Thunder could still be heard from the distance over the mountains. Sun seeped across the valley, and the people embraced it. The last day of the Moonlight Festival always came with high expectations. The event brought attention to this forgotten small town.

“Hannah, if you are going to mope bring your brother.” The older woman gazed upon her granddaughter. She knew the early years of puberty was tough on her daughter but Hannah was a new challenge.

“Hannah—“

“Yeah! I hear you! Just because you’re old doesn’t mean I am.” Hannah sneered at the wrinkly slouched woman. Glaring at her light blonde hair glowing in the sun. She snatched the smaller hand of her brother and parted from grandmother.

The festival was lively. Music surrounding from an acoustic guitar and food vendors selling anything they could before it turned nightfall. Hannah rolled her eyes at her brothers slow pace.

“Nate let’s go!” She had no reason to be here. This festival was made for adults just to make money. The gross fatty foods filled the air and she could feel a gag try to surface. She needed out of there. Pushing past the crowd, she managed to find a dielectric wooden fence. In relief, she dragged Nate through the gate. The gate wobbled and tipped inwards, threatened to fall over. Hannah carefully crawled under. On the other side of the loud festival were trees. Trees with deep almost maroon bark and the leaves of emerald.

“Hannah where are we going?” His voice hesitanted and softened after the last word.

“I don’t know” She sighed, trampling across the grey rocks. “Away.”

“Away?”

“Yeah.” She glanced at the small boy. His dark curly hair lightened in the sun. His brown eyes watched the ground carefully. She turned back and found a small trickling creek. The water’s soft hum echoed in the forest. They were alone now. “Do you like granny’s?”

“You mean her house?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s nice. Pretty. The flowers are nice and it smells like cookies.”

“Yeah but what about granny?” Hannah sat down, letting Nate’s hand go.

“What do you mean?” He watched the water.

“Granny. Do you like living with granny?”

“No.”

“Me neither. She’s mean. Maybe we should run away.” Silence overcame them. The creek gave any comfort it could.

“Why did mom run?” His eyes flicker from the water to his sister. She has the same colored hair, dark and curly. Eyes almost black pierced the creek. Her cheek seared, freckles warped.

“Mom didn’t run… she’s—“ She looks at her brother, softness filled her and tears threatened to spill. “She’s flying Nate.”

“Flying? Flying where?”

“I don’t know— everywhere I guess.” Her voice dropped.

“Can we fly to her?”

“I wish we could. But we can’t. When we are older, we will fly. All of us together.”

“Really?” Pairs of brown eyes look up in the sky while the sun began to set. “I hope they are cookies…”

“We will have so many cookies.” She giggled softly.