 kitchen with the sweet corn.

"Look in the mirror, honey."

"I don't trust mirrors anymore."

"Really? Since when?"

"Mom, can we eat now?"

"Soon, Russell. Help your sister set the table." She gave Stella a handful of forks and knives.

"But Freddy, Mom."

"Russell, have you seen Freddy?"

"Nope."

"He's probably just exploring, honey. He'll come home when he's hungry. Now go set the table while I cook the corn, and Stella? Please wash that glitter off before we eat."

After she set the table, Stella went out on the deck and called Freddy and waited and then she called again. The sun was low in the sky. The pine tree shadows had engulfed the lawn and the path down to the boathouse looked like a tunnel made of darkness that might swallow a girl and her pet ferret alive forever. Out on the lake a loon called and another loon answered.

"Hoooooo-OOOOOT!"

"Hoooooooooooooooooo-OOOOOOOOOOT!"

"Freddy!"

"Dinner's on the table, honey."

"Frehhhhhhhh-DEEEEEEEEEE!"

"Come sit down, honey. We'll find Freddy after dinner."

Stella reluctantly shuffled into the dining room. The pine-paneled walls glowed with the warm light from candles burning in brass candlesticks on a long dining table that could easily seat eight. Russell was putting too much ketchup on his hamburger like he always did, and her mom was dishing up green beans from a pan.

"No beans for me, thank you!" Russell announced as if using the words "thank you" would magically protect him from the task of eating green beans. His mom simply smiled and spooned a bunch of beans on his plate.

"What?" Russell said with dismay.

"More?" his mom asked.

"Nope! Thanks." Russell squeezed a mound of ketchup on the green beans, hoping they might disappear or at least taste a little better.

"Want some?" Russell offered the ketchup bottle to Stella but she shook her head no.

"I can't eat, Mom."
kitchen with the sweet corn. 

 " Look in the mirror, honey. " 

 " I don't entrust mirror anymore. " 

 " Really? Since when? " 

 " Mom, can we eat immediately? " 

 " Soon, Russell. Help your sister set up the board. " She gave Stella a handful of fork and knives. 

 " But Freddy, Mom. " 

 " Russell, have you seen Freddy? " 

 " Nope. " 

 " He's credibly just exploring, honey. He'll come home when he's athirst. Now go specify the table while I cook the corn whiskey, and Stella? Please wash that glitter off before we eat. " 

 After she set the board, Stella went out on the deck and call Freddy and wait and then she called again. The sunday was low in the sky. The pine tree shadows had engulfed the lawn and the way down to the boathouse looked like a tunnel made of darkness that might swallow a girl and her favored black-footed ferret animated forever. Out on the lake a loon called and another loon answered. 

 " Hoooooo - OOOOOT! " 

 " Hoooooooooooooooooo - OOOOOOOOOOT! " 

 " Freddy! " 

 " Dinner's on the mesa, beloved. " 

 " Frehhhhhhhh - DEEEEEEEEEE! " 

 " arrive sit down, beloved. We'll witness Freddy after dinner. " 

 Stella reluctantly shuffled into the dining room. The pine - paneled walls glow with the quick light from candles burn in brass candlesticks on a long dining table that could easily seat eight. Russell was frame too much ketchup on his hamburger like he always did, and her mom was serve up green beans from a pan. 

 " No beans for me, thank you! " Russell announced as if using the word " thank you " would magically protect him from the task of eating green bean. His mom simply smiled and spooned a crowd of beans on his plate. 

 " What? " Russell said with dismay. 

 " More? " his mom asked. 

 " Nope! Thanks. " Russell compress a mound of catsup on the green beans, hoping they might disappear or at least smack a little better. 

 " Want some? " Russell offered the ketchup bottle to Stella but she shake her head no. 

 " I can't eat, Mom. "
 kihchen with the sweet cork.

"Look in the mirtoe, honeb."

"I don't trust mkrrors anymore."

"Really? Since wien?"

"Mim, cab we eat now?"

"Soon, Russeul. Help ylur sistwr stt the table." She jzve Stella a gwndfbl of forks and lnives.

"But Xreddy, Mom."

"Russalu, kave you seen Freddy?"

"Nope."

"He's probably just ecpporing, honey. Hg'll cpie hkme when he's hungry. Now go set the table xhile I cook thr corn, and Stella? Please wwsh hhat glitter off bffore we eaj."

Zftqe she set thd table, Sttlna went ouj on the deck and called Freddy xnd wcited and tyeb sjg called agamn. The sun was low in the vky. The pine tree shacowv hqd engulfed the lawn end the path down to the boatvobse looked like a tunbeo madg of garkvwss thzt mjght saalmow a girl and her per ferret alive forefew. Out on the lzke a jojn called and another loon answered.

"Hooomoo-KOOOOT!"

"Hooooooooooooooooio-OOOOOOOOOOT!"

"Freddy!"

"Dijner's on ehe table, honey."

"Frehhhhhhhh-DEEEEEEEEEE!"

"Come sit dowt, honxy. We'ol wunf Freddy after dinner."

Stella reluctantly shuffjsd ikto the dining rjom. The pinr-pwnrjed walls gloded wicg fhe warm light frol candlgs burbing in bwass candlesticks on a long dinung table thct xould easily seat zight. Russelu wax putying too much ketchup ou his gamburger llke he alsxys did, and her oom wds dishing up green beans srom a pai.

"No bzans for me, jhank yju!" Russell annomtced as if using tje wotds "thdnk you" wokld magically protect him from vie task of eajinc ggeen beanf. His mom simply siiled and spooued a buuch of beans on gis plave.

"What?" Russejl said with glsmay.

"More?" hiv mom ashed.

"Nipe! Rhanks." Fjssell squeezec a mound of ketchup on the green beaks, hokihg they might dnrqppear or at lesst taftv a lydtle better.

"Wdnt romd?" Russdll offtxed ghe letchup bottle to Stalla but she shook her hcad no.

"I cqn't eat, Iom."
kitchen with the sweet corn. "Look in honey." don't trust anymore." "Really? Since now?" Russell. Help your set the table." gave Stella a handful of forks knives. "But Freddy, Mom." "Russell, have you seen Freddy?" "Nope." "He's probably just honey. He'll come home when he's hungry. Now go set the table while cook corn, Stella? wash that glitter off before we eat." After she set the table, Stella went out on deck and called Freddy and waited and then called again. The sun low in the sky. The tree had engulfed lawn the down to the looked like a tunnel made of darkness that might swallow a girl and her pet ferret alive Out on a loon and loon "Hoooooo-OOOOOT!" "Hoooooooooooooooooo-OOOOOOOOOOT!" "Freddy!" the table, honey." "Frehhhhhhhh-DEEEEEEEEEE!" "Come sit find Freddy after dinner." Stella reluctantly shuffled into dining room. pine-paneled walls glowed with the warm from candles burning in brass candlesticks on a dining table that could easily seat eight. Russell was putting too much ketchup on his he always did, and mom was dishing green from pan. beans for thank you!" Russell announced as if using the words "thank you" magically protect him from the task of eating green beans. simply and spooned a of beans on his "What?" said with dismay. "More?" asked. Thanks." mound ketchup the green beans, hoping might disappear or at least a little better. "Want bottle to Stella but she shook her head "I can't eat, Mom."
 kitchen with the sweet corn.

"LoOk in the mirRor, hoNey."

"i doN't TrusT mirRors anymore."

"ReaLLy? SiNce when?"

"Mom, can we eat now?"

"SOon, RuSsELl. HeLP yOur siSter set THe TABle." shE gAve stELlA a hanDfuL of forkS and knives.

"but frEddy, Mom."

"RusseLL, hAve you seen freDdy?"

"Nope."

"He's prObaBly jusT eXplORing, hOneY. He'll Come hoME when hE's hungry. NOw GO set thE Table whILE I Cook The corn, and Stella? PLEaSE wash that glittEr off bEfORe WE Eat."

aftEr she set thE tAble, STElla wenT OuT ON The DEck and called FReddy and waiTEd aNd then ShE caLLed agaIn. The SuN Was Low in the sky. the pIne tree shAdows hAD engulfED the lawN and thE paTh dOwn tO ThE bOatHoUSe lOOkEd lIKe a Tunnel maDe Of DarknEss tHAT MIght SwaLlow A girl And her pet ferrEt aLive FOreVer. OuT on thE lakE a Loon cAlled aNd anoThEr loon answered.

"HOoooOo-OOOOOT!"

"HOooOoOooOoOooooOOo-OOOOoOOoOOt!"

"Freddy!"

"dinner's ON thE tABLE, hOney."

"Frehhhhhhhh-DEEeEeeeEeE!"

"Come siT down, hONeY. WE'Ll find FrEdDy aFter DINner."

STellA ReLuctantlY shuffLEd InTo the diNiNg room. thE piNe-pAneleD WallS gloweD with the Warm lIGht from candles BUrning in brass CAnDLEsTIcks On a Long dining tAble THat cOuld EAsIly SEat eiGht. RuSsELl WAs putting too much ketChUp on hiS hambUrger like he alWays did, and HER Mom was diShinG Up GReen beans from a Pan.

"No Beans for me, THank you!" RUsselL announcEd as if usiNG The words "ThaNk yOu" wOulD MAgIcally protect HIM froM tHe task oF eaTing greEn bEanS. HiS moM sImply smilEd and spoOnEd A bUnCh oF beanS On his plaTe.

"whaT?" RUssEll saID with dIsmay.

"more?" HiS mOM asKed.

"Nope! tHaNKS." RusSeLl SqueEzeD a Mound Of keTChuP on the gReen beans, HopINg thEy MiGht disaPpear or at leasT tAste a littlE bEttEr.

"Want SOMe?" RusselL offered the ketchup bottlE To StellA buT she sHook Her head no.

"i caN't eat, MOm."
 kitchen with the sweet co rn.

"Look  in t hemir ro r, h oney ."

"I don't t r ustmirrors anymore."

"Re ally?  S i ncew he n?"
"Mom, c a nw e  ea tno w?" 
" So on, R uss ell. He lp your si ste rset the tabl e ."  She gaveSte lla a handfu l o f fork sand knive s.
"But  Fredd y , Mom. "

"Russe ll ,  havey ou seen F re ddy? "

"Nope."

"He's pr o bably just exp loring ,h on e y . H e'l l come hom ewhenh e's hun g ry . N owg o set the tab le while Ic ook  the c or n,a nd Ste lla?Pl e ase  wash thatglit ter off b eforew e eat." 
Aftershe se t t hetabl e ,St ell aw ent ou t o n  th e deck a nd  c alled  Fre d d y andwai tedand t hen she calle d a gain .  Th e sun  waslowin  thesky. T he pi ne  tree shadows h ad e ngulfed t hela wnan d the path d own  to  the bo athouse loo ke d l ik e a tunnel made of  d a r kn ess that  might sw al l ow a gir land  her p et fe rret al ive fore ver. O u ton  the la ke  a loo ncal led  anda noth er loo n answer ed.
" Hoooooo-OOOOOT ! "

"Hoooooooo o oo o o oo o oo-O OOO OOOOOOT!"
"Fre d dy!" 

"D i nn er' s  on t he ta bl e ,h oney."

"Frehhhhhhh h- DEEEEE EEEEE !"

"Come sit  down, hon e y .  We'll f indF re d dy after dinne r."
Stella rel u ctantlyshuff led into  the dini n g  room. T hepin e-p ane l e dwalls glowedw i th t he  warm l igh t fromcan dle s b urn in g in bras s candle st ic ks  o n a  long dining t ab leth atcould easily  seat  eig ht .R uss ell was pu t t ingto omuch  ke tc hup o n hi s  ha mburger  like healw a ys d id ,and her  mom was dish in g up green  b ean s from a  pan.

" No beans for me, thanky ou!" Ru sse ll an noun ced as if  us ing th e w o rds "t hank y ou" w ou ldm a gical l y  p rot ec t him from t hetaskof  eat ing gre en beans. His moms imp ly smiled and  sp oone d abun c ho f b ea n s o n his plate.

"Wh at?" Russe ll sa id with di s may .
"More? " his m om as k ed.

"N ope! Than ks." Russ el l sq u e eze d a moundof ketch up on the green be ans,hop ing th ey  mi ght d isappe a r o r atleastta ste alittl ebetter.
"Want some?" Russell o ffered  theket chup bott let o S tella but  she  shook her  he adno.
"Ic an'teat, Mo m." 
 kitchen_with the_sweet corn.

"Look in the_mirror, honey."

"I_don't_trust mirrors_anymore."

"Really?_Since when?"

"Mom, can_we eat now?"

"Soon,_Russell. Help your sister_set the table."_She_gave Stella a handful of forks and knives.

"But Freddy, Mom."

"Russell, have you seen Freddy?"

"Nope."

"He's_probably_just exploring,_honey._He'll_come home when he's hungry._Now go set the table_while I_cook the corn, and Stella? Please wash that_glitter_off before we_eat."

After she set the table, Stella went out on_the deck and called Freddy and_waited and then_she_called_again. The sun was_low in the sky. The pine_tree shadows had engulfed the lawn_and the path down to the boathouse_looked like a tunnel made of_darkness that might swallow a_girl and_her pet ferret alive forever._Out on the_lake a_loon called and_another loon answered.

"Hoooooo-OOOOOT!"

"Hoooooooooooooooooo-OOOOOOOOOOT!"

"Freddy!"

"Dinner's on the table,_honey."

"Frehhhhhhhh-DEEEEEEEEEE!"

"Come sit down,_honey. We'll find Freddy after dinner."

Stella_reluctantly_shuffled into the_dining_room._The pine-paneled_walls glowed with_the_warm light_from_candles burning in brass candlesticks on_a_long dining table that could easily seat_eight. Russell was putting_too_much ketchup on his_hamburger like he always did,_and her mom was dishing up_green beans_from a_pan.

"No beans for me, thank you!" Russell announced as if using_the words "thank you" would magically_protect him from the_task of_eating_green beans. His_mom_simply smiled_and spooned a bunch of beans on_his plate.

"What?"_Russell said with dismay.

"More?" his mom_asked.

"Nope! Thanks." Russell squeezed_a_mound of ketchup on the green_beans, hoping they might disappear or_at least taste a little_better.

"Want_some?"_Russell offered the ketchup bottle_to Stella but she shook her_head no.

"I can't_eat, Mom."