The fog did not thin, not even when the trees gave way.It simply shifted — rolling low across the ground, curling around Ezra's boots like smoke.
The girl led him forward, her little brother's hand clasped in hers. After what felt like an hour, the forest finally opened into a clearing.
There, half-hidden by the white haze, stood a small wooden house, built from aged timber that looked almost damp with time. A narrow lake lay beside it — still, mirror-flat, its black surface reflecting nothing but the fog above.
"Here we are," said the girl, her voice faintly echoing as though it came from somewhere further away.
Ezra stared. Despite the soft glow from the windows, the house seemed to breathe with the mist, every board and joint alive with faint creaks.
The door opened before he could knock.
A woman stepped out — tall, draped in a long wool dress, her smile warm enough to almost melt the chill. Behind her, a man appeared, broad-shouldered and quiet, his eyes too still to belong to someone truly at ease.
"Come in," the woman said gently. "You must be freezing, poor thing."
Ezra hesitated. Every instinct screamed no, but the warmth spilling from inside — the scent of woodsmoke, the faint clatter of plates — tugged at the part of him still human enough to crave comfort.
He nodded faintly. "Thank you… I—uh, got lost. I don't even know how I got here."
"Oh, lost ones always find their way here," she said kindly, stepping aside. "Sit, sit. You must eat something warm."
Inside, the cabin was surprisingly well-lit. Lanterns burned softly along the walls, though no electricity hummed. Everything looked handmade — the chairs, the heavy oak table, even the cups.
The man said nothing, only gestured toward the chair by the fire. Ezra sat.The girl and her brother took their seats across from him, smiling with a strange stillness that made his stomach tighten.
Soon, a bowl of stew was placed before him. The smell was earthy — meat, herbs, something metallic underneath.
He hadn't eaten since… when? He couldn't even remember. His fingers were trembling as he lifted the spoon.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
The woman smiled again — wider this time."Of course. You'll feel better soon."
He began to eat, slow at first. The flavor was rich, unfamiliar. The warmth spread through him, a false comfort crawling through his limbs.
They all ate in silence.Only the sound of spoons scraping against wooden bowls filled the air.
The fog outside pressed faintly against the windowpanes, like it wanted to come in.
Ezra's eyes drifted to the girl. She was staring at him — not with curiosity, but with something closer to recognition.
He blinked, his mind struggling to focus.The warmth was too strong now, too heavy.
"Is something… in the food?" he muttered, but his tongue felt slow.
The woman chuckled softly. "No, dear. You're just tired."
The man smiled for the first time — a thin, stretched smile that didn't reach his eyes.
Ezra tried to speak, to stand, but the world was spinning. His breath came heavy, ragged.
He blinked hard once, twice—
And his body slumped slightly forward.
His mind screamed at him to move, to open his eyes, to not fall asleep here.
But his limbs were stone.
Only the faint hum of the room reached him — the scrape of a chair, a soft whisper too close to his ear:
"Sleep… it's easier that way."
And then —
Darkness.
Only the sound of the lake outside, lapping gently, as though something had just slipped beneath its surface.
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