LOGIN“Me me me,” he says, hardly able to contain his excitement. “My turn, mama. Please.” And he looks down, again, at his little girl. “Well,” I say, shifting her in my arms and leaning forward so Ian can better see her face. She frowns in her sleep, squirming a little and making me smile. “I was think
Several hours later, I’m changed and curled up more comfortably in my bed with Victor by my side, a baby in each of our arms, and our boys curled up like puppies at the end of the bed. Archie is on the bed too, cuddled between them. We sit quietly together, all still focused on the two little babie
“It’s all right, doctor,” I say, giving her a little smile and nodding towards the boys. “We found them.” “Oh my god,” she says, shaking her head and placing a hand over her heart. Then she frowns at them. “How did they…” “Window,” Victor says, gesturing towards it and sighing. “It’s all right. Th
“Come on, Evelyn,” the doctor says confidently as Victor squeezes my hand, his eyes darting between my face and the first baby, which the doula is now wrapping in her first swaddle. “One more push, and then you’ll be done, and you can hold your little girls.” “Okay,” I huff, sitting up and shifting
Slumped on the couch, Ian heaves a gigantic sigh. “What is taking so long,” he mutters, glaring angrily at the steps as if they’ve personally offended him. “You knew it would take a while,” Bridgette murmurs, running a hand over Ian’s soft brown hair and smiling fondly at her nephew. She sighs and
“Oh my god,” Victor gasps, instantly wide awake. “Oh my god,” he says again, grabbing my face and searching it like it has answers. “Are you – are you okay?” “Yes,” I say, nodding but then belying my answer with an immediate moan. I grit my teeth, my hand going to my stomach as I weather the contra
And the table…Alvin’s already at it, slavering over what he sees there, and I admit that my mouth falls open when I see it. Everything I could want for breakfast, everything meal I’ve ever enjoyed, is here. I marvel, reaching out and picking up a blueberry muffin that I swear – I swear – is identi
“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
But tonight – damn, but it’s a vivid dream. The dream world around me, for all purposes, looks precisely like the tent which I had set up only a few hours before. Except, it’s light with a bright golden light, like noon sun. And filled with fog, like we’re sitting in clouds.Not a breath of me is fr
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,







