The Houses by the Stream

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There was a place unmarked on any map, yet every hiker who got lost in the forest sooner or later found it. Where the stream trickled between ferns, two small houses stood opposite each other, as if they had begun a conversation that never ended. One was rounded, its roof covered in moss, flowers sprouting from its cracks. Its window always glowed warmly, and the scent of fresh bread drifted out into the trees. The other was narrower, seemingly leaning slightly forward, as if listening. Above the door hung a sign whose writing was barely decipherable. Some claimed a scribe lived there, others said it was the workshop of a magician who preferred stories to brewing potions. A wooden bridge led over the stream between the two houses. It was simple, but so old that no one knew who had built it. Yet it held up against every step, whether heavy backpack or feather-light feet. Not many people lived in these houses—just two who couldn't have been more different. On the left lived Mirabel, a woman with hands that could knead any bread, plant any flower, and warm any heart. On the right lived Eron, a man with eyes that always looked into the distance, as if searching for words yet unwritten. And yet the bridge connected them. Every morning, Mirabel crossed, brought Eron a piece of her bread, and he thanked her with a new verse he had thought up during the night. It was a trade—food for stories, warmth for dreams.But one evening, as the sun disappeared behind the treetops, something happened that broke the rhythm. A glow rose from the stream, green and soft like fireflies, but stronger, until the entire bridge was aglow with the shimmer. Mirabel stepped onto the bank, Eron came out of his door, and they both saw the water part.A small figure appeared between the stones, barely taller than a child, wearing a hat made of reeds and a cloak made of water droplets. "I am the guardian of the stream," she said in a voice like the rushing currents. "I have been silent for a long time, but your friendship has awakened me." Mirabel was the first to dare to ask, "Why now?" "Because bridges are not just wood," the guardian replied, "but paths that connect heart and mind. You have built your bridge anew every day—with bread and with words. Now you shall know: whoever crosses the bridge during a full moon may place one wish on the water. But only one—and it is for both of you." The figure disappeared, the light sank back into the depths. Only the bridge remained, but it creaked as if it had confirmed the secret. That night, Mirabel and Eron sat on the bank, bread and stories between them. They talked for a long time about wishes. Wealth? A long life? Fame for Eron's verses, perhaps? But in the end, they both shook their heads. When the moon finally rose and bathed the bridge in silver, they crossed together.