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Editing reality

     As he opened the car door, there was a loud crash from the back passenger seat. Looking over told him that his daughter had dropped her metal water bottle.

    "Cherish..." He sighs. He's not upset in any way, he's just relieved that she's unhurt.

    "Sorry, dad!" Cherish picks her bottle back up. Her older brother gets out of the front passenger seat, rolling his eyes as he shoves his earbuds further into his ears.

    Robby looks between his son, Justice, and his daughter, Cherish. His heart is filled with love for both of them as Justice finds amusement in bothering Cherish.

    "Are you two kids ready for hiking?" Robby asks, gathering the kids' attention.

    "Can I walk in the woods instead of the trail?" Justice asks.

    "Just stay in my line of sight." Robby nods.

    "Sweet!" Justice does his tiny 'happy dance', amusing Robby and making Cherish giggle.

    Robby led the way through the trails, pointing out any animals they came across, types of underbrush in the area, different tracks of the different animals they could have come across if it was a different time of day, and he pointed out the droppings of the animals that live in the woods. Justice loved that last part, Cherish not so much.

    "Dad..." Cherish's voice was soft like she was worried someone would hear her.

    Robby turned around to see Cherish looking nervously into the woods. "What's wrong, sweetheart?

    Robby looked in the direction She was looking and saw a pale, humanoid arm retreat behind a tree. "That's what's referred to as a "hide behind", sweetheart. We look at the trees, but not in them. Okay?" As Robby's heart beat fast in fear, he tried to reassure his daughter. 

    He stood and dusted off his hands from where he had been pointing out a deer track in the mud. "Why don't we go back to the car?"

    Justice and Cherish both nodded quietly, the whole family put off by the whole situation.

    Robby herded his kids out of the forest, onto the trail, and, while behind them to keep an eye on them, he guided them out of the woods and back to the car. Once they were all in, he started the drive home. 

    "Is everyone okay?"

    "Yeah." Cherish said.

    "I'm okay..." Justice answered.

    "We're fine." Came the voice of a third child.

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