"M."


    "M, over here! This way!"


    "M!"


    A woman dressed in deep crimson robes walked through the night, the faint scent


    of incense drifting around her. The distant calls echoed through the darkness, swirling closer and closer, drawing her forward.


    The night was thick and heavy.


    Step by step, she moved ahead, drawn toward the voices.


    They grew clearer-closer.


    But just then, a sudden weight yanked at her arm. Metal nked loudly. She looked down and found, without knowing when or how, a heavy chain had coiled around her wrist, its weight and pressure pinning her in ce.


    Where had this chaine from?


    She nced around, but the world had vanished into utter ckness. The mountains, the stony path-gone, swallowed by the dark.


    Out of nowhere, a child''sughter rang out behind her.


    "One, two, three... Heaven! Hahaha, I made it to heaven-I win!"


    Startled, she turned.


    Beneath the warm glow of a streemp, a small girl in worn clothes hopped across chalk-drawn squares, finallynding triumphantly on thest onebeled "Heaven." She threw her arms up in victory, while several other children nearby pped and cheered.


    The light flickered out-then came back on.


    The little girl was older now, sitting with a group of girls her age as they wove friendship bracelets together. At the end, the girl giggled, "I win again."


    The girl jumped rope next, and-again-she won.


    The light faded, then red up once more.


    Now she was in middle school, sitting at her desk. At the front of the ssroom, her English teacher announced loudly, "Let''s all congratte M for winning first prize in the state artpetition!"


    The whole ss erupted in apuse.


    Grinning, the girl beamed, "I won!"


    With top marks in the state, she entered high school, then scored in the top ten nationwide to enroll at Northpoint University. College brought morepetitions, more national awards-her life was a string of victories.


    Every time the light faded and returned, another triumph.


    With each cycle, the girl grew up a little more—her clothes changing from ragged to bright, her steps from hesitant to sure. She fought her way forward, carving a path through thorns and hardship, yet always surrounded by the music of triumph and confidence shining in her clear eyes.


    M stood in the darkness, watching this younger, ever-brighter version of herself blossom beneath the warm light. Her chest ached with emotion.


    And then, one day, the light went out.


    Gone for seven long years.


    Darkness pressed in for what felt like forever. Suddenly, the light zed back. Under its glow stood M as a teenager, arms filled with flowers, silently watching the adult M.


    The two faced each other in silence.


    After a moment, the younger M broke into a radiant smile. She strode forward, grabbed the heavy chain on M''s wrist, and gave it a sharp yank-the chain shattered with a thunderous crash.


    Flowers rained down on M''s head.


    Amid the swirling petals, the younger M pointed at her and burst outughing, "I win! We win!"


    Suddenly, M''s hand felt light as air.


    She stared at her now-unbound wrist, stunned by the overwhelming sense of freedom. Looking up, she saw her younger selfughing with wild joy, and tears sprang to her eyes.


    The girl pointed at her and shouted, "No crying! We''re winners, remember?"


    M''s lips curled into a trembling smile.


    "Yes. We are winners."


    They shared a look-one young, one grown-and both smiled.


    It was then that M finally understood the words of that strange blind monk she''d met near the church all those years ago.


    "Miss, haven''t you heard it?"*


    She hadn''t understood then, but now she did. Now, atst, she could answer, "Yes, I''ve heard it. I hear it now."


    Deep inside her heart,


    The fierce, indomitable child she''d once been-the one who''d pretended to be a hero, who''d never backed down-had never truly died. That part of her had been fighting and roaring all along, and today, atst, it shattered the chains that bound her.


    It was her own voice, calling out from within.


    "M!"


    Her younger self suddenly shouted, "Don''t you ever forget-I love you! Love you! With all my heart! Don''t ever forget me!"


    Hot tears spilled down M''s cheeks. Choking back a sob, she whispered, "I love you too."


    I''ll never, ever forget you.


    Never again.


    The girl grinned, spun around, and waved her arm high. "I''m off! No more tears-


    I''ll be watching until youe back in triumph!"


    She strode into the darkness.


    M instinctively wanted to follow, but stopped. She watched quietly as her younger self swaggered away, waving with carefree joy. Faintly, she could still hear the echoes of a cheerful song.


    She made no move to call her back.


    Because, whatever happened, she knew that girl would always love her, always protect her again and again, she would pull her from the fire, lift her from the mud, and bring her back into the light.