Refraction

On a perfectly ordinary afternoon, when the wind was restless and the sky undecided between sun and cloud, a girl turned to her friend — a boy who was known for his curiosity and occasional impatience — and asked a peculiar question. “Would you do something for me?” she said, quite seriously. He straightened up, surprised. “Of course,” he replied without hesitation. “What is it?” She didn’t answer right away. She was the sort of person who chose her words with care. “I need you to complete four tasks,” she said eventually. “They’re simple. Repetitive, even. But you’ll do them at different times, and in different places. I’ll tell you when.” He raised an eyebrow. “What kind of tasks?” “You’ll need a bucket of water,” she said, as if that explained everything. “I’ll give you a map. Follow it. At the end of the path, you’ll find a tree. Your task is to water that tree. That’s all.” He stared at her, waiting for the real part to begin. But there was nothing more. No monster to fight, no tr...