Alvin folds his hands in his lap, shrugging one shoulder. “Ever since we were very little –““Since we can remember, I guess,” Ian picks up, miming his brother’s action.“We’ve always been able to see the magic. To notice it, when others don’t,” Alvin finishes. Both boys look apologetically Victor a

The next morning, Victor and I make short work of packing up the tent. We send the boys off with a little H20 test kit to see if they can find fresh water, and they come back with a couple of bottles full. We quickly set the water to boil over the rekindled fire and then re-bottle it, slipping it in

“Are you serious, Evelyn?” he sputters, his eyes going wide. “After all of this? All that we’ve been through?”“What?” I snap in response, shaking my head so that my hair falls back over my shoulder. “Is it not a legitimate question?” “No, Evelyn!” He says, his voice raising in anger. “It’s absolut

It’s a subdued night that evening by the fire. The ghosts don’t bother us, or perhaps they’re not here to bother us – perhaps they live in a different part of the forest. But either way, the four of us are alone as we sit by the fire, eating our little dinner in silence. The boys glance between us,

“Come on, mama,” Alvin says, tugging at my hand and leading me towards the broken-down old house.“Alvin,” I hiss, pulling him back. “We can’t go in there – it’s a ruin –“He frowns at me, confused. “Mama,” he says, “the forest brought us to this house. Don’t you think it wants us to go in?”I screw