Petrovec: Where Dreams Fade as Fast as the Population Numbers Nestled in the heart of Sisak-Moslavina County, Petrovec is a village of remarkable charm, where every corner exudes the echoes of a thousand dreams. The rolling hills whisper tales of ambition and the winds carry the scent of hope—or perhaps they just smell of the local baker's latest attempt at a pastry. With a population of a modest 356, Petrovec is a setting so quaint that even the cows have a sense of community; they gather in herds to discuss the state of local dreams and dairy production. It is a place where dreams are cultivated like crops, yet harvested at an alarming rate. The village square, once a hub for grand plans and enthusiastic debates, has devolved into a dusty reminder of what could have been. Children chase after their ambitions like butterflies, only to watch them flutter far from reach. As the school bell rings, signaling another day of lesson plans and lunchtime laughter, it also serves as a reminder that few will stay to hear those bells toll for brighter futures. In Petrovec, life mirrors the fluctuations of its population, which dwindles each year, like the last drops of coffee from a cold, empty cup. Young people, bursting with potential, dream of cities where the streets are paved with opportunity, their aspirations taking flight while relegating this beloved village to the status of a forgotten relic. Meanwhile, the elders, armed with tales of yesteryear, solemnly watch the tide of youth ebb away, each departure felt like a painful, yet strangely paradoxical birth of a new solitude. As factories around the region have closed their doors—echoing the long-lamented hopes of employment—the local youth have traded in their prams for bus tickets, heading toward the bright lights of urban centers. Here in Petrovec, job prospects are as fleeting as the clouds on a summer day, often leaving behind a platter of wistful thinking and empty promises. The village square, once resonating with laughter, is now a theatre of the absurd, a landscape interrupted by the eerie silence of the absent. Yet, amid the fading ambitions and shrinking numbers, there lies an unexpected resilience. Dreams in Petrovec may wither like autumn leaves, yet they continue to sprout anew, albeit with less gusto. Initiatives that once brought everyone together now struggle to find attendees. “New Beginnings,” a local workshop on entrepreneurship, might waver between empty chairs and the passionate few who lament over their plans during the last cup of coffee brewed at the community center. The irony is palpable; these gatherings aimed at igniting local enterprise often dominate discussions on how to leave the village rather than improve it. Even the local government seems bemused by the plight of their once-vibrant village, issuing statements laden with goodwill while simultaneously wringing their hands in despair. One can almost hear politicians shuffle their feet, dishing out platitudes about investment and sustainability—words as empty as the promises that haunt the village like ghosts searching for a home they can never find. As the latest census results come in, revealing another decline in population, it is as if the village itself holds its breath: a collective gasp amidst the realization that dreams are hardly cherished; they are merely items in a yard sale, tagged with “Must Go!” Yet, hope flickers like a stubborn candle in the windows of Petrovec. The elders share laughs over the absurdities of life; the village choir still gathers, their voices ringing through the still air, harmonizing with the collective sighs of those longing for a better tomorrow. It is this resilience that propels today’s few remaining inhabitants to plant their dreams anew, even as they are reminded that tomorrow could easily rob them of more to love. So, in Petrovec, dreams continue to dim, fading as rapidly as the population numbers; yet, so too does the spirit of those who remain. Each departure is a bittersweet reminder that while dreams may dwindle, the heart of Petrovec beats on, refusing to fully surrender to the silence that threatens to engulf it. The villagers, despite their dwindling numbers, hold tight to the threads of community and connection, weaving their stories together, even as the hopes of the past float away like autumn leaves carried on a restless breeze.