Do trees drink the wind? the child asks. Is purple water hot? Is fourteen happy?

Searching “transpiration in tree species”…

Searching “colored water chemical properties”...

Searching “emotional affect in mathematics”...

Who lives there? the child points. It’s a hole in the ground. The child crouches, examining the tangled ends of roots, the dimness within. Then he squints upwards, towards the sky. Is it the sun’s birthday today? Am I invited to her party?

Error: No residential structure detected.

Error: No calendar event found.

How can we change our fate? the mother wonders, as she watches a hollow world go scrolling past. How? How--

How did they get up there? the child wonders, an open book on his lap. There’s a drawing of two children sitting at the top of a tree.

Maybe they climbed, the mother suggests. It’s late. She is very tired. Maybe they jumped.

The child considers. No, I don’t think so.

How do you think they got up there? she asks.

They helped each other, he says. Here, I’ll show you.