The Story Healer
On the rustic streets of New Orleans lived a girl named Millie. She had no family, no comforts of a home, but her heart was full of spirit. Millie's childhood was not spent inside classrooms or on playgrounds but exploring the lanes, smelling the cafe au lait, hearing street musicians & spending hours by the Mississippi River.
One peculiar characteristic of Millie was her fascination with stories. She would lend an ear to anyone who had a tale to narrate, little knowing that she was about to live a fable herself.
Millie's days usually began by darting through the streets to the bustling French market, where stall keepers knew her well. 'Little Miss Storycatcher', they all addressed her warmly.
Among the regulars, Old Madame Clarice, a woman in her seventies, was a healer who touted the miracles of her herbal potions. One Saturday as Millie arrived at her shop, Madame Clarice looked at her peculiarly and said, 'Millie, I have a special story for you today.' For the first time, Millie saw Madame Clarice's shop's back room, filled with mysterious artifacts, colorful potions, and ancient scrolls.
Madame Clarice narrated a folklore about an old fortune-teller named Seraphina. Legend had it that anyone under the zodiac sign, Pisces, on turning sixteen, could possess her power on the night of the crescent moon. Millie, who strangely shared the same horoscope and soon to be sixteen, was intrigued. She left the shop with a set of instructions and a sparkling potion,'To unlock the power,' Madame had said.
Whilst Millie dismissed it as just another fascinating tale, as the day of her sixteenth birthday dawned, she was overcome with a sense of curiosity. Following the instructions, she reached an ancient cemetery around midnight. The crescent moon illuminated the aged tomb of Seraphina. Hesitant yet excited, Millie drank the sparkling potion.
Suddenly, she felt a rush of energy around her. The ground trembled, owls hooted in the distance, and a gust of wind whipped her hair. As soon as she opened her eyes, she was shocked to find herself in a different world. It was colorful, vibrant, and shimmering with energy. Hard to believe, Millie found herself in the middle of the 'Spirit World.'
She realized she could sense stories around her. The spirits narrated their tales of joy, pain, love, revenge, and redemption. It wasn't just the ability to hear them; she could also influence the essence of these stories.
As days passed, she grew powerful, healing tormented souls, rewriting their stories, bringing them peace. She met spirits from different eras who became her pals. Millie was living the life of Seraphina, helping the souls whilst being grounded to her reality too.
Once a lonely street girl, Millie was now the beloved figure with an extraordinary destiny. She learned that stories had power—power to heal, power to change. For Millie lived on to become the legend herself, 'The Story Healer.' Her tale was etched in the folklore of New Orleans, and every 16th birthday, she celebrated by telling her story anew.