The minute Hilda woke up, she knew she was forgetting something. It wasn’t her birthday. It was still a week till she turned 9. She went outside to think, and saw her father sitting in his chair, gazing at the hills nearby. “Morning, Hilda,” he said. She smiled in response, then looking in the same direction he was, suddenly recalled what was going on. She gasped, “Brother’s coming home today!” She grabbed a stick, which she pretended was a sword, and ran off to go surprise him. As he walked down the road and the sight of his home finally reached his eyes, he stopped a while to admire it. Just then, Hilda jumped out of the grass beside him with a battle cry. After using the stick from his knapsack to defend himself, he fell on his back and stuck out his tongue so dramatically that both of them couldn’t help laughing. Getting back on his feet, he picked her up and they went home together.

If you missed the trailer.

Chapter 2