“My 76-Year-Old Grandpa Took Me Into the Woods Every Day and Made Me Undress Until I Was Half-Naked. But One Day, My Mother Secretly Followed Us and Heard Strange Screams Coming From Deep Inside the Forest. When She Got Closer and Saw What We Were Actually Doing, Her Heart Couldn’t Take It. She Fell to Her Knees and Burst Into Tears…”

“Because someone has been waiting a very long time for something that we may still be able to give her.”

That answer made no sense to me.

But I changed into the clothes he had brought, keeping my other clothes and belongings safely on the dry bank. I followed him toward the water, stopping whenever the current became too strong for my comfort.

The moment the cold water touched my ankles, I froze.

My heart began racing.

The sound of the rushing water seemed to grow louder until I could barely hear my grandfather speaking.

“Take your time, Emily.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can. Just look at me.”

I tried to breathe slowly, but my legs trembled.

Then my foot slipped on a smooth stone.

I grabbed a nearby branch and screamed.

“GRANDPA! PLEASE, STOP!”

He immediately reached out to steady me and guided me back to the bank.

“All right. That’s enough for today.”