As they got closer to the house, they could make out some of the details. The house had been decorated like a giant gingerbread house, with posts painted like giant candy canes and what looked like decorative icing on the walls. Jon knocked on the door, and an attractive teenage girl, not much older than Jon and Karyn, opened the door. She was wearing what looked like a simple, handmade black dress that you might see at a Renaissance Fair. The neckline showed off her generous cleavage.
"Oh, my!" she said, "we don't get many visitors out here. Are you lost?"
When Jon and Karyn tried to explain what happened, she invited them in. The inside of the cottage was dim, but cozy, with a small fire burning in the fireplace surrounded by wicker chairs. Another woman, somewhat older, sat in one of the chairs. She smiled and greeted them, and started to get up. She was dressed similarly to the younger girl, but her belly swelled out - apparently she was in the late stages of pregnancy.
A third woman was at the far end of the cottage, tending a small kettle over another small fire. This woman looked ancient and haggard, and wore a black knitted shawl over her black dress. She also smiled, but did not speak.
The young girl invited the four to sit down, and brought them each a mug of what smelled like hot apple cider. She bid them drink, which they did happily - they were all cold from wandering in the forest, and the warm liquid made them feel calm and happy. In a few moments, their eyes closed, and they were all fast asleep.
