Charlotte knelt by her mother's bedside all night. When dawn broke, she mechanically washed her mother's body, dressing her in a clean dress reserved only for festive occasions.
Arranging the funeral proved to be difficult. Thankfully, a few farm women, unable to bear the situation, helped dig a grave in the forest outside the village. The boys who used to bully Charlotte in the past shuffled over, pretending to offer wildflowers to the grave, before asking Charlotte what she planned to do next.
There was a familiar sense of probing and longing in their eyes. Just like Uncle Albert, who used to come and go from their home.
These young men blushed and awkwardly handed her candies, bread, and tiny keys.
"You... you can come to our secret base. Play with us. But don't let Megan and the others know," one of them said.
As he spoke, someone couldn't resist pinching her cheek. Their fingertip grazed her skin, leaving behind a sticky warmth.
