A wooden box sits on the fence, glowing faintly. Leo opens it to find shiny coins and a single poppy seed. He tucks the seed into his pocket.
Leo digs a small hole and plants the poppy seed. He waters it every day.
A bright red flower pushes through the soil. The birds stop to watch. Leo sits beside it and hums.
A year passes. Then another.
The red poppy closes its petals one morning. It never opens again.
Leo kneels beside the brown stem and rests his chin on his knees. A butterfly lands on his shoulder. He thinks: "Thank you for growing."
Leo clears the old stem and plants three new seeds instead.
Green shoots appear. Then yellow flowers bloom.
A tangle of vines grows with tiny purple bells. Leo watches them sway.
Children walking past stop to touch the bells. They make them tinkle. "Pretty," whispers one.
Years later, Leo's garden is full of color and sound.
A traveler pauses at the fence, smiles, and keeps walking lighter. Leo waters the newest plants and watches bees dance between the blooms.