I couldn’t believe how much my 10-year-old son Jack had changed. He was always a pain because he was so full of energy and didn’t want to be controlled. He came home a different boy after spending the weekend with his grandma. He was friendly, willing to help, and seemed very serious.
I had a strong suspicion that Jack’s change wasn’t just due to his grandmother’s impact, but to something else as well.
I had to corner Jack after school to finally get him to tell me the truth. A family tradition that made my blood run cold was being talked about by his grandma and her boyfriend. At age 35, every guy in my husband’s family was expected to go into the woods by himself, without any tools or way to get in touch with the outside world. This practice was meant to make people stronger and more resilient, but I thought it was cruel and out of date.
It made me mad that my husband Ethan had hidden this from me. Why didn’t he tell me about this family custom? He put his life in danger, did he think I would just stand there and watch?
As the days went by, things got more tense in our home. Ethan was determined to follow through with the practice, and I was getting more and more desperate to find a way to stop him. Jack could tell that things were getting tense between us, so he kept being helpful and cooperative, but I could see worry in his eyes.
I realised that Jack was getting ready for a time when he might have to take care of himself as I watched him carefully sweep the kitchen floor. What a sweet thing he did to keep me safe.
Not only for my own safety, but also for Jack’s, I knew I had to find a way to stop Ethan from doing this. Seeing my husband die was too much for me to bear, and I knew Jack would feel the same way about his dad.
The weeks went by, and I was getting more and more desperate to find a way out. Before it was too late, I knew I had to move quickly. Still, all I could do was hold on to the hope that this would not end badly for our family and that Ethan would see sense before it was too late.
