The air inside the cottage grew heavier as the day wore on. Hansel and Gretel stayed close to the main room, unsure what lay beyond the closed doors that lined the walls. Gretel was restless, pacing in tight circles, her sharp eyes darting toward the forbidden shelf every now and then.

“We can’t just sit here forever,” she muttered. “What if no one comes back? What if this place isn’t safe after all?”

“It is,” Hansel said quietly, though his voice betrayed his uncertainty. “She said it was, as long as we follow the rules.”

Gretel shot him a look but didn’t argue. Instead, she moved to the table and sat down, her fingers drumming against its sticky surface. “Then what are we supposed to do? Just wait?”

Before Hansel could respond, a faint humming sound filled the air. It wasn’t coming from outside—it was coming from the house itself. The walls seemed to vibrate, a low, resonant tone that grew louder, wrapping around them like a warning.

“What’s happening?” Gretel whispered, her voice sharp with fear.

Hansel stood, clutching his wooden carving. “I don’t know.”

The humming deepened, and the jars on the shelves began to rattle. The forbidden shelf seemed to glow faintly, its shadows shifting like something alive. Gretel’s eyes widened as she stared at it, frozen in place.

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“Did you touch something?” Hansel asked, his voice rising.

“No!” Gretel snapped, though her pale face suggested she wasn’t so sure.

The front door creaked open slowly, and both children turned toward it, their breath catching. Standing in the doorway was the bear. Its massive frame filled the entrance, its fur shimmering faintly in the dim light. Its glowing eyes fixed on them, calm but unyielding.

Hansel took a small step forward. “The bear,” he murmured. “It’s here to make sure we’re following the rules.”

The bear let out a low growl—not angry, but commanding. It stepped inside, its heavy paws making no sound on the candy-coated floor. Gretel shrank back, her earlier bravado crumbling as the bear’s gaze fell on her.

“What does it want?” Gretel asked, her voice trembling.

Hansel didn’t answer. He stared at the bear, his heart pounding. Slowly, the bear moved to the forbidden shelf, its massive head lowering as it sniffed the swirling jars and glowing trinkets. Then it turned back to the children, rumbling softly.

“It’s protecting the house,” Hansel said finally, his voice quiet but sure. “And it’s warning us.”

“Warning us about what?” Gretel demanded, though she didn’t take her eyes off the bear.

Hansel looked at the forbidden shelf, then back at the bear. “About what will happen if we don’t follow the rules.”

The bear stared at them for a long moment, then turned and padded toward the door. It paused on the threshold, glancing back once before disappearing into the forest.

The humming stopped, and the house fell silent. Hansel and Gretel stood frozen, their breaths shallow.

“We need to get out of here,” Gretel said finally, breaking the silence. “Before something worse happens.”

“No,” Hansel said, his voice firmer than before. “We stay. We follow the rules. That’s how we survive.”

Gretel looked at him, her jaw tightening, but she didn’t argue. She glanced at the forbidden shelf one last time before turning away, her fists clenched at her sides.