Those were the days when the sky became pale in the winter. Hansel and Gretel, who lived in a cramped apartment in a bustling city, used to go for walks together in their neighbourhood where the noise of car horns and children’s laughter never ceased. Peter, their father, was a carpenter who was always seen working hard day and night to provide for his kids, but the times had grown tough, and he just couldn’t get rid of the ever-increasing piles of bills. Slowly, his tools that once held a promise of betterment, started getting used less and less and could only be seen sitting idle in a corner of the living room.

The real trouble, however, began when Peter remarried. His new wife was an ill-mouthed and sharp-tongued woman named Lydia. She clearly had contempt for the children and considered them burdens. She would often mutter under her breath about how much easier things would be without them.

One evening, Hansel overheard Lydia arguing with their father. “We can barely afford food for ourselves,” she hissed. “If those two brats weren’t here—”

Peter cut her off, his voice weary. “They’re my children, Lydia. I won’t abandon them.”

But Lydia was relentless, and eventually, her words began to wear Peter down. That night, as Hansel and Gretel lay on their shared mattress, Hansel whispered, “We need to be ready. If she gets her way, we might be on our own.”

Gretel, always the optimist, tried to reassure him. “Oh, don’t worry, brother. Dad won’t let that happen.”

Hansel didn’t respond. Instead, he stared at the ceiling, already forming a plan.

The following morning, Lydia announced that she and Peter were taking Hansel and Gretel to a “community centre” where they could get free meals. “It’ll be good for everyone,” she said with a tight smile. Peter looked away, his face clouded with guilt.

Hansel wasn’t convinced, so he slipped a handful of breadcrumbs from the pantry into his pocket before they left. As Lydia took them through the city streets, he carefully yet discreetly kept dropping bread crumbs along the way to mark their route.

When they arrived at an unfamiliar building, Lydia turned to them and asked them to wait there while she filled out some paperwork.

The children waited patiently for some time, but when hours had passed, and their parents didn’t return, anxiety crept in. The two wandered through the empty halls before Hansel finally led Gretel outside, confident he could follow the trail back home. However, to his dismay, the breadcrumbs had been swept away by the wind and footsteps of passersby or probably eaten by birds.

“Relax, we will figure something out,” Hansel tried to sound brave for his sister. Gretel nodded and gripped her brother’s arm tightly.

Over the next few days, the siblings faced a lot of hardships: they had to sleep in the park and scavenge for food. But Hansel was quite resourceful, for he bartered favours from people for scraps and even found shelter for them. As for Gretel, her charming smile made passersby spare them loose change.

Things were probably the worst they could get, they thought. But then, Lydia and Peter appeared again, “Where have you two been? We have been looking for you everywhere,” Peter was genuinely relieved.

“Let’s go home,” Lydia forced a smile.

Though Gretel was eager to return, Hansel hesitated, for he knew they couldn’t trust Lydia. Still, the lure of his warm bed and fresh food was one he failed to resist. He didn’t trust Lydia, but the lure of a warm bed and hot food was too strong to resist.

However, it wasn’t long before Lydia came up with another plan. This time, she planned a trip to the city outskirts. Her proposal was that the kids must have had a hard time, so the new candy shop there would cheer them up. Peter had to agree, although reluctantly.

That shop was something out of a fairytale: its walls were lined with lollipops, and shelves were stacked with every kind of chocolate one could imagine. Gretel’s eyes lit up, and even Hansel let his guard down momentarily.

A woman with a sickly, sweet voice welcomed them warmly. “Stay as long as you like, and try anything you fancy.”

So Hansel and Gretel sampled a few treats, forgetting about their worries, but as time passed, they realized that their parents had slipped away once again.

“It’s fine,” Hansel said, his instincts kicking in. “We’ll leave and figure things out just like we did before.”

But when they tried the door, it wouldn’t budge!

The lady reappeared, but her behaviour was odd now, darker. “No, no, you two are not leaving. You’re exactly what I need.”

Hansel and Gretel exchanged a glance, their unease sharpening into fear. The woman explained that she was struggling to keep her business afloat and needed workers who wouldn’t demand pay. “You’ll clean, organize, and help with deliveries,” she said. “And if you don’t, well…” She gestured toward the towering ovens in the back.

They understood her threat all too well.

For days, the siblings were kept in the shop and forced to work long hours under the woman’s watchful eye. But the two didn’t lose hope; instead, Hansel kept an eye on the woman’s routine and noted the shop’s layout. On the other hand, Gretel listened carefully whenever the shopkeeper was talking to herself. The little girl then used to piece together clues about where the woman kept the keys to the main door.

One evening, when the woman was distracted by a particularly difficult batch of caramel, Hansel whispered, “I have a plan.”

Gretel nodded, her face pale but determined, “What do we do?”

Hansel explained that they would create a diversion, giving Gretel enough time to retrieve the keys. They waited until the shopkeeper went into the storeroom, and then Hansel deliberately knocked over a shelf of jars, sending candy spilling everywhere.

The noise brought the shopkeeper running. “You clumsy little—!” she snarled, grabbing Hansel by the arm. But as she berated him, Gretel slipped behind her and snatched the keys from a hook on the wall.

With the keys in hand, Gretel unlocked the door and signalled to Hansel. He broke free from the shopkeeper’s grip and bolted toward the exit with Gretel close behind. The woman screamed after them, but they didn’t look back.

They ran until their legs gave out, collapsing in an alley far from the shop. For the first time in days, they felt safe.

Hansel and Gretel eventually made their way back to the city centre, where they found help at a local shelter. The staff there listened to their story and promised to keep them safe. Through the shelter, they were connected with a social worker who helped them find better living conditions.

Their father, guilt-ridden and remorseful, left Lydia and worked tirelessly to rebuild his relationship with his children. Though it wasn’t easy, Hansel and Gretel forgave him, understanding that love sometimes means giving second chances.

As for the shopkeeper, nobody knew where she went or when her shop got closed. Some said she ran away while others thought her greed had consumed her.

In a nutshell, it was the siblings’ creativity that saved them, and they learned that hope and cleverness can help light one’s path even in the darkest of days.