Loyalty

Helen sat quietly, pondering why the world had become so cynical. Why did people seem so intent on benefiting from one another? Where had those carefree days gone, when a simple walk outside could lead to a stranger's smile or a cheerful “hello” just because the weather was nice or someone was in a good mood? Surely, such times had existed—somewhere. But not here, not now. Perhaps they hadn’t even existed in this life at all. She felt a deep confusion, a sense of bewilderment. Sometimes, she wondered if she had been too na;ve to believe that people actually cared or sought to feel something. On other days, however, the emptiness seemed undeniable—life, in all its fleeting moments, didn’t seem to mean much. People came and went, while the world simply spun on. If there were no people, would the Earth even notice? Or would it somehow find a way to carry on regardless?
At fourteen, Helen was wise beyond her years. She asked "why" constantly, but the answers always eluded her, as though nobody cared enough to listen, to understand what she was feeling. Her parents were distant, uninterested. At times, she wondered if they would even notice if she simply disappeared. If something terrible happened to her—if she died—would they feel a sense of relief, freed from the burden of paying for her school, of playing the role of parents? There was, however, one person in the world who truly mattered to her: Mr. Peterson, the kind owner of the local bookshop.
He allowed her to sit in his shop for hours, reading any book she pleased. She often escaped into the pages, feeling less alone. As long as she had a book, she felt as though she were living a different life—a life full of adventure, filled with new places and extraordinary characters. One day, she dreamed of becoming an actress, the next, she imagined herself saving the world. For now, though, the bookshop was her sanctuary, the place where she felt safest.
But one day, Helen arrived to find the shop closed. Mr. Peterson was always there. His absence sent a ripple of unease through her. She couldn’t shake the fear that something was wrong. She waited by the door for hours, but he never came. Reluctantly, she went home. The following day, as she passed the shop on her way to school, she noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Hope surged within her. She would return after school to resume her adventure.
However, when Helen arrived that evening, it wasn’t Mr. Peterson who greeted her. Instead, it was Mia, his daughter. She explained, with a sadness in her eyes, that her father had suffered a stroke two days earlier and was now in a coma. Helen’s world seemed to change in a blink of an eye. She wanted answers, wanted to know when Mr. Peterson would return so they could continue their conversations about books, travel, and life. But Mia didn’t know. No one did.
Determined to do something for Mr. Peterson, Helen decided to visit him in the hospital. She would read to him, hoping that he would hear her, that he would wake up and return to their talks. But when she arrived at the hospital, the ward was empty. Panicked, she rushed to the reception, only to be told that Mr. Peterson had passed away during the night. His heart had stopped, and despite the efforts of the doctors, they couldn’t save him.
Helen was overwhelmed with grief and confusion. Why had life been so cruel to take him away from her? He had been the only person who showed her that he cared, or at least made her feel that he did. How could she live without him? How could she keep going? She didn’t know. She remembered something Mr. Peterson had told her once: “You must stay strong, no matter what. Even when you think the world is ending, you must keep going.”
Tears appeared on Helen’s eyes. She loved that man, and now her life would never be the same without him.
In a haze, she walked to the bookshop, certain it would be closed. But to her surprise, it was open. Inside, she saw Mr. Blackmore, speaking with Mia. He wanted to buy the shop and turn it into a caf;. Mia explained that the shop had not been profitable for years, and though Mr. Peterson had refused to sell it, it had been his way of staying connected to the world. The bookshop had given him a sense of purpose. But now, with him gone, Mia didn’t want to keep the shop. It was too painful.
Helen was furious. She couldn’t understand why Mia was so ready to give up, to sell everything that had meant so much to her father. When Mr. Blackmore left, Helen approached Mia. She told her that she’d overheard the conversation and thought selling the shop to Mr. Blackmore was a huge mistake. He didn’t care about the books or the legacy of the shop; he only wanted to profit from it. Mia, however, was resolute. The decision had been made. The contract would be signed soon.
Helen knew that if she didn’t act, the bookshop would be gone forever. She was just fourteen, but she couldn’t let this happen. There had to be someone else, someone who could buy the shop and preserve it as a bookshop, as a place that mattered.
The town had only two bookshops. Helen decided to visit Mr. Goldsmith’s store, hoping he might be interested in buying it. Unfortunately, he was out of town for a few days, and she didn’t have that much time. But the manager promised to speak to him and asked for Helen’s contact information.
The next morning, Helen was still anxious. When she returned home after school, there was a message waiting for her. It was the manager from Mr. Goldsmith’s store. He said Mr. Goldsmith was interested and would be back in two days to discuss the details. Helen felt a surge of hope. She had to convince Mia to wait before making any decisions.
Helen shared the news with Mia, but she still couldn’t understand why Helen was so determined to save the shop. Helen explained that Mr. Peterson had been the only person to support her when no one else would. This shop had meant everything to him, and she couldn’t bear the thought of it being sold to someone who would destroy its legacy.
After much consideration, Mia agreed to meet with Mr. Goldsmith. The meeting was arranged, and in the end, Mia decided to sell the shop to him. The bookshop would remain a bookshop, as Mr. Goldsmith promised to preserve it. Mr. Blackmore, once again, left empty-handed.
Helen felt a bittersweet relief. Life would never be the same without Mr. Peterson, but at least the shop was safe. That was what mattered.