EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fourth chapter in a 12-chapter fictional tale that will run through Christmas Day. Parents are encouraged to read aloud to their children.

The smell of Chocolate Forest hit long before the sight did. Molly inhaled the intoxicating scents of rich chocolate and buttery caramel and a hint of cinnamon. Even the trees smelled amazing, with trunks of dark chocolate and sticky sap dripping down like hot fudge.

They walked along a stream of hot cocoa that trickled between the trees, and Molly watched tiny marshmallow fish dart back and forth just below the surface. Patches of chocolate kisses grew along the bank, and she picked a few to stow away in her bag, just in case they came in handy when she got her brilliant idea.

They followed the stream to a clearing, where the cocoa pooled into a large pond surrounded by dozens of workshops. A maze of pipes ran overhead, connected to the trees and buildings. Each carried a different kind of chocolate — milk, dark, white, and everything in between. Some were built into the trees themselves, pulling out the thick, fudgey sap.

Right outside the nearest building, a boy not much older than Molly stood behind a table stacked with various utensils. He was vigorously stirring a huge, steaming pot. She grabbed Jax’s arm to pull him back into the trees to hide, but the boy had already spotted them.

“Careful where you step,” he warned in a bored tone. “The last visitor fell into a vat of dark chocolate and we still haven’t scraped him out.”

Molly and Jax glanced at each other, not sure if the boy was joking.

“We didn’t mean to intrude,” Molly said. “We’re just passing through.”

“Congratulations,” the boy said dryly. “You’ve successfully passed through. Try not to trip on the way out.”

Jax crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes, but Molly stepped closer, eyeing the glossy chocolate cooling on a marble slab. “You temper it perfectly,” she said. “It’s so shiny and smooth.”

That finally earned his attention. He glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. “Of course I temper it perfectly. We don’t do anything imperfectly around here.”

“What are you making?” she asked, gesturing toward the pot he was stirring.

“Cocoa mortar,” he said. “Secret recipe, of course. Super strong stuff, used for a lot of our buildings. It’s the base for most of the products that come out of the Chocolate Forest. You won’t find craftsmanship like this on your little gingerbread shores, that’s for sure.”

Molly ignored the insult. She leaned closer, mesmerized by the shimmery swirls of melted chocolate. “How do you keep it from hardening too fast?”

The boy smirked. “Trade secret. But it’s mainly important to take your time. Most people would rush and ruin it.”

“I wouldn’t rush,” she said quietly, half to herself. An idea was trying to form, but it was just outside of her grasp. “Could I try a bit? Just to see how it sets?”

“You? Want to try my chocolate?”

“Just a little.”

He studied her for a moment, then sighed dramatically as he ladled a bit of the chocolate into a small cup. “Fine. But don’t blame me if you get overwhelmed by perfection.”

She smiled and dipped a spatula into the warm mortar, then spread it on the counter. Within moments, it cooled enough to lift. It flexed slightly between her fingers before holding firm.

“This is actually incredible. It’s like caramel and cement mixed together.”

The boy folded his arms and looked almost insulted. “Of course it’s incredible. Like I’d let you try it if it were anything but.”

Molly held back a laugh. “I think this could be perfect for…well, something. I’m just not sure what yet.”

He studied her for a long moment, then surprised her by scooping a bit of mortar into a small tin. “Here. Take it. Just don’t tell anyone I shared it … and I won’t tell anyone you were here.”

Molly accepted it with a grateful smile and tucked it carefully into her pack. “Thank you, this will really help. I’m glad we ran into you, um …”

“Theo,” he supplied, then smirked again. “Or we could go with Chocolate Hero, if you prefer.”

Jax groaned, glancing at Molly. “Do you think we’re done here?”

Molly thought about the chocolate kisses she already had. That, plus the mortar, was a pretty good start. “I think so.”

As they left the Chocolate Forest behind them and headed toward their next stop, Gumdrop Cove, Molly felt a real spark of hope that she might just change the holidays forever.

Read chapter 5 in tomorrow’s newspaper.