I spent the day chasing echoes of her.

Wandered a winding park trail. A place that felt alive. Quiet, but not empty. The kind of place she’d love. The kind of place she’d run wild in, ducking through the underbrush, laughing as I struggled to keep up.

She wasn’t there.

I checked the next place. Then the next. Even stopped by a cozy, hole-in-the-wall coffee shop. It had the right energy. Warm, earthy, and calm. But she wasn’t there either. Just strangers, coffee steam, and the faint hum of music.

Still, I looked.

I got rained on. I sprinted through trails until my legs ached, training this body to survive her pace. Practicing, preparing. Because five minutes of stamina isn’t enough. Not for her. Not for the future we’re building.

I know she’s out there.

Maybe not at any of the places I went today. But every step still matters. Every trail, every quiet café, every tired breath… It’s all part of the path back to her.

If you’re reading this, my love…

I still remember the smell of wet forest in spring. I still remember your eyes when fresh meat was back on the menu. When the suffocating snow gave way to gentle rains. I still remember us.

And I’ll keep searching.

No matter how long it takes.

- Raine