“It was like the tree wanted to eat me,” she confessed one night, holding her stuffed animal close. “The sticky stuff wouldn’t let go. I thought I’d be trapped forever.”
I gathered her in my arms, whispering comfort.
Together, we turned her fear into curiosity—learning about unusual trees, sticky resins, and the ways nature sometimes startles us. When the police closed the case, the heavy shadow that had fallen over my family finally lifted. Nathan came to visit, tears streaming as he embraced Emily tightly.
“I’m so sorry for everything,” he whispered, his voice thick with both love and relief. Our family hadn’t been broken—it had endured. Stronger than before, we stood together, bonded by forgiveness, understanding, and the strange reminder that even the natural world can hold unexpected mysteries.
