1 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:04,919 Speaker 1: It was drawing one of our fights, after the screaming 2 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:09,359 had turned into an uncomfortable silence, that Kira had suggested 3 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,919 it maybe we just need to get out of here 4 00:00:13,439 --> 00:00:17,920 start somewhere new, she said with a trembling voice, staring 5 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:21,320 at the wall. I honestly did not think it would 6 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:25,039 solve anything. Would a change of scenery really be our 7 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:30,519 saving grace? But as I looked into her eyes, we 8 00:00:30,519 --> 00:00:34,359 were desperate. I realized that when you reach your boiling point, 9 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:40,039 any solution seems better than a lack thereof. We had 10 00:00:40,079 --> 00:00:45,039 been grasping at straws for months, between the arguments, sleepless nights, 11 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:48,159 and the growing depression between me and my wife Kira, 12 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:52,240 it felt like our little family was getting unraveled. Day 13 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:58,200 by day, we were suffocating. Kira and I met in 14 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:02,479 high school, and it spiery romance was now reduced to 15 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,159 ice cold embers, the sort of love that had simply 16 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:11,400 grown too familiar, too accustomed, and too routine. Soiled by 17 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:15,680 years of exhaustion, stress and the demands of raising Lily, 18 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:22,400 our fights had become unbearable. Insignificant things like dishes left 19 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,200 in the sink or unwashed clothes would explode into massive 20 00:01:26,239 --> 00:01:31,159 shouting matches, and neither of us could stop. Kira's eyes 21 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,480 would now hollow, and a laugh which used to make 22 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:36,239 me feel like I was on top of the world, 23 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:41,439 had become all too rare. We were losing ourselves entirely, 24 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,480 and our sweet little girl was caught in the crossfire. 25 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:50,959 She had become quieter. She clung to a toy's, her 26 00:01:50,959 --> 00:01:54,400 eyes masked with sadness, watching us from the corner of 27 00:01:54,439 --> 00:01:57,760 the room, as if she understood far more than we 28 00:01:57,879 --> 00:02:03,359 ever gave her credit for. The drive to the town 29 00:02:03,519 --> 00:02:07,560 was quiet, but I could tell we all had hope 30 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:12,599 for our future. It felt like we were shedding our skin, 31 00:02:13,479 --> 00:02:17,439 leaving behind layers of hate and resentment, the ghosts of 32 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:22,039 our past, one mile at a time. We did not 33 00:02:22,159 --> 00:02:25,159 speak much during the trip at all. The hum of 34 00:02:25,199 --> 00:02:29,039 the tires against the road filled the vehicle interior, accompanied 35 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:32,199 by the low murmur of the radio and Lili's humming 36 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:37,479 from the back seat. Around late afternoon, we left, trading 37 00:02:37,479 --> 00:02:41,879 the city skyline for wide roads and endless fields stretching 38 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:46,319 on forever. The sun was setting as we neared our 39 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:51,800 two be home town. The air outside the car grew cooler, fresher, 40 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:56,360 and away. I cracked the window, breathing in my surroundings, 41 00:02:57,039 --> 00:03:00,439 feeling the weight of the past few years left, if 42 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:05,479 just slightly off my chest. Kira seemed a little lighter too. 43 00:03:06,199 --> 00:03:09,800 She glanced out the window, a small, hopeful smile playing 44 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,560 on her face. Lily had fallen asleep at this point, 45 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:18,960 her little hands clutching a stuffed rabbit tightly. I let 46 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:22,840 myself believe, if only for a moment, that this move 47 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:29,240 might actually work, that we could escape. The road led 48 00:03:29,319 --> 00:03:33,319 us down a winding path flanked by towering pines. The 49 00:03:33,439 --> 00:03:37,360 canopy grew thicker, blocking out the little sunlight that was left. 50 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:42,039 I glanced at Kira, who was staring straight ahead with 51 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:47,039 a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. She caught my eye 52 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:52,479 and offered a reassuring smile. Finally, we pulled into the 53 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:57,479 driveway of our new home. The house was small, a cozy, 54 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,199 old build that stood in line with the many other 55 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:04,120 houses like it. It was adorned with a neat yard 56 00:04:04,479 --> 00:04:07,400 and a white picket fence that framed it like a postcard. 57 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:13,800 I felt a flicker of hope once more. Moving in 58 00:04:14,199 --> 00:04:18,040 was a sort of blur of activity. Boxes stacked and 59 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:22,959 nestled in every single corner inside and out. Lily ran 60 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:26,079 around the house with joy as she explored her new room. 61 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:31,480 Kira and I worked in tandem, and I realized this 62 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:34,839 was the first time we had truly done something together 63 00:04:35,079 --> 00:04:39,160 in a long time. It started to reignite the reason 64 00:04:39,199 --> 00:04:44,519 we married each other all those years ago. We almost 65 00:04:44,519 --> 00:04:51,959 finished unpacking when we met her. I was unloading the 66 00:04:52,079 --> 00:04:54,800 very last of the boxes from the car when I 67 00:04:54,879 --> 00:04:59,319 noticed her standing at the end of the driveway watching us. 68 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:03,800 An older lady dressed in a sweater and long skirt 69 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:08,399 with silver hair tied into a bun. She had a thin, 70 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:12,319 angular face, her age showing with each crease and fold 71 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:17,240 of her skin, but her eyes were sharp, too sharp 72 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:22,040 for someone her age. There was something just a tad 73 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:25,360 too vibrant about her, as if she was much younger 74 00:05:25,399 --> 00:05:30,000 than she looked. Hello, there, she called, in a sing 75 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:33,240 sung tone. She waved as she walked up to my 76 00:05:33,319 --> 00:05:36,240 family and me, a plate of cookies in her hand. 77 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:42,439 Kira and I smiled and waved back, Nervous but excited 78 00:05:42,439 --> 00:05:46,720 to meet some of the locals. Welcome to the neighborhood, 79 00:05:47,399 --> 00:05:51,920 she chirped, offering the cookies. She had in hand. I'm Margaret, 80 00:05:52,439 --> 00:05:55,079 it's so lovely to see a young family move in. 81 00:05:56,439 --> 00:06:00,000 Thank you, Kira replied, grabbing her cookie off the place. 82 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:05,920 I forced a polite smile as Margaret's gaze drifted behind 83 00:06:05,959 --> 00:06:09,560 me to Lily, who had just wandered out of the 84 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:15,040 house her stuffed rabbit in hand. Margaret's smile seemed to widen, 85 00:06:15,639 --> 00:06:19,439 her eyes lingering on Lily. It looked like she was 86 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:24,839 sizing her up. You have a beautiful daughter, Margaret said, 87 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:32,040 her voice soft. I cleared my throat and straightened my posture. Yeah, 88 00:06:32,199 --> 00:06:36,519 that's Lily. She's the light of her lives. Margaret's eyes 89 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:41,319 flicked up to mine, her smile steady. I'm sure she is, 90 00:06:42,199 --> 00:06:46,160 and she's so full of life, she said, as Lily 91 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:50,399 excitedly darted in and out of the house. As we 92 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:55,120 exchanged the basic pleasantries, I noticed the small girl standing 93 00:06:55,160 --> 00:07:00,240 behind Margaret, whom I had not noticed before. She look 94 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:03,720 to be around Lily's age, but there was something off 95 00:07:03,759 --> 00:07:09,519 about her. She stood perfectly still, her face was pale 96 00:07:09,639 --> 00:07:15,560 and her eyes dark, lacking any expression or life. Margaret's 97 00:07:15,639 --> 00:07:20,040 voice pulled me back to reality. If someone hasn't told 98 00:07:20,079 --> 00:07:23,319 you already, there's a wishing well that is a town's 99 00:07:23,319 --> 00:07:27,639 tradition to use. You should take Lily there. I'm sure 100 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:33,040 she'll love it. The wishing well, I said, more to 101 00:07:33,079 --> 00:07:39,759 fill the silence than out of genuine curiosity. Yes, Margaret's 102 00:07:39,759 --> 00:07:43,720 tone shifted slightly. It brings good fortune to those who 103 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,959 offer a wish and toss a coin. The well has 104 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:50,800 been part of this town for generations. I'm sure you 105 00:07:50,839 --> 00:07:57,720 will want to give it a try. Many have. I paused, 106 00:07:57,879 --> 00:08:02,600 and then nodded on shore how to respond. I was 107 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:06,120 on the far side of superstition, never putting much stock 108 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:10,600 into that thinking, and my wife was the same. But 109 00:08:10,959 --> 00:08:13,279 how her eyes gleamed when she spoke about the well 110 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,600 made it look like she was dead serious about it. 111 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:22,040 There was something strange about her enthusiasm, almost like she 112 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:27,199 was too eager. She waved goodbye and walked back toward 113 00:08:27,199 --> 00:08:30,639 her house, with a small girl slowly shambling like a 114 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:35,240 zombie behind her. As soon as she was out of sight, 115 00:08:36,039 --> 00:08:41,879 I turned to Kerr. That was really odd. Kira shrugged. 116 00:08:43,039 --> 00:08:46,759 She's probably just one of those overly friendly neighbors. Besides, 117 00:08:46,919 --> 00:08:50,879 it's a small town. Of course, they're gonna have their traditions. 118 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:56,720 That was a fair reasoning, but something about the woman 119 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:00,480 put me on edge. I tried to brush it as 120 00:09:00,519 --> 00:09:03,240 the usual unease I get when I meet new people. 121 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:09,480 Over the coming days, the town felt like a breath 122 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:13,080 of fresh air. The change in the atmosphere did wonder 123 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:17,360 us for our little family. Despite my doubts, the tension 124 00:09:17,399 --> 00:09:20,519 between us eased, and Lily seemed to thrive in the 125 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:24,600 open space and yard. The town was quiet and quaint, 126 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,840 with charming little shops adorning every corner, and the locals 127 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:33,200 were friendly. It was the perfect place for us to restart. 128 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:41,440 But something stayed on my mind. The well. It kept 129 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,720 coming up in conversation in places where it shouldn't have. 130 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,519 In the grocery store, the cashier mentioned it in passing. 131 00:09:50,799 --> 00:09:53,840 The well changed my life, she said, with a smile 132 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:58,320 that stretched her face. At work, my new co workers 133 00:09:58,399 --> 00:10:01,320 casually talked about how the well is fixed their relationships 134 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:06,320 and increased their pay like it was normal. Everyone was 135 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:10,000 talking about something relating to the well. Everywhere I went 136 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:14,080 and turned, the same eerie tone was in their voices 137 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:20,000 and the exact same, too happy expressions. Everyone had some 138 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:23,480 sort of story how they'd wished for a marriage proposal, 139 00:10:23,919 --> 00:10:29,480 good health, a new job, and their wishes apparently came true. 140 00:10:30,159 --> 00:10:32,639 It was always talked about with a strange mixture of 141 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:36,240 playfulness and a sense of caution, as if it was 142 00:10:36,279 --> 00:10:42,480 something much more serious, but also a joke. One evening, 143 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:45,679 as Kira and I sat in the living room, I 144 00:10:45,759 --> 00:10:50,399 finally mentioned it to her. Have you noticed how people 145 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:55,639 keep talking about that? Well? She laughed, but it was 146 00:10:55,679 --> 00:11:00,240 a nervous laughter. Yeah, it's a little weird, isn't it. 147 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:07,080 Everyone seemed so obsessed with it. I agreed, It's like 148 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:12,000 they're all selling their same story. Ki a smile faded. 149 00:11:13,039 --> 00:11:16,159 Maybe we should just ignore it. Let's not question it 150 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:19,440 in case it insults them. It seems to mean a 151 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:28,440 lot here, and for a while we did. It began 152 00:11:28,759 --> 00:11:32,879 with the small things. Despite my efforts, my hours at 153 00:11:32,879 --> 00:11:36,519 work were cut down, and my coworkers became colder and 154 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:40,840 more distant. The town, which had felt so welcoming when 155 00:11:40,879 --> 00:11:46,120 we first arrived, seemed darker and gloomier. The sky constantly 156 00:11:46,159 --> 00:11:51,000 seemed overcast, and the air felt heavy. The roads became 157 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:58,279 littered with trash, not overwhelmingly, but noticeably so. It felt 158 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:01,879 like some unseen force was pressing its weight down on us. 159 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:06,879 Kira's mood shifted to the happiness we'd found after moving 160 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:11,279 seemed to slip away from us. She became quieter and 161 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:16,919 more withdrawn. The fight started again, sharper and crueler than before. 162 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:20,960 Was the excitement of moving here the only thing that 163 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:27,399 placated us. I was frustrated at our situation that we 164 00:12:27,399 --> 00:12:30,759 were unraveling again, and I didn't know any way to 165 00:12:30,799 --> 00:12:36,559 get my frustrations out. That night, after a particularly brutal argument, 166 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:40,679 I found myself walking through the town and forest, the 167 00:12:40,759 --> 00:12:45,240 cold air biting at my skin. I just wanted to 168 00:12:45,279 --> 00:12:49,759 clear my head away from the situation. Usually I walked 169 00:12:49,799 --> 00:12:53,279 until my head cooled and then headed back, but the 170 00:12:53,399 --> 00:12:57,000 argument was so heated that I just kept walking and walking. 171 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:00,720 I hadn't meant to go this far out, but I 172 00:13:00,879 --> 00:13:06,679 ended up deep into a trail in the woods. This 173 00:13:07,039 --> 00:13:12,799 somehow led me to the well. Though the well was 174 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:16,480 often mentioned, I had yet to actually know where it was. 175 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:20,840 No signs marked its location, so it must have been 176 00:13:20,879 --> 00:13:25,480 known only to the locals. The old stone structure stood 177 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:28,840 in the middle of a small clearing, surrounded by tall, 178 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:33,639 twisted trees. The moonlight cast long shadows over the moss 179 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:37,519 covered stone, making it look like something out of a painting. 180 00:13:38,919 --> 00:13:42,440 My breathing slowed to a crawl. I did not know 181 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:46,519 why I arrived at the well, but in desperation to 182 00:13:46,519 --> 00:13:49,840 get my life back on track, my mind returned to 183 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:53,159 all the glowing testimonies I had heard about the well. 184 00:13:56,200 --> 00:14:00,200 I did not take this town's tradition seriously, but I 185 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:04,440 was desperate and helpless. I needed to get my family 186 00:14:04,519 --> 00:14:08,480 out of the hole we were in. I approached the 187 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:11,320 edge of the well and looked down into the abyss. 188 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:16,240 The walls were smooth and slick with age, and a faint, 189 00:14:16,279 --> 00:14:20,639 metallic and earthly scent rose up to meet me. There 190 00:14:20,679 --> 00:14:24,200 was no real movement, no wind or swaying of the trees, 191 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:30,120 just an eerie silence of an impossibly empty forest. I 192 00:14:30,159 --> 00:14:33,840 felt like the trees were watching me, waiting to see 193 00:14:33,879 --> 00:14:44,200 what I would do next. Then she appeared, Margaret. Her 194 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:48,039 presence made me flinch. How had she gotten so close 195 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:53,200 to me so quietly, I wondered to myself. She stood 196 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:56,519 about ten feet away from me, her face bathed in 197 00:14:56,639 --> 00:15:01,519 moonlight and a smile even wider than before. There was 198 00:15:01,559 --> 00:15:07,159 something strange about her once more, something predatory you came, 199 00:15:08,039 --> 00:15:11,320 she said, her voice like the shuffling of dead leaves. 200 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:17,039 I I didn't mean to, I stuttered. My hands gripped 201 00:15:17,039 --> 00:15:21,360 the cold stone rim of the well. She moved closer 202 00:15:21,399 --> 00:15:24,799 to me, her eyes gleaming with something I wasn't able 203 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:32,600 to place, satisfaction. Perhaps it's okay, she purred, It's all 204 00:15:32,679 --> 00:15:36,799 right to feel lost, But this well it can help. 205 00:15:37,679 --> 00:15:41,519 It's helped so many before and will help many after you. 206 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:49,159 I swallowed, noticing how dry my throat was getting. I 207 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:54,080 don't know if I believe that, Margaret. Margaret tilted her 208 00:15:54,120 --> 00:16:00,559 head like a curious animal, a smile, unwavering. Believe isn't 209 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:07,679 necessary here, only the action you'd take, She paused briefly, 210 00:16:08,159 --> 00:16:13,679 and her eyes locked onto mine. You've been struggling. I 211 00:16:13,759 --> 00:16:17,159 can see it in your eyes, the feeling that it's 212 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:21,759 not enough no matter what you do. This well can 213 00:16:21,879 --> 00:16:27,559 change that. Her words filled my mind like poison. I 214 00:16:27,559 --> 00:16:31,600 had tried everything, Kiera and I had tried meditating and 215 00:16:31,639 --> 00:16:35,639 couples counseling, and now we've even moved across state and 216 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:42,320 started fresh, and yet our problems remained steady. I had 217 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:47,399 nothing to lose Margaret's eyes slid down toward my hand. 218 00:16:49,039 --> 00:16:56,960 A coin, she whispered, and a wish. I didn't even 219 00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:59,960 remember reaching into my pocket and pulling out to warn 220 00:17:00,159 --> 00:17:04,559 and dull quarter. My heart raised and my fingers trembled 221 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,039 as I held it over the more of the well. 222 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,319 My back was turned to her, but I could feel 223 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:20,640 Margaret's smile grow sharper, make your wish, I hesitated. I 224 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:25,519 did not know what A wish for happiness, peace, for 225 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:28,799 Kara and I to stop fighting. I did not know. 226 00:17:30,039 --> 00:17:33,400 I just wanted things to be okay. I wanted to 227 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:38,640 have my family again. A semblance of control, I muttered. 228 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:44,599 The first thing that came to mind. I wish for 229 00:17:44,759 --> 00:17:52,319 everything to be better. The coin slipped from my fingers 230 00:17:52,599 --> 00:17:57,319 and tumbled into the darkness below. I never heard it 231 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:04,400 hit the bottom. For a moment, nothing happened. The world 232 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:10,599 stood still. I could feel Margaret watching me, waiting, and 233 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:17,680 then she laughed, low and soft. That's all it takes, 234 00:18:18,079 --> 00:18:26,759 she said, turning and walking away. I stayed momentarily, hoping 235 00:18:26,799 --> 00:18:31,799 to feel something divine wash over me, before realizing how 236 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:37,519 childish this all was. So I headed back, following the 237 00:18:37,599 --> 00:18:43,680 trails I had walked to get there. I woke up 238 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:49,640 drearily tired from the previous night's long hike. I slowly 239 00:18:49,839 --> 00:18:52,759 made my way to the kitchen, fully prepared for a 240 00:18:52,799 --> 00:18:58,599 snid argument with Kirrer before seeing Lily after school. She 241 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:01,519 held back the shouting for when Lily was not around, 242 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:07,319 but the passive, aggressive comments somehow hurt worse. When I 243 00:19:07,319 --> 00:19:11,039 got to the kitchen, my nose was hit by a 244 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:20,480 heavenly smell pancakes. I don't know how, but Kirara made 245 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:24,000 pancakes that could put the best breakfast franchises out of 246 00:19:24,079 --> 00:19:28,039 business if she were ever to go pro. She smiled 247 00:19:28,039 --> 00:19:32,599 at the table, her plate waiting for me. I sat down, 248 00:19:33,079 --> 00:19:37,279 cautious but optimistic, and we did something we had not 249 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:43,359 done in a long time. We laughed over breakfast, something 250 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:47,640 we hadn't done since our first few days here. Lily 251 00:19:47,799 --> 00:19:50,799 was more animated, running around the yard with a wide 252 00:19:50,839 --> 00:19:55,559 grin on her face that made my heart swell. Things 253 00:19:55,720 --> 00:20:04,160 were somehow better. The improvements became undeniable. My job picked 254 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:07,559 up again, my hours were restored, and I even got 255 00:20:07,559 --> 00:20:12,599 a sizeable raise. Kira was happier and more engaged. The 256 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:17,119 arguments stopped entirely and They were replaced with quiet, peaceful 257 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:22,599 evenings spent watching TV or reading something together. We were 258 00:20:22,599 --> 00:20:27,680 invited to neighborhood barbecues and town events. At these events 259 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,920 and at my job, people congratulated me for finally making 260 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:34,920 my wish. I thought it was weird how they knew, 261 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:39,400 so I figured. Margaret informed every one. It took me 262 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:44,160 a while to complete the town's tradition, but everybody was happy, 263 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:51,759 and I was finally officially part of the town. It 264 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:55,920 was late one evening when the first cracks began to show. 265 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:01,119 I was in bed, half asleep after an outing with 266 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:04,839 some friends I had made in the neighborhood when Lily screamed, 267 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:09,480 shattered the silence. My heart nearly exploded out of my 268 00:21:09,599 --> 00:21:12,839 chest as I leapt out of bed, rushing to her room. 269 00:21:14,039 --> 00:21:18,000 Kira was right behind me. We burst through the door 270 00:21:18,079 --> 00:21:21,279 to find Lily in her bed, her eyes wide with 271 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:29,000 pure terror, clutching her stuffed rabbit to her chest, shaking. Mommy, Daddy, 272 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:34,359 there's a monster outside my window, she cried, and pointed 273 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:38,480 towards the window with a trembling finger. I ran over, 274 00:21:38,759 --> 00:21:43,480 throwing the curtains aside, but saw nothing, just the night 275 00:21:43,519 --> 00:21:48,480 sky and the faint outline of the trees beyond. I 276 00:21:48,599 --> 00:21:51,079 let out a sigh of relief and tried to calm 277 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:55,480 her down. I told her it was just a bad dream, 278 00:21:55,759 --> 00:21:57,960 but the look in her eyes was all too real. 279 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:05,960 She was terrified. It's real, Daddy, she whispered, I heard 280 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:10,680 it talking to me. We tried to reassure her to 281 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:14,440 the best of our abilities. She calmed down when we 282 00:22:14,559 --> 00:22:16,920 let her sleep in our bed with us, so we 283 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:19,920 could protect her from any monsters if they came back. 284 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:23,440 This made her feel safe enough to fall back asleep 285 00:22:23,799 --> 00:22:28,799 and rest enough for school the day after. However, this 286 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:32,680 was only a short term solution for what became a 287 00:22:32,759 --> 00:22:37,839 long term issue. The screams came again the next night 288 00:22:38,319 --> 00:22:43,559 and the night after that. Each time Lily was more petrified 289 00:22:43,559 --> 00:22:47,319 than the last, more insistent that something was just outside 290 00:22:47,319 --> 00:22:52,559 her window. Her childish demeanor faded, replaced by dark circles 291 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:58,440 under her eyes and constant anxiety. She became quiet and withdrawn, 292 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:03,400 and this affair did us too. The sleepless nights caused 293 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:10,640 my performance at work to worsen. Then one night she 294 00:23:10,759 --> 00:23:16,519 didn't scream. This would ordinarily be a sign of progress 295 00:23:16,519 --> 00:23:19,400 with the issue, but I still wanted to check up 296 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:22,720 on her. I crept up to her room to avoid 297 00:23:22,759 --> 00:23:27,160 waking her if she was deep asleep. I was met 298 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:30,440 with a cold draft of wind. When I opened the door. 299 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:38,519 The window was open, the curtains fluttered in the cold breeze, 300 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:43,480 and her bed was empty. I sprinted outside and shouted 301 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:46,400 a name into the empty streets, with no regard for 302 00:23:46,440 --> 00:23:51,359 the neighbors, who were probably all asleep. I received no 303 00:23:51,559 --> 00:23:56,160 answer apart from the echo of my own voice. The 304 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:01,279 street stood still, and I felt my heart beating. Kira 305 00:24:01,559 --> 00:24:06,519 was in a state of complete disrepair, sobbing, screaming, unable 306 00:24:06,559 --> 00:24:13,039 to collect herself whatsoever, She was inconsolable. The only thing 307 00:24:13,079 --> 00:24:19,680 I could do was called the police. When they arrived, 308 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:25,400 they were disturbingly calm. The senior officer, a burly man 309 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:28,960 with graying hair, simply nodded along as I explained what 310 00:24:29,039 --> 00:24:33,839 had transpired. Still, his eyes showed no signs of urgency 311 00:24:34,039 --> 00:24:38,839 or concern. She probably just ran off, he said, with 312 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:45,279 a shrug. Happens all the time around here. I stared 313 00:24:45,279 --> 00:24:49,319 at him in disbelief. What do you mean she ran off? 314 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:53,839 She's seven years old. He gave me a sort of 315 00:24:54,039 --> 00:24:59,799 placating smile. Don't worry, She'll turn up. They always do. 316 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:07,039 There was something horribly familiar about his tone, the same 317 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:10,000 tone I had heard from the townspeople when they talked 318 00:25:10,039 --> 00:25:15,119 about the well. It made my skin crawl. A younger 319 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:18,400 officer stood at the side of the senior officer, and 320 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:22,759 he looked uncomfortable. His eyes filled with something like pity, 321 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:28,720 and he avoided my gaze. I wanted to scream, shake them, 322 00:25:29,079 --> 00:25:32,359 to make them understand that my daughter was missing, but 323 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:35,039 he felt like no matter what I did, they wouldn't 324 00:25:35,039 --> 00:25:40,960 take anything I said. Seriously, the senior officer said, call 325 00:25:41,079 --> 00:25:44,960 us if she doesn't come back in forty eight hours, 326 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:51,640 and they left. Kira collapsed into my arms. Her sobs 327 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:55,000 racked a body. I did not know what to do. 328 00:25:56,079 --> 00:26:01,960 I felt powerless, as though everything was against us. The 329 00:26:02,039 --> 00:26:06,160 next forty eight hours were hell. I scoured the town. 330 00:26:06,839 --> 00:26:09,720 I knocked on doors, asking anyone I could find if 331 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:16,920 they had seen Lily. Every response was the same, calm, detached. 332 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:21,440 No one seemed to show even the slightest bit of concern. 333 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:26,279 Some people even congratulated me, as if losing my daughter 334 00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:32,160 was something to be celebrated. It made no sense nothing did. 335 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:40,559 While canvassing the streets, I would hear whispers conversations behind doors. 336 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:44,799 After I'd finished asking them for information about Lily. I 337 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:48,160 tried to listen, in attempting to pick up any information 338 00:26:48,319 --> 00:26:53,200 they were withholding from me. I heard some familiar words 339 00:26:53,519 --> 00:26:55,720 I'd heard a lot of my time in this town, 340 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:04,880 tradition and well. I tried changing my tact from asking 341 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:08,519 about Lily to asking about the well. I tried to 342 00:27:08,519 --> 00:27:11,960 be indirect, but it seemed word of Lily going missing 343 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:15,640 was known across town, so every time I got close 344 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:19,440 to understanding, some one would interrupt me with a smile, 345 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:24,319 and others with congratulations for making my wish, and never 346 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:30,640 expanding beyond that. I was a complete wreck. By the 347 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:35,039 time the forty eight hours were up. Kira shut down completely, 348 00:27:35,559 --> 00:27:40,319 refused to leave the house and barely spoke. I was spiraling. 349 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:46,240 When the police returned, a different senior officer accompanied the 350 00:27:46,279 --> 00:27:49,720 younger one. I screamed and shouted at them that the 351 00:27:49,759 --> 00:27:52,039 forty eight hours were up and that they had to 352 00:27:52,079 --> 00:27:57,400 look for my daughter now. The senior officer looked at 353 00:27:57,400 --> 00:28:02,440 me with a confused expression. Why did you wait forty 354 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:07,880 eight hours to inform us what, I stammered, You should 355 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:10,559 have notified us as soon as she went missing. The 356 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:13,720 likelihood of a missing child being found drastically decreases the 357 00:28:13,799 --> 00:28:20,480 longer it has been, he said with authority. I was stunned. 358 00:28:21,519 --> 00:28:24,359 There was so much I wanted to say back, but 359 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,160 the thought swirled in my head so much that I 360 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:29,480 couldn't pick a single train of thought to stick to. 361 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:35,480 So I just stood there, mouth agape, emotions mixing within 362 00:28:35,559 --> 00:28:41,240 me rapidly. The younger officer then interrupted and asked this 363 00:28:41,319 --> 00:28:43,960 superior officer if he could take notes for the case. 364 00:28:45,119 --> 00:28:49,039 The senior officer nodded in agreement, looking disgusted as he 365 00:28:49,119 --> 00:28:55,640 left the room. I'm sorry, he whispered, his eyes darting nervously. 366 00:28:56,599 --> 00:29:01,559 This happens more often than you'd think. What are you 367 00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:08,480 talking about, I demanded, my voice shaking. He hesitated, glancing 368 00:29:08,559 --> 00:29:12,799 at his superior just standing behind him. There's nothing we 369 00:29:12,839 --> 00:29:16,640 can do. She The senior officer came back in and 370 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:20,000 cut him off. It seemed he was listening from just 371 00:29:20,039 --> 00:29:23,240 outside the doorway, and pulled him away before he could finish. 372 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:27,680 Of everything we need. We will do our best to 373 00:29:27,759 --> 00:29:33,319 find her, he grumbled, before leaving. I tried to get 374 00:29:33,319 --> 00:29:36,440 his attention and ask him about what was truly happening, 375 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:45,480 but they just left. I needed to find answers, and 376 00:29:45,559 --> 00:29:48,559 the only clue I had to go off was she. 377 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:52,519 And the only person that came to mind about all 378 00:29:52,559 --> 00:29:58,519 of this was Margaret. That night, I went to knock 379 00:29:58,559 --> 00:30:01,480 on the one door I had been avoiding this entire time, 380 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:06,839 but there was no answer. I wanted to take this 381 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:09,319 as a sign that this wasn't the right line of thinking, 382 00:30:10,119 --> 00:30:13,599 but in my mind I already knew where to find her. 383 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:19,039 I followed the trails through the thick woods and arrived 384 00:30:19,039 --> 00:30:24,000 at the well. Margaret was waiting for me, her figure 385 00:30:24,039 --> 00:30:26,720 bathed in the dim glow of the moon. Once more. 386 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:34,599 You understand, now, don't you, she said, her voice almost gentle. 387 00:30:35,839 --> 00:30:40,440 The well gives, but it also takes. You wished for 388 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:44,799 a better life than the well granted it, But there 389 00:30:44,839 --> 00:30:50,039 is always a price. I stared at her, my mind 390 00:30:50,079 --> 00:30:55,359 reeling what price? What are you talking about? Did you 391 00:30:55,440 --> 00:30:58,440 really think the price of everything you got would only 392 00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:03,720 be a quarter? She asked, stepping closer, and you made 393 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:10,039 a pretty big wish. I panicked, shaking my head, trying 394 00:31:10,039 --> 00:31:14,440 to piece it all together. You've already made your wish, 395 00:31:15,279 --> 00:31:21,240 Margaret said coldly, But there is still time. You must choose, 396 00:31:21,559 --> 00:31:26,480 as we all have before, your daughter or your wife. 397 00:31:27,279 --> 00:31:34,119 One will stay, one will go. The words hit me 398 00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:37,960 like a punch to the gut. I wanted a scream 399 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:43,759 to run that this was all superstitious, nonsense, coincidence at 400 00:31:43,799 --> 00:31:49,559 its finest. But I couldn't deny that what was happening 401 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:55,079 was real, and that this was my last piece of agency. 402 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:59,839 You have about twenty four hours from now, Margaret said, 403 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:07,359 before walking away. Make your choice. I wandered aimlessly back 404 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:10,960 to the town. I was getting consumed by the reality 405 00:32:11,279 --> 00:32:14,920 of the impossible choice I had to make. I thought 406 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:19,960 of Kira, broken and lost, and Lily, her innocent face 407 00:32:20,119 --> 00:32:27,519 twisted by fear. How could I choose? The next day 408 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:31,599 went by in a blur, lost in thought about everything, 409 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:39,640 But in the end I made my decision. In the 410 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:43,920 dead of night, I knocked at Margaret's door. My heart 411 00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:47,240 pounded in my chest, still unsure about all of this, 412 00:32:48,839 --> 00:32:53,720 she answered, this time, her eyes gleamed with a dark satisfaction. 413 00:32:55,480 --> 00:33:01,079 Have you made your choice? I swallowed her, my throat 414 00:33:01,160 --> 00:33:11,720 constricting with emotion. I choose my daughter. Margaret nodded, her 415 00:33:11,759 --> 00:33:18,960 expression unreadable. It will be done, she murmured, and closed 416 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:24,519 the door. He was so unceremonious, and yet my insides 417 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:29,960 felt like I had swallowed glass. That night, I lay 418 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:35,160 beside her and looked at her, unable to sleep. She 419 00:33:35,599 --> 00:33:39,839 was completely unaware, oblivious to what was going to happen, 420 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:43,200 to what I had done to her and our family. 421 00:33:44,799 --> 00:33:47,200 My heart was on the brink of tearing from guilt 422 00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:52,880 and sorrow, but there was no other way now. I 423 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:57,519 drifted off to sleep, and she was gone. In the 424 00:33:57,599 --> 00:34:02,400 early hours of the morning, I woke to an empty bed, 425 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:07,559 the space beside me cold and undisturbed. There was no 426 00:34:07,599 --> 00:34:10,840 sign of a struggle, hor a fight, no trace of 427 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:16,400 where she had been. I couldn't cry or scream. I 428 00:34:16,519 --> 00:34:20,719 was numb, hollowed by the weight of what I had done. 429 00:34:21,559 --> 00:34:23,960 I heard a froul voice calling to me from down 430 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:27,320 the hallway. I rushed over to where I heard it, 431 00:34:28,519 --> 00:34:34,880 and when I opened Lily's door, there she was. She 432 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:39,480 stirred from asleep as if she had never disappeared, just 433 00:34:39,519 --> 00:34:47,159 as Margaret had promised. But she wasn't the same. She 434 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:50,079 was a shell of the bright, happy girl. She had 435 00:34:50,119 --> 00:34:55,079 once been silent and withdrawn, her eyes dull and lifeless. 436 00:34:56,519 --> 00:35:00,559 She stared at me. There was barely any recognition and 437 00:35:00,679 --> 00:35:07,159 no warmth, just an emptiness that mirrored my own. Days later, 438 00:35:07,639 --> 00:35:13,840 as I stumbled through town, I saw her, the little 439 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:18,880 girl from Margaret's house. She was laughing, running down the 440 00:35:18,920 --> 00:35:22,679 street with a group of children. She wasn't a pale, 441 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:27,800 lifeless figure I had seen before. The stark contrast from 442 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:30,800 when I first saw her woke me from my stupor. 443 00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:35,519 She was full of life now compared to the shambling 444 00:35:35,599 --> 00:35:39,280 zombie of a child when we first moved in, and 445 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:45,000 I realized that Lily now resembled that shell she had 446 00:35:45,039 --> 00:35:50,800 been drained before, just like Lily, the well had taken 447 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:55,920 Lily's life and now had given it to her. This 448 00:35:57,159 --> 00:36:01,079 must have been Margaret's wish, and she had tricked me 449 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:07,400 into paying the price. I stood there in the middle 450 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:11,119 of the street as the cold reality finally washed over me. 451 00:36:12,760 --> 00:36:17,039 This was how the town worked. There was no bureau 452 00:36:17,039 --> 00:36:20,719 to complain to about this, no authority that operated the rules. 453 00:36:21,519 --> 00:36:25,199 I couldn't get one back on her. Margaret played the 454 00:36:25,239 --> 00:36:32,360 game and I lost. But now I was a part 455 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:37,639 of it. As I neared my house, I noticed the 456 00:36:37,679 --> 00:36:40,320 for sale sign on a house a few doors down. 457 00:36:42,199 --> 00:36:44,440 If I wanted Lily to be back to how she 458 00:36:44,639 --> 00:36:49,599 was before, I had to play the game just as 459 00:36:49,679 --> 00:36:57,880 Margaret did. Maybe it's time for another family to make 460 00:36:57,920 --> 00:37:11,280 a wish.