Bleston could not stop laughing. Apparently, he found the whole frog situation extremely funny. So funny, in fact, that he'd snorted his cordial out his nose while Ian recounted the order of events. They were sitting outside underneath a tree, eating lunch. Across the schoolyard a group of does were alternating between hopscotch and jump rope. There were eight (Counting Perkin) of them; Poppy had decided to go and beat Rowan at hopscotch, which was certain to have her fuming, and Glen had decided that they weren't worth her time.

"Mother's going to kill you when we get home!" Bleston reminded an annoyed Jupiter between laughs.

"How long do you think she'll ground you?" Perkin asked anxiously.

"Until I die." Jupiter muttered, kicking the ground with his foot.

"So, who's idea exactly, was it?" Wilfred asked.

"Jupiter found that frog on the way here this morning." Ian responded. "We couldn't get him to let it go." Lucy giggled.

"That's why you looked so frustrated." Ian smirked.

"The secret is that I'm always frustrated. Jupiter just brings it out more." he whispered conspiratorially.

"Oh, that's no secret." Bleston responded, clapping his younger brother on the back so that he doubled over and nearly dumped his lunch pail on the ground. Jupiter glared at him as he righted himself. "He frustrates everyone." Suddenly Poppy, returning from her game, jumped up from behind Bleston, scaring him out of his wits. Somehow, she had come up from behind. "Poppy!" He snapped, suddenly angry. Poppy snickered.

"You looked stupid." She said, "Worth it."

"It's not hard to make him look stupid." Garten told her.

"Thanks." Bleston grumbled.

"Hey guys, baseball!" Victor shouted, racing past at top speed.

"Yes!" Jupiter exclaimed, giving Perkin a high-five. Wilfred mentally groaned, remembering the last time he'd played baseball with Jupiter.

Four hours later, after an exhausting first math class and extremely boring history lesson, Wilfred opened the door to find their parents standing by the staircase. Hattie and their grandfather were nowhere to be seen.

Lucy's crutches clicked against the floor as she looked at her parents, surprised. Leapers, she doesn't know. Wilfred suddenly realized. From the frantic look Garten was sending his way, he wasn't the only one.

"You four need to come sit down." Daniel said. "We have something to tell you."

"No! No! You can't do this!" Everyone was shocked when it was Lucy's voice ringing out in protest. She was crying, and she was angry. "It's not fair!" She was standing in a moment. "You can't take us from our home!"

"You don't have a home!" Daniel snapped. "It's burnt away."

"You don't know what a home is!" Came her barbed retort. "A home is friends and family, not stone and plaster! And you aren't it!" Daniel rose from his seat. A cold wash of fear came over Wilfred. Lucy's eyes widened. A moment later she was gone. Upstairs, a door slammed.

"GeT OUT!" Daniel roared. His fist slammed hard onto the table. Whittel dashed from the room, Wilfred on his heels. They skidded to a halt just outside the front door. A moment later they heard a shout- "Daniel, no!"- a scream, and the whole house shuddered. The door opened, and Garten was shoved roughly out. Behind him stood their seething father. Garten let out a cry of pain, and tumbled to the ground. The door shut.

"Garten, are you okay?" Wilfred and Whittel helped him up. He was clutching one arm to his chest, and his face was strained.

"No." He replied through gritted teeth. "My arm aches like hellfire."

"Is it sprained?" Whittel asked anxiously. No matter how much they argued, they would also always have each other's backs.

"Probably. Feels like it." He responded.

"Where's Lucy?" Wilfred asked, worried.

"I don't know." Garten admitted. "Hopefully safe."

"Boys, go around back." They turned, and their mother was standing there. "Go up the stairs and get your sister and your things. Garten, come with me. Now." They obeyed instantly. That hard, heartbroken look in their mother's eyes was enough to stop any protests they might have had.

"So this is really happening." Wilfred said, a lump forming in the back of his throat. "We're leaving First Warren." Whittel nodded. And we never got to say good-bye.