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At a quiet level crossing, an adult woman stands still. She is worn down by reality, numb to the world around her. In the blur of a passing train, the woman catches a fleeting glimpse of the girl she once was. A girl full of dreams, innocence, and the shimmer of light in her eyes. They reach out to one another, but just as quickly, the train moves on and the reflection disappears. The woman is left dazed, unsure if what she saw was real. The story highlights the unexplainable ache, a bittersweet sense of losing the younger versions of ourselves. As time moves forward, we are shaped and changed by countless experiences. In an unnoticed way, we become someone new. The quiet moments when we realize parts of us have faded. But then the girl returns, no longer a reflection, but a real presence. She takes the woman’s hand and gently guides her across the road. Another train passes and the traffic light shifts, showing change is constant and unavoidable. This is a story for the moments we look back. For the selves we have left behind. And for the quiet hope that the child we once were is still walking beside us, even now.

The characters emerged from a personal feeling and struggle of transition. The odd situation when you’re stuck between your carefree soul and your mind that screams at you to ‘grow up’ and ‘move on.’ I often look back on who I used to be, and woe her. She was brighter, braver, more confident, and yet I’ve outgrown the beautiful traits she used to hold. This piece comes from that emotional turmoil, feeling lost but needing to move on. The girl isn't meant to be physically “there.” She’s a reflection and a memory of the Present. Their interactions are, dreamlike, almost surreal to the point where you begin to question if she was even real, or if you’re making up parts of the Past. The story doesn't aim to “return” to childhood, but to acknowledge it, take that memory, and learn to keep walking. Like the train that won’t wait, or a light that changes before you’re ready, the story reflects the journey of a girl through a world of inevitable change.