Whispers of the Forgotten

**Whispers of the Forgotten**  

When Ethan bought the old Victorian house on the outskirts of town, he never expected it to come with a tenant.  

The first time he saw Lillian, she was standing in the garden, barefoot in the dewy grass, her dark curls catching the golden light of sunset. She wore a flowing white dress, old-fashioned but elegant, and her eyes held a sadness he couldn't quite place.  

"You must be my new neighbor," Ethan said, stepping closer.  

She smiled faintly. "Something like that."  

Lillian was unlike anyone he had ever met. She had an air of timeless grace, spoke with a soft, melodic voice, and seemed to know every corner of the house as if she had lived there forever. She would visit in the evenings, always appearing just as the sky turned violet, and they would talk for hours about poetry, music, and dreams unfulfilled.  

Ethan found himself drawn to her in a way he couldn’t explain. There was something about Lillian—something hauntingly beautiful.  

One evening, as they sat by the fireplace, he reached for her hand. It was warm, solid, real. But just as his fingers closed around hers, she pulled away, a flicker of sorrow crossing her face.  

"What's wrong?" he asked.  

She hesitated. "I don’t belong here, Ethan."  

"You’re the only thing that makes this place feel like home," he admitted.  

Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but instead, she stood. "Promise me something?"  

"Anything."  

"Remember me."  

And then she walked away—out the door, into the night.  

The next morning, Ethan asked an old neighbor about the mysterious woman in white. The man’s face paled.  

"You mean Lillian Hawthorne?" he said. "She lived there a hundred years ago… but she died in that house. Tragic love story. They say her spirit never left."  

Ethan's heart pounded. No. That was impossible. He had touched her. Held her hand. Felt the warmth of her presence.  

But when he searched for her, she was gone. Only the scent of lavender remained in the air, and the whisper of her voice lingered in the walls.