He had stared at him for a while and, seeing that he was struggling to speak, scooped some loose debris from the ground, crushed it in his hand and sprinkled it back on the earth. ‘What do you think about this place?’ asked Peter. ‘It’s great!’ Will sat cross-legged and tilted his head. ‘Would you like to live here permanently?’ Peter was gazing over the pond, with his arms resting on his bent knees. ‘Of course! So would my brothers. I know they would!’ Peter nodded; his lips were set in a thin line. ‘What if I told you that you could never see your brothers again?’ Will glared at Peter; his bright eyes hardened like cold stones. ‘I’d leave and find my own way home.’ Peter nodded once more. ‘What if I said you could never return home?’ ‘I wouldn’t believe you!’ ‘But what if I told you it wasn’t my decision.’ Will had had enough. He stood with his fists clenched.
