Faye and Davy were waiting at the bike rack by the train platform. Train rules allowed them to bring their bikes on board, but they had decided against it. Any extra steps would attract more attention, and they wanted to be as discreet as possible.

Wunder unhooked the wagon, which he was bringing, from his bike. The duffel bag banged and rattled and grated.

“Wundie, what do you have in there?” Faye poked the bag. It banged and rattled and grated some more.

“Things we might need,” Wunder said. “We don’t know where the tree is going to be, so I brought a hammer, screwdrivers, a wrench, wire cutters, some netting, a shovel. Oh, and a saw, of course. Only a handheld one. I wanted to bring the chain saw—”

Davy let out a yelp of protest.

“Too big though,” Wunder continued, ignoring him.

“Oh, I wish you had brought it,” Faye said. “Especially if we get caught. Nothing says innocence like a chain saw in a gym bag.”

“We won’t get caught.”

“Listen to you, so positive,” Faye said.

“I am,” Wunder said. And he smiled, a small smile. Then wider and wider, until he was grinning. It felt strange. But it felt good too, like going outside after being cooped up for a long time, like breathing in fresh air.

“All right, all right,” Faye said. “That’s enough. Let’s go get on this train that we’re probably going to get thrown off of.”

They crossed one set of tracks and then went up the ramp to the train platform. Wunder led them to the very end, as far from the ticket booth as they could get. They already had wristbands and tickets. The witch had produced these from one of the squeaky-hinged kitchen cabinets on Friday night. Wunder had wondered how long she’d had them and how she had gotten them, but he hadn’t asked. He had asked about other things though.

“You know, there are rules about kids traveling on trains,” he had said. “We’re supposed to have a parent bring us to the station and talk to the station agent.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” the witch had said. “It would be easier if you were older. What I am asking you to do, it will be difficult. But not impossible, I don’t think. Not impossible.”

They had to wait only a few minutes before their train pulled up, right on time. When the doors opened, they hurried on and found seats. The train car was empty.

The conductor came around a few minutes later. She squinted down at them.

“How old are you three?” she asked. She took their tickets and squinted at each one. Then she squinted right at Davy, who shrank back in his seat. Wunder thought he probably should have handled all the tickets, being the tallest of the three. Davy looked like a third grader. “How’d you get these tickets? And what’re you going to Benedict for?”

“My father lives there,” Faye spoke up. She pinned her bangs back and fixed the conductor with a deadpan stare. “My mother says he’s an adulterer, a heathen, et cetera, but he’s my father. Last time I threatened to curse him to the seventh level of Hades, so my friends are here with me this time. They’re a calming influence.”