turned toward the mountain foothills instead. Stories spoke of a place where special plants grew, ones that calmed racing minds. She needed to learn more if she wanted to help others sleep. The path wound upward through thicker air. By midday, she found a grove where silver-leafed bushes clustered near smooth stones. She pressed her trunk against the leaves and breathed in their sharp, clean scent. This was different from lavender—stronger, more direct. She carefully picked several branches and tucked them into her pack. On her way down, she discovered a small spring where the water ran clear and cold. She drank deeply, then filled a hollow gourd she carried. Some people needed more than movement and scent. They needed cool water on their faces to shock away the fear. Yumeka headed back toward the swamps, her pack heavier now, her purpose clearer than before. The path leveled out near a clearing she hadn't noticed on her way up. A white marble statue stood among the grass, tall as three adults stacked together. The figure showed a woman with kind eyes and open hands. Yumeka stopped and set down her pack. Deep marks covered the base, like many people had touched it over the years. She stepped closer and read words carved into the stone: "For those who found their way back." Her trunk traced the letters slowly. This place meant something to people who had suffered and survived. She thought of the woman in the healer's hut, the one at the cottage, and all the others she hadn't met yet. They could heal. They could sleep again. The statue proved it. Yumeka picked up her pack and continued down the mountain, carrying proof that her work mattered.