Synopsis

The sudden absence of the fish left a hollow ache in Elias’s chest. He stared at the empty pond, the ripples from his errant yo-yo a stark reminder of his folly. A wave of guilt washed over him; the creature's life, so fragile and vibrant, extinguished by his carelessness. He knew he had to atone. He spent the next few days meticulously researching the fish – its habits, its preferred foods, the delicate ecosystem it inhabited. He learned of rare plants that provided shelter, specific insect