Leading Him Into the Hungry Forest

A man with a dark smile found a little girl alone in a field. He lured her with

candy into the forest. Deep in the woods, she stopped and said it felt scary. He laughed nervously,

saying he'd have to walk back alone. She turned with a different smile. "You think you're

walking back?" The forest went silent. Something between the trees smiled

too. He realized she wasn't lost. She was leading him.

The forest had been waiting. And it was hungry. They found his shoes three days later,

perfectly placed at the forest edge, facing inward.