The room was smoke filled and dingy. Not the type of place she expected. Chairs were scattered throughout and the dark paintings on the wall hinted at some far away land with long ago troubles. Everything from the putrid brown painted walls to the bars covering the windows screamed “you are not welcome here”. She placed those thoughts deep within her mind reassured that she was in fact invited. Cracks covered the ceiling, etching lines all across the room. When they were stared at long enough, shapes seemed to appear. A network of waterways, a majestic tree, a spider web holding its prey. Startled by the sound of the requisite creaking floorboards, she jumped when he entered. His stark white suit and clean-shaven face contrasted sharply with his surroundings. As he began to talk however, she noticed a change. The eerie paintings were pointed out as being a relative’s favorite artist, the jail bars were for increasing storage space, and the breaking ceiling became a prop in an amusing tale. Before her very eyes, the room became something more. It grew into a living history. Blossomed into a full blown tale. No longer did it seem dark and weary, but full of life. She wondered at the transformation. To her, it was the first time she had witnessed the miraculous. Uncovering what lies beneath the surface to find the true heart. Realizing that everything exists because of a story in its past.