Chapter 66

Mom hadn't left the house in three days.

"Brother, my tummy's growling," Tommy said, rubbing his flat stomach while staring longingly toward the kitchen.

David tiptoed to retrieve the powdered milk can from the cupboard. "I'll make you some milk. Let's not disturb Mom yet."

The two little figures bustled around the kitchen. David skillfully lit the fire while Tommy handed him sticks of kindling. Once the water boiled, they carefully prepared two bowls of milk.

"Mom, are you awake?" David gently knocked on the bedroom door, his voice laced with concern.

Emily Johnson jolted awake from her dream, staring blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling for a few seconds before reality set in. "I'm coming, sweetheart," she called out hurriedly.

When she opened the door, the two boys stood waiting with hopeful eyes.

"Sorry I overslept," Emily crouched down to pat their heads. "I'll make breakfast now."

"No need, Mom," David pointed to the two bowls on the table. "We made milk. And there's still the sponge cake you bought..."

Emily's heart warmed. She stepped into the kitchen and noticed the lingering warmth in the stove—they'd managed to light it themselves.

She quickly boiled six eggs and retrieved soft bread from her PennyDeals stash. "Eat these first. Later, I'll leave some snacks in your room for when you're hungry."

While David dutifully cleared the dishes, Emily returned to her room and secretly opened PennyDeals. Her fingers flew across the screen: sandwich cookies, sweet potato chips, honey cakes... When she spotted the cherries, she couldn't help but swallow hard.

"Remember, snacks aren't meals," Emily said as she arranged the treats in a small wooden box. "Too many will stunt your growth."

Though David didn't quite understand the connection between snacks and height, he trusted his mother's words.

"Eat these twisted pastries first," Emily instructed before washing the basket of gleaming red cherries.

"Come try these wild berries," she called to the boys.

Tommy picked one up curiously. "Mom, they're so pretty!"

Soon, the three of them sat around the table, happily stuffed.

"Mom, let's practice writing," David suddenly suggested. "You should go read and rest."

Emily froze. While other village children played outside, why did hers prefer staying indoors?

[Possible developments...]

David has already noticed his mother's unusual behavior

The cherries attract unwanted attention from villagers

Emily begins experiencing strange physical symptoms

The truth behind the children's odd behavior