[ CW ] Take a children fictional setting and rewrite it as surrealist horror or cosmic horror .

*'' Dear sweet children, how can you smile? * 
 
 *'' When the forest trees have eyes, * 
 
 *'' And the plants have ears. `` * 
 
 -- - 
 
 Once upon a time, there was a lived a woodcutter, his wife and his two children, Hansel and Gretel. 
 
 The woodcutter's wife was from a second marriage, and the wicked stepmother often treated the children badly. 
 
 `` There is not enough food in the house to feed us all!'' The woodcutter's second wife said. `` Send them away to somewhere far!'' 
 
 The woodcutter's was despondent, for he loved his children, but he loved his wife too. 
 
 The boy, Hansel, overheard the conversation, and took his sister hands. `` Do n't worry, I'll protect you and father,'' he said, resolutely staring into his sister's eyes. 
 
 `` Here's what we have to do...'' 
 
 -- - 
 
 *'' Dear sweet children, * 
 
 *'' What did you do? `` * 
 -- - 
 
 `` Father, Father!'' Hansel shouted, `` can you bring us to the forest to play?'' 
 
 Hansel and Gretel had overheard their step-mother's plan to abandon them in the forest near their home. But they had a plan to ensure that they would be able to get home safely. 
 
 The siblings had brought a loaf of bread, that they plucked apart and dropped on the ground, leaving them a trail to go back. 
 
 When they were deep into the forest, their father had given a weak excuse, and planned to leave them in the middle of nowhere. 
 
 But before their father had left, Hansel had reached up and grasped his father's shirt and pulled him down. 
 
 `` Do n't worry,'' Hansel whispered, `` we'll be safe. I promise. So please, chop some wood before you go back.'' 
 
 His father had sobbed, and hugged them both before woefully making his way back into the forest. He did n't feel like facing his wife, after the deed he had done. 
 
 The two children had nodded to each other, and waited for their father to disappear from their sight before making their way to the trail they had left. 
 
 But there was no trail, for the birds had eaten them all! 
 
 Gretel had began to cry, `` I'm scared,'' she said, sobbing into her brother's chest. 
 
 `` Gretel...'' Hansel whispered, and hugged her tightly, `` do n't worry. I'll protect you, I promise.'' 
 
 `` You will?'' 
 
 `` Yes, I will. So please dry your tears.'' 
 
 Gretel had sniffled softly and nodded. `` Okay, big brother. I trust you.'' 
 
 -- - 
 
 *'' Dear sweet children, * 
 
 *'' How can you sleep? * 
 
 *'' Knowing what you did does n't haunt you, I see. `` * 
 
 -- - 
 
 Soon, night had fallen, and Hansel and Gretel were still slowly making their way through the forest. 
 
 The cold night wind had started to blow, and the children started to shiver. 
 
 Suddenly, A shout from Hansel came. `` Look!'' He said, `` there it is!'' 
 
 And indeed it was, a little cottage in the middle of the glade. 
 
 The two children had creeped up to the cottage and peeked inside the window. 
 
 `` Look at her,'' Hansel said, pointing to a woman in the kitchen `` cackling over a pot like that. She must be a witch!'' 
 
 Both the children nodded resolutely. They knew what to do with witches. 
 
 Quietly, they creeped into the kitchen. Luckily, luck on the side, for the kitchen had a huge furnace, which had a large door. 
 
 They looked towards the direction of the kitchen where the witch was, and back to the furnace again. 
 
 Out of the corner of his eye, Hansel spotted a large axe, like the one his father had used to chop wood. He look back at his sister and leaned in close to whisper in her ear. 
 
 `` I'll go get the witch,'' he said, `` go open the furnace door. Be careful, it's very hot.'' 
 
 Gretel had nodded, and worked on getting the furnace door open without burning herself. 
 
 Hansel had went over to the axe, and lifted it up, slowing making his way over to where the witch was. Making sure that the witch was still engrossed with stirring her pot, he lightly entered the doorway to the kitchen, and raised the axe high above his head, in the direction of the witch. 
 
 And brought it down. 
 
 -- - 
 
 *'' Dear sweet children, * 
 
 *'' Beneath the fruit filled trees,'' * 
 
 -- - 
 
 The ashes of the furnace came out from a chute at the bottom once the fire had died out. They collected the pile of ashes in several bags, and brought them to the trees and plants surrounding the house. 
 
 Each of them reached to a bag and started to sprinkle the ashes across the soil of the trees and plants. 
 
 And before their eyes, the plants and trees they sprinkled the ashes on grew flowers, fruits and food. 
 
 The two children cried out in shock, and began rushing to pick the fruits and food. 
 
 Amazingly, each fruit and food that they plucked from the branches simply grew back as plump and juicy as before. 
 
 Quickly, they gathered as much as their little hands could carry and placed them into the bags. When satisfied with their haul, the picked up the bags and made their way back to the cottage. 
 
 -- - 
 
 *'' Lies something, * 
 
 *'' Others would rather not see. `` * 
 
 -- - 
 
 The two children had managed to make their way back to their house in the end. 
 
 Their wicked step-mother was missing, their father was n't home and a half-cooked pot of food was left on the stove. 
 
 So both children went busy to work while waiting for their father to appear. They started to tidy up the place, starting with the unfinished pot of food that their step-mother had left half done. 
 
 When their father had stepped through the door, both children turned towards each other and ran to meet their father. 
 
 `` Look Father,'' Hansel said, `` we made it back back! And do n't worry, step-mother wo n't bother us again!'' 
 
 `` Yes!'' Gretel had said, grinning widely in agreement. `` She was n't that bad in the end.'' 
 
 `` Yeah. She even helped us to grow the plants and trees. So that they all grew fruits and food.'' 
 
 `` We wo n't have to worry about food anymore!'' 
 
 Their father had blinked at them, unshed tears in his eyes. 
 
 And did n't make a move to hug them. 
 
 -- - 
 
 *'' Dear sweet children, I must ask. * 
 
 *'' How can you sleep at night? `` * 
 
 -- -
