Where Do You Want to Go for Summer Camp This Year? To See Baby Jason?

When her feet touched solid ground again, Carrie still felt dazed.

The freedom of breaking free from gravity and embracing the sky was like the finest wine, its lingering aftertaste leaving her whole soul light and airy.

The woods had already grown dim. The last rays of the setting sun were broken into scattered patches of light by the thick canopy, spilling across the leaf-covered ground.

"How did it feel?" Edward's voice pulled her from her reverie.

"I..." Carrie opened her mouth, only to realize how inadequate words were. They simply could not describe the shock and joy she had just felt.

She could only nod vigorously. Her always-timid eyes were now filled with sparkling light, as though an entire galaxy had fallen into them. "Thank you, Edward."

That gratitude was not only for the wondrous flight, but also for the thing he had given her called hope.

Edward smiled but said nothing more. The two walked out of the woods side by side. The road home was so quiet that only their footsteps and the distant barking of dogs could be heard.

Carrie wanted to say something several times, but every word that reached her lips was swallowed back by a girl's restraint and shyness. She merely stole glances at the boy's profile beside her from the corner of her eye, etching those features deeply into her heart.

When they got home, the familiar scent of food greeted them. Lily was sitting on the sofa with a huge teddy bear in her arms, engrossed in a children's cartoon on TV. Her little legs swung back and forth, making her look like any other pampered little daughter in an ordinary household.

At the sound of the door opening, she immediately tossed aside the teddy bear and charged over like a tiny cannonball, wrapping her arms around Edward's leg.

"Big brother, you're back!" She tilted up her little face, her smile sweet enough to rot teeth.

Edward ruffled her hair, but inwardly muttered that this little demon's acting was becoming more and more flawless.

"Edward, Carrie, you're back. Go wash your hands and get ready for dinner," their mother Sarah called gently from the kitchen.

At the dinner table, their father John was watching the evening news while Sarah set down a plate of golden roasted chicken. The family sat together in a warm, ordinary scene.

"Dad, Mom," Edward said casually after taking a sip of milk, "the school is organizing a summer camp, and I want to go."

"Summer camp?" John put down his newspaper, interested. "Where to?"

"Crystal Lake Camp."

"Crystal Lake?" Sarah paused with the soup bowl in her hands, her lovely brows knitting slightly. "I think I've heard of that place. It doesn't have a very good reputation."

"That was all ages ago, Mom." Edward put on an expression that said, You're making a big deal out of nothing. "It's a brand-new camp now, and it's perfectly safe. Besides, it's a school-organized group activity. It'll build character."

John was clearly sold on that. He nodded approvingly. "Sarah, don't be so nervous. Boys should get out and explore more. Staying home all the time makes them dull. How much do you need?"

"The registration fee is three hundred dollars, and it lasts a week." Edward paused before adding, "Carrie's going too."

At the mention of Carrie's name, Sarah's gaze softened. "Oh? You're going too, Carrie? That's good. At least you two will have each other on the way."

Sarah knew about Carrie's family situation, and there was hesitation and concern in her voice.

"Her mother left her some money before. It's enough." Edward explained. He did not mention the psychiatric hospital, merely glossing over it.

Sarah sighed in relief, then shot John a glare as if blaming him for his earlier carelessness. She took out her wallet from her apron pocket, counted through it, then pulled out five crisp hundred-dollar bills and handed them to Edward.

"Here's five hundred. Three hundred is for the registration fee, and keep the remaining two hundred as spending money. Don't keep eating unhealthy junk food while you're out."

"Thanks, Mom. You're the best mom in the world." Edward did not hold back his sweet talk, making Sarah beam with delight.

John chuckled from the side, cleared his throat, and said, "Speaking of which, your mom and I are planning to head out too."

"Hm?" Edward was a little surprised.

"I have a case I need to handle in the city. It'll probably take about a week as well," Sarah explained.

"I happen to have nothing going on, so I'll go with your mother." John winked at Sarah, his tone full of anticipation. "We can treat it like our second honeymoon."

"We're an old married couple already. What honeymoon?" Sarah scolded him playfully, though a faint blush rose to her cheeks.

"What about Lily?" Edward asked the crucial question.

"That's what we wanted to talk about." Sarah's expression turned serious. "You're going to summer camp, and the two of us will be away too. We can't just leave Lily home by herself. So we discussed it and decided to hire a temporary babysitter to look after her for a week."

Edward's expression instantly became strange.

Hire a babysitter... to look after Lily?

He instinctively glanced at Lily, who was busily stuffing her face into her mashed potatoes. She looked innocent and harmless on the outside, but inside she was a true demon capable of creating terror and weaving illusions.

Edward could practically foresee that poor babysitter's future. At best, they would be scared into a daze. At worst, they would start questioning life itself and flee overnight with their luggage.

He silently complained, Who would be taking care of whom was still up in the air. Lily might end up handling the babysitter's three meals a day, along with their mental health counseling.

"What's wrong? Do you think it's a bad idea?" Seeing the odd look on his face, Sarah asked with concern.

"No, no. I think... it's great." Edward forced out a smile. "Lily will definitely... get along wonderfully with the new babysitter."

Lily raised her head, mashed potatoes smeared across half her face. She blinked her innocent big eyes and gave Edward a sweet smile. That smile seemed to contain a barely noticeable thrill that her prank was about to succeed.

Edward's scalp tingled. He quickly lowered his head and shoveled food into his mouth, deciding that he would simply pretend not to see the coming tragedy in their house over the next week.

After dinner, night had completely settled over the town.

Edward took Carrie out for a walk and, while they were at it, planned to find somewhere to practice Telekinesis. Carrie had changed into a set of athletic clothes that made movement easier, though she still looked a little reserved.

"Lily's coming too?" Carrie asked curiously, looking at Lily trailing behind Edward.

"Just bringing her along for the fun," Edward said casually.

Under cover of darkness, the three of them returned to the forest at the edge of town.

Moonlight filtered through thin clouds, coating the forest path in a layer of silver frost. The surroundings were so quiet that only the chirping of insects and the rustle of wind through leaves could be heard.