Three Notes, Many Paths

After their game, Puschel and Flauschi followed the visitor path back to the wish board. Puschel carried the basket and Flauschi the boat. The three notes still hung beneath their little roof. Nobody had taken them down or written their own answers over them.

Puschel“I thought we would find a great treasure on the island. Instead we found a bench, three stones and a ball.”

Flauschi“And three wishes that have room behind such small things.”

They read the sentences again. Company. Another attempt. Joining in while still practising. The notes did not say how old their writers were or why those things were missing. Some paper edges had grown soft. That did not make the wishes unimportant.

Flauschi carefully turned the boat over without letting the folded note fall out. The carved willow reminded her of the tree beside the board. She turned the boat upright again. Puschel pointed towards the roof above the papers.

Puschel“Perhaps someone wrote our wish here too. Being allowed to make a mistake.”

Flauschi“It fits with the other sentences. But a resemblance is not a sender.”

Puschel nodded. He would have liked a clue that immediately turned into a name. Instead he saw many possible stories. Someone might enjoy company and still sometimes want to be alone. Someone might want to play and feel nervous before the first pass.

Puschel“Then my big solution might not be their solution at all.”

Flauschi“We can offer possibilities. And ask which of them would help.”

They left the unfamiliar note folded inside the boat. They had found it by chance; that did not automatically make it something to display publicly. They did not open any closed box either. On their return, they would tell the path keeper they wanted to return a found toy. She could pass on a message about it if an owner came forward.

Beneath the willow, the island stayed quiet. Puschel no longer found that quite so mysterious. Some wishes became easier to hear when you did not interrupt with your own answer. He looked at Flauschi and asked whether she would like their picnic now.