DWC Short Story: For the Curious Heart

Lily had always been captivated by her grandmother's tales of the 1970s. Each story seemed to bloom in her imagination like a field of wildflowers—vivid, fragrant, and alive. Her grandmother would talk about the days of flower crowns, swirling vinyl records, and love that felt simple, honest, and true. 

The warmth in her voice, when she spoke of that era, made Lily feel like she had missed out on something magical, as if the 21st century, with all its technology and busyness, had stolen away the purity of love and life.

It was on one of those dreary, rainy afternoons that Lily found herself rummaging through the attic of her family’s old home. Dust swirled in the light, streaming through a small window, illuminating forgotten relics of the past. 

She wasn’t sure what she was looking for—perhaps just a distraction from the restlessness that had been gnawing at her for weeks. Work had been overwhelming, and her dating life felt like a series of disappointments. The idea of love like her grandmother had described, seemed distant, even impossible.

That was when she saw it—a large, ornate mirror leaning against the back wall of the attic, covered in a thick layer of dust. Its frame was intricate, with patterns of vines and roses delicately carved into the wood. Something about it called to her, and as she wiped away the dust, she noticed a small note attached to the side in her grandmother’s handwriting: “For the curious heart.”

Lily felt a shiver run down her spine. What could her grandmother have meant? Her curiosity got the better of her, and she gazed into the mirror’s reflection. For a moment, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But then the air around her began to shimmer as if the room itself was rippling like water. Her heart raced, and before she could step back, the world spun around her. She felt herself falling, weightless, through time.

When she opened her eyes, the attic was gone. She found herself standing in the middle of a sun-drenched park. The air was warm, and the unmistakable hum of '70s music floated through the atmosphere. Bright, vibrant flowers bloomed in every direction, and people in colourful, carefree attire laughed and danced around her. It was as if she had stepped into one of her grandmother’s stories.

Dazed and confused, Lily wandered toward a nearby bench, trying to catch her breath and make sense of what had just happened. How was this even possible? She glanced around, taking in the sights and sounds of a time long gone, but everything felt so real. The music, the warmth of the sun on her skin, the smell of fresh grass.

“Are you all right?” a deep, gentle voice broke through her thoughts.

Lily looked up to see a man standing in front of her. His long, tousled hair framed his face, and his eyes, a striking shade of blue, were filled with concern. He wore a loose, faded shirt, bell-bottom jeans, and a leather jacket that looked worn from years of use.

Everything about him screamed vintage, yet he radiated an effortless charm that immediately put her at ease.

“I… I think so,” Lily stammered, still trying to grasp the situation. She felt like she was in a dream, but the sensation of his presence, the sound of his voice, felt too real.

He offered her his hand with a soft smile, and she hesitated for a moment before taking it. His touch was warm, grounding her in this strange new reality. “I’m Jack,” he introduced himself. “You looked a little lost.”

Lily stared at him for a beat longer than necessary, feeling a strange pull toward him as though his face was somehow familiar. “I’m Lily,” she finally said. “And, yeah, I guess I am a little lost.”

They began walking through the park together, Jack leading her along paths lined with blooming trees and the laughter of children playing in the distance. As they walked, they talked—about music, dreams, and the things that made them both feel alive. Jack spoke with laid-back confidence, as if time moved slower for him and everything was meant to be savoured.

Lily was struck by how different everything was here—how different Jack was. There was no rush, no urgency. He didn’t look at his watch, didn’t check his phone (not that anyone had one in the '70s, she reminded herself). Instead, he seemed entirely present, giving her his full attention in a way she wasn’t used to.

It was refreshing. It was enchanting.

They found themselves sitting on a blanket in the middle of the park as the sun began to lower in the sky, casting everything in a golden glow. Lily lay back, staring at the clouds drifting lazily above them, feeling a peace she hadn’t felt in years.

“I don’t know what’s happening,” Lily whispered, more to herself than to Jack. “This… this isn’t my time.”

Jack turned his head to look at her, his expression soft but serious. “I know,” he said quietly. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

Her heart skipped a beat, and she sat up, staring at him in disbelief. “What do you mean?”

Jack smiled, sitting up to face her. “My grandmother… she told me this would happen. She said that one day, someone from the future would come into my life. She told me I’d know her the moment I saw her. And here you are.”

Lily’s mind raced. The mirror, her grandmother’s note—it all started to make sense, even if it still felt impossible. She had been sent here, but why? Was this really happening, or was it some strange dream she would wake from at any moment?

“How could she have known?” Lily asked, her voice trembling.

Jack reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “She always said that love doesn’t follow the rules of time. That it’s bigger than that. And now, I believe her.”

Lily’s heart swelled with emotion, but as the sun dipped lower, she felt a strange tug inside her chest, a pull that was getting stronger with each passing minute. She glanced at the horizon, then back at Jack, her eyes filling with tears.

“I don’t want to leave you,” she whispered, the realisation hitting her hard. 

She didn’t belong here—she was from a different time. Yet, how could she leave when every fibre of her being was telling her that Jack was the one she had been searching for all her life?

Jack cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs gently brushing away the tears that began to fall. “You won’t,” he said softly. “Time may separate us, but love never will.”

The pull in her chest grew stronger, and Lily knew that she didn’t have much time left. She closed her eyes, letting herself savour the feel of Jack’s hands on her face, the warmth of his touch, the sound of his voice.

And then, in a flash of light, she was gone.

When Lily opened her eyes again, she was back in the attic, the mirror standing silently before her, shimmering as if nothing had happened. 

Her heart raced as she tried to process everything that had just occurred. She reached out, touching the surface of the mirror, half-expecting to be pulled back into the past once more.

But nothing happened.

With a deep breath, Lily stepped away from the mirror, her heart heavy with a strange mixture of sadness and love. She had left a piece of herself in 1975, with a man named Jack, and she wasn’t sure if she would ever feel whole again. Yet, deep down, she knew that he was right—time may have pulled them apart, but their love transcended it.

For weeks, Lily went through the motions of her life, haunted by the memory of Jack and the connection they had shared. Every time she looked into the mirror, she half-hoped to see him again, to be swept back into that sun-soaked park where everything felt right.

And then, one evening, as the golden light of the setting sun poured through her window, she saw it—a note, written in the same familiar handwriting of her grandmother, tucked behind the mirror’s frame. With trembling hands, she unfolded it.

“Love is not bound by time, my dear. Keep your heart open, and it will find its way to you, no matter where—or when—you are.”

Tears filled Lily’s eyes as she clutched the note to her chest. Her grandmother had known all along. Their love, her and Jack’s, wasn’t confined to a single moment in history. It existed beyond the boundaries of time, in the space between past and future, where hearts could find each other over and over again.

And so, Lily lived her life, knowing that one day, in another place, in another time, she would find Jack again. Until then, she carried him in her heart, a love that was eternal, a love across time.