Lisa’s POV
“Stay behind me, Lisa. Don’t move an inch away from me.” Mother’s voice was sharp with worry, a warning she had repeated over and over. But even at four years old, I wasn’t going to listen.
As Mother turned her back, scanning the undergrowth for the herbs that had brought us into the woods in the first place, I couldn’t help but smile. Slowly, carefully, I slipped away, making sure not to make a sound. My heart raced with excitement at the idea of adventure.
A little ahead, I spotted it—a wildflower so beautiful it seemed to glow in the soft light filtering through the trees. Its petals were unlike anything I’d ever seen, and I couldn’t take my eyes off it. I crouched down, my tiny fingers gently plucking it as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.
Then, I saw
