Back home, he lit the heater and made hot chocolate with the last bit of cocoa powder he had. The girls — Lily and Claire — sat wrapped in blankets, whispering to each other as Ethan shared his toys.

When Daniel asked where their parents were, the older one said, “We don’t know. Daddy went to look for us when the car stopped working… but he didn’t come back.”

Daniel didn’t ask more. He just tucked them in and told them they were safe now.