CHAPTER ONE
Delaney stared out of the passenger side window as his mum drove their family car along a winding road that was surrounded by forest. It was quiet. They had barely spoken to each other since they had left their home over two and a half hours ago.
The road started to become more dirt than sealed gravel as they drove deeper into the forest. The tall Canadian pine trees on either side of the road arched inwards overhead, almost forming a tunnel over the road.
Delaney squinted his light brown eyes as he looked out of his window at the sun starting to set over the large grassy hills. A few minutes later, Delaney’s mum, Lucy, made a right turn onto another dirt road. With their destination not too far in the distance, Lucy decided to finally break the silence.
‘It’s going to be okay.’
‘Huh?’ Delaney turned to face his mum.
‘It’s going to be okay,’ she repeated, trying to sound more convincing.
‘Okay,’ Delaney replied indifferently, turning back to face the passenger window.
Lucy continued. ‘Just see this as an opportunity to get away from everything.’
Delaney remained silent.