The island drifted peacefully.
The lantern glowed warmly.
The tree rustled softly.
Golden leaves carried stories through the breeze.
And travelers continued arriving.
The emotional resonance spread gently across existence.
Because the island had become known.
Not famous.
Trusted.
There was a difference.
A traveler could arrive carrying joy.
The island welcomed them.
A traveler could arrive carrying grief.
The island welcomed them.
A traveler could arrive carrying questions.
The island welcomed them.
A traveler could arrive carrying nothing at all.
The island welcomed them too.
The lantern remained lit beneath the tree.
Always.
The seed visited every day.
Sometimes multiple times.
Mostly because it enjoyed checking whether the lantern was still functioning.
Every visit began the same way.
LANTERN STATUS?
The lantern glowed.
The seed nodded.
ACCEPTABLE.
The island found this reassuring.
The emotional resonance brightened with amusement.
One quiet evening—
