I lick. “It tastes like candy cane,” I say. “Paint doesn’t taste like candy cane, does it?”

“I don’t know,” Jonah says. “I’ve never eaten paint!”

“I bet you would if it were covered in ketchup.”

“Probably,” he agrees.

I scrape a bit off with my fingernail and taste some more. “Do not try this at home, Jonah! Got it? But I’m like ninety-nine percent sure this is candy,” I say.

“Does that mean what I think it means?” Jonah asks.

“If you’re thinking that we’re going to eat our way out of the cottage, then yes.”

He licks his lips. “Let’s do it.”

* * *

We lick and bite and chew. And lick and bite and chew some more.

We each tackle a different section. I’m on one end, Jonah’s on the other, and Prince is in the middle. At least he’s supposed to be.

“Stay on your side,” I order Prince when he accidentally slobbers all over my nose.

“I’m getting full,” Jonah says. “I have to loosen my licorice belt.”

The candy walls are like a foot thick. And hard. We keep at it for over an hour until our tongues are numb and Jonah looks a little green.

“I think I might barf,” he says. “For real this time.”

“The bucket is right behind you,” I say. “The barf will blend right in. Do it quickly because I think we’re almost through.”

He takes a deep breath. “I think I can hold it in.”

I scrape one more piece out, and I feel it. Fresh air! I look outside and see the night sky. We did it! We ate our way out of the cage! I take out another chunk and chew fast. The hole is almost big enough. So close! I can see the tree. Our portal home. It’s right in front of us!

“Come on, guys. We’re almost there!” I whisper. “Eat! Eat! Eat!”

We eat and eat until the hole is big enough. I lift Prince out, help Jonah through, and then shimmy through myself.

We did it! We escaped! We’re free!

Run for the portal!” I yell. “Run!”

Even though it’s pitch-black outside, the full moon and stars are bright, so we can see where we’re going.

I reach the portal first and smash my fist against it hard. Ouch. I think that was a little too hard.

I wait for the swirl. Or the hiss. Or some purple sparks. Even a vibration. The portals home don’t always follow the same order as the mirror in our basement. C’mon swirl, c’mon!

Nothing happens. No swirl. No hiss. No purple. No vibrations. Nothing un-treelike at all.

Ahh! I hit it again, even harder.

Still nothing.

“Abby? Why isn’t it working?” Jonah asks.

I stare at the tree. This is definitely the one that swirled before. So why isn’t it working now?

Oh no oh no oh no.

I have a really, really, really terrible thought.