Chapter 11

Heather

Suddenly, a raindrop fell on my cheek, followed by another and another. Within seconds, the sky opened up, and heavy rainfall began again, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Race you to the hut!" Ivik challenged me. His eyes sparkled with mischief, even as the rain started pelting down more heavily. With a loud, hearty laugh, he sprinted towards the old cabin where we had built our own kingdom all those years ago.

Our laughter echoed through the forest as we ran like two kids escaping reality again. Mud splattered onto our clothes as we slipped and slid through the heavy downstream. By the time we reached our old pumpkin house, we were drenched and breathless.

Ivik managed to push open the creaky door of the cabin with some effort, revealing a small space. We shook off the rain as we settled onto the worn-out floorboards.

"I can't believe it's still standing," I murmured, running my fingers along the carved initials on the wooden wall. "Who knew we were such good architects?"

"If