CHAPTER 9 – TRUD’S SECRET PLACE“I want to show you something,” Trud said, “but you have to promise not to tell anyone.”
“I won’t tell a soul,” Erik assured her.
Trud grabbed Erik’s hand and led him deeper into the woods. Erik tried to keep up. It was strange, he thought, holding someone’s hand. He used to hold hands with his parents a long time ago, but his friends at school never held hands. And now here he was, holding hands with a girl.
It was actually quite a nice feeling; her hand was soft and warm and it felt far better than he would have imagined. Still, he did feel a little awkward, but he was afraid to move his fingers, in case Trud let go.
Trud led the way, following a barely visible path through the dense undergrowth. The plants, the trees and the bushes were just like back
