Strangely Forgotten

You keep walking, even though it's becoming hard to breathe. The 12-year-old grabs your arm and pulls you along. You're too tired to be ashamed of yourself. Finally, you step over the hill. Kai was right. There's a tiny cottage, slightly hidden by huge willow trees. It's right there. You both feel a rush of adrenaline and sprint to the cottage, laughing. It feels like the first time you've laughed in forever. Kai flings open the door and jumps inside. You follow close behind and close the door, collapsing in relief. Luckily, you don't hear the low growl echoing through the woods outside the cottage. You don't realize that you've made it just in time.

You both stretch out across the floor, using small emergency blankets as pillows. Within minutes, you're both knocked out sleeping as if you haven't slept in years.