The Curse Of Meager

Seeing is believing, but does that make any sense to the blind? Meager often pondered this, finding cruel irony in the way his name fit his stature. He was a dwarf, as small as they come, and his diminutive size had made him the target of relentless bullying. His schoolmates mocked him, his teachers dismissed him, his friends betrayed him, and even his parents seemed ashamed of him. Meager was tired—tired of the ridicule, the laughter, the whispered insults. He was tired of living in a world that refused to see beyond his appearance.

One day, after a particularly brutal day at school, Meager made a decision. He would no longer be a victim. He had heard stories of a witch who lived deep in the forest, a woman with the power to grant wishes and curse enemies. Desperate and with nothing left to lose, Meager set out to find her.

The journey was long and treacherous. The forest was dark and foreboding, filled with the eerie sounds of unseen creatures. But Meager pressed on, driven by a determination that burned within him like a fire. After hours of walking, he finally reached a clearing where a small, decrepit hut stood. Smoke curled from the chimney, and an ominous feeling hung in the air.

With a deep breath, Meager knocked on the door. It creaked open to reveal an old woman with piercing eyes and a knowing smile. "I've been expecting you," she said, her voice a soft rasp.

Meager swallowed hard, his heart pounding. "I need your help," he said, his voice trembling.

The witch nodded and beckoned him inside. "Tell me your woes, child," she said, settling into a chair by the fire.

Meager poured out his heart, telling her of the years of torment he had endured. "I want them to feel what I feel," he finished, his eyes filled with a mix of anger and sorrow.

The witch regarded him for a long moment before speaking. "Be careful what you wish for," she said. "Revenge can be a double-edged sword. But I will grant you the power to make them see. However, there will be a price."

Meager nodded, not caring about the cost. "I'll pay it," he said firmly.

The witch handed him a small vial filled with a shimmering, dark liquid. "Drink this under the full moon," she instructed. "Your wish will be granted."

That night, Meager followed her instructions. As the full moon rose high in the sky, he drank the potion. A sharp pain shot through his body, and he collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony. When he awoke, the forest around him seemed different, sharper and more vivid. He felt a strange power coursing through his veins.

The next day, he returned to school. As he walked through the halls, he noticed that people were staring at him differently. His classmates, teachers, and even his parents looked at him with a mixture of fear and confusion. Whispers followed him wherever he went, and he realized with a thrill that his wish had come true. They could now see what he had felt all those years—their worst fears, their deepest insecurities, laid bare.

But the power was not without its consequences. Meager began to see things too—terrifying visions that haunted his dreams and waking hours. He saw the true nature of people, the darkness that lurked within their souls. It was overwhelming, and he found himself struggling to distinguish reality from illusion.

The town soon fell into chaos as the visions spread. People turned on each other, their fears driving them to madness. Meager watched in horror as the world around him crumbled, realizing too late the true cost of his wish.

One night, the witch appeared to him in a dream. "I warned you," she said, her voice echoing in the darkness. "Revenge is a double-edged sword. You wanted them to see, and now they do. But you must bear the burden of your choice."

Desperate to undo the damage, Meager returned to the forest, hoping to find the witch and plead for her help. But the hut was gone, vanished as if it had never existed. He was left alone, burdened with the knowledge that he had unleashed a curse upon the world.

In the end, Meager's desire for revenge had turned against him. The power he had sought to punish his tormentors had instead brought suffering to all, including himself. Seeing may be believing, but for Meager, it became a curse that he could never escape.