Adrian woke up before the sun.
The cabin was still dark, except for the soft orange glow from the fireplace, now just hot embers. The silence around him was thick, like a blanket. Outside, he could hear the distant call of a bird, maybe a raven, and the gentle rustle of wind through the tall pine trees.
He sat up on the old sofa, ran a hand through his hair, and looked at the photo on the mantel again.
Eva's smile.
It still hit him like a wave.
He hadn't seen that photo in years. But now, it felt like she was watching him. Not in a creepy way, but in a quiet, sad way — as if she was asking, "Why did you take so long to come back?"
He stood up and walked over to the small wooden table where he had left the letter. The white envelope with the red wax seal was still there.
He picked it up.
Held it for a long moment.
And then opened it again.
The paper was thick, smooth. Expensive. The handwriting was perfect, like a school teacher's — neat, soft curves with careful spacing. He read it again:
"Drevenica remembers.
Come before the frost sets in.
I'll be waiting — where it all began."
— Eva
Adrian stared at the words. His fingers tightened around the paper.
Eva had disappeared ten years ago. No one had seen her since. The police had searched. Her parents had cried. Her name had become part of the town's stories — a beautiful girl who vanished without a trace.
Most people said she was dead.
Adrian never believed that.
But this letter… This letter wasn't old. The ink was fresh. The seal wasn't cracked. It had been sent just a few weeks ago.
By Eva.
Or someone pretending to be her.
He had checked the postmark. It was sent from inside Drevenica. No return address. No fingerprints. Just the seal — a small red circle with a tree in the middle.
That tree.
He knew that tree.
It was the same symbol carved into the old bench by Lake Selia.
"Where it all began…" he whispered.
Lake Selia. That was where he and Eva used to meet when they were kids. A hidden spot by the water, far from the town. Their place. A place for secrets, dreams, and kisses that made the world stop for a few seconds.
His heart ached at the memory.
He folded the letter again and slipped it into his notebook. Then he pulled on his jacket and stepped outside.
The morning air hit him like cold water. The sun had not fully risen yet, but the sky was turning a soft grey-blue. Fog covered the ground, and the tall pine trees stood like quiet guards around the cabin.
He started walking.
Lake Selia wasn't far — maybe a twenty-minute hike through the forest trail. He had taken that path many times before, back when he was younger. Back when Eva would hold his hand and hum her favorite song as they walked.
Now, he walked alone.
The forest was calm. The only sounds were the crunch of leaves under his boots and the occasional chirp of a bird. The trees were thick and tall, some leaning over the trail like old friends bowing in greeting. The fog made it hard to see far ahead, but he knew the way.
Every step felt heavy.
Like he was walking deeper into a memory.
When he finally reached the lake, he stopped and stared.
It looked the same.
Still, quiet, and silver like a mirror. A few leaves floated on the surface. The fog rested gently on the water, and beyond the lake, the mountains rose, dark and endless.
And there it was.
The bench.
Old, mossy, but still standing.
And the tree carving… still there.
He ran his fingers over the rough lines.
That tree symbol — the same one from the seal.
Eva had carved it when they were seventeen. She said it was their "forever tree," their mark. He had laughed at the idea then. But now, he wasn't laughing.
He sat down slowly.
His hands trembled slightly.
If she was alive… if she had sent that letter… then why now? After all this time?
He looked around.
No one.
Only the wind and the lake.
But on the bench, beside him, he saw something he hadn't noticed before.
A small folded paper.
Just like the first letter.
His heart stopped for a second. He picked it up, careful, almost afraid it would vanish in his hand.
He opened it.
Same handwriting.
"You came.
I knew you would.
This is just the beginning.
Find the rose."
No name. No date.
But he knew it was from her.
Adrian looked around again, more carefully now. The fog was thinning slightly. The trees stood still. No sign of anyone.
He read the note again.
Find the rose.
He didn't understand.
But he knew this was no prank. This was real.
And it was only the beginning.