They walked across the grass casually until they were out of sight from the windows.
Then Elle stopped pretending.
“We need to climb that,” she said.
Owen climbed on her shoulders without complaint. She staggered slightly but held steady. He gripped the top of the wall and hauled himself up, scraping his knee in the process.
He didn’t cry.
He swung one leg over and held down his arms for her.
Elle took his hands and pulled herself up with a grunt. Her muscles burned, but adrenaline masked it.
She dropped down beside him into a bed of damp leaves.
The forest swallowed the school instantly.
Sound changed.
Smell changed.
Owen inhaled sharply.
“Do they know?” he whispered.
“Not yet.”
“Does this mean we’re bad now?” He asked with a little tremble in his voice “will mommy take us i
