Andrew had seen strange things before. Living in a quiet, small village tucked deep into the hills of Northern California, far from the main city, you learned to expect the unexpected. But finding a woman unconscious near his farmland was not something he took lightly.

He bent down and carefully lifted her. She was pale but warm, which gave him a brief glimmer of hope. Throwing her over his back, he began hurrying through the dirt path back toward the wooden cabin he shared with his sister. As he approached the clearing, his sister, Clara, who was gathering firewood, dropped the bundle in her hands.

"Who is she, Andrew?"

"No questions now. We need to save her before she gives up the ghost. Prepare the herbs and set up the fire."

Without hesitation, Clara nodded and ran toward the hut. Inside, Andrew laid the woman gently on a mat. Her skin was cold, and her pulse, though faint, was alive. Clara brought over the herbal tray while Andrew crouched, mixing oils and roots with his hands.

He muttered a soft prayer, then dabbed her forehead with a warm cloth. Time passed. The fire crackled, and steam rose from the nearby kettle. Andrew was still attending to her.

Then, a sound.

A soft cough.

He leaned closer. Her eyes didn’t open, but the cough was enough for him to know that she was responding to treatment.

"She’s alive," he breathed. "But not stable yet, monitor her. I need to go and get more herbs."

He stood and slipped out the door, disappearing back into the woods.

**********************

The early morning light pushed through the half-broken window of Erica’s small room. Erica’s eyes flew open and landed directly on a pair of dark eyes staring quietly at her from the corner of the room.

She screamed.

"Hey! You scared me to death!"

She turned sharply and tapped her sister over and over. "Lizzy! Lizzy, wake up!"

Lizzy groaned, scratching her eyes. "What now? It’s morning already?"

Erica crossed her arms. "So much for ‘we’ll take turns staying awake.’ It was your turn, remember? I said I’d sleep for one hour. You didn’t even bother to wake me. Wait…you brat! You slept."

Lizzy stretched and yawned. "Come on, sis, I had a long day singing at the market. See? I made a few dollars. I needed rest today."

Austin sat still, watching the exchange like he was in a small theater show he didn’t ask for. He hadn’t moved much since they brought him home, but as Lizzy tucked herself behind her sister and peeked through her fingers, a soft sound escaped him.

A chuckle.

Lizzy gasped. "Did you see that? He smiled! He just smiled! Sis, is he mad too?"

She slowly moved behind Erica’s back like he might explode any second.

Erica shook her head. "Stop that nonsense. I need to run my bath and head out."

"And him?" Lizzy asked, pointing her hands toward Austin. "Are you going to leave him here like that?"

That’s when it hit Erica.

She didn’t even know his name.

She looked over at the chair where he had been sitting since last night, his eyes back on the window, calm like he didn’t chuckle minutes ago. She walked over slowly and sat across from him.

"I don’t know how to use sign language or use hand gestures, but... can you at least tell me your name? Anything?"

He glanced at her, just briefly, before turning his face away again.

Erica groaned and ran her fingers through her hair, making it even more tangled.

"Unbelievable," she muttered.

**********************

Becky dabbed her cheeks with a handkerchief and welcomed her guests in.

An elderly woman stepped forward, holding a card and a basket.

"We heard about your sister... such a shock. They said the car exploded. The body was burned beyond recognition. We're so sorry."

Becky lowered her gaze, voice trembling just enough to sound real. "Oh... my younger sister. I still can't believe she left me. And her husband... her poor son. It's too painful to speak of."

The guests nodded with sympathy. "When will the burial be held?"

"We're making arrangements," She replied softly. "Her husband has been inconsolable. He hasn’t eaten or slept since the accident. It’s been so hard."

She forced a weak smile and added, "Thank you for coming. It means a lot to us."

As they turned to find seats, Becky’s expression flickered. The corners of her mouth twitched upward, but she quickly wiped her face again and sank deeper into her practiced grief.

***************

Erica stood up again and checked the time. "Just wow. We've stayed here for close to three hours."

She turned to him again. "But don’t worry. I’ll look for someone who knows how to communicate with sign language."

She walked toward the door, grabbing her bag. Then she paused and turned back.

"You must be hungry, but I’m scared to leave you here all alone."

She stared at him.

"Please, don’t harm yourself. I’ll just get something for us to eat. Maybe get you something more comfortable to wear, too."

Just as she reached for the door, she heard it.

A voice behind her.

Probably the most soothing voice she has ever heard in her life

"My name is Austin."