1 Man in the Water

Katherine made her way to the riverside sitting down on a large flat rock watching the white water in the river ripple and spray near her bare feet. She stuck the wooden end of her homemade fishing pole between two rocks so she didn't have to hold it, the young girl smoothed out her yellow sundress and laid back with her hands behind her head weaving her fingers between her long black hair before falling asleep.

Crickets chirped as the sun began to set and Katherine's eyes shot open to see the orangish glow of the setting sun. Internally cursing herself, Katherine rubbed the sleep from her eyes while taking note of all the things that needed to be done before her sisters would arrive. Standing up, she raised her arms and stood on the tips of her toes as she stretched her long body after laying in the same position all day. Smoothing out her sundress she turned her attention to the fishing pole she lodged between the rocks.

"Damn fish," she mumbled under her breath frustrated from not catching a single thing that day. With the sun setting in the forest, and not having caught any fish for her sisters arrival, Katherine walked the edge of the river until she came to a shallow bank. Tying up her long black hair with a ribbon she pulled from her dress, Katherine stepped into the shallow river causing her hair to raise from the sudden coolness of the water. Stepping out of the shadows cast by the tree line and into the suns setting glow, Katherine's tan slender figure was in full view for the hooded person hiding on the opposite side of the bank. As Katherine bent down to look in the water for fish, all she could see was her own heart shaped face and brown eyes staring back at her. The young woman let her thoughts wander until she heard a twig snap in the forest behind her. Straightening up, Katherine called out "Is someone there?" Knowing her sisters would be arriving soon, had they come early? No, she thought, in all the years they've been visiting, not once had they even arrived on time.

That didn't sound like an animal, she thought to herself. Knowing there weren't many people that came this deep into the forest Katherine made her way to the side of the bank opposite from her house to see if a person had gotten lost while hiking. It was not uncommon as there had been a few over the years, that would wander off one of the old trails and find their way to her by mistake. Peering through the darkening tree line, all Katherine could see were shadows. Closing her eyes she listened very closely, picking through the usual sounds of the forest and thought she heard the faint sound of a person breathing. Putting on a friendly smile Katherine jokingly called out "There's no need to be afraid, I am not some psychotic killer, I live here" after the words left her mouth Katherine realized that, that is probably what a psychotic killer who lives in the forest would say.

Not wanting to sound insane Katherine continued talking to the forest " I swear, I really am friendly. Look," she said as she gestured to herself. "I don't even have shoes on and I'm in a dress, not that you should judge on appearances but statistically if someone came to the woods with the intent to cause harm they would probably wear shoes or—" Katherine cut herself off from her own rambling. Taking a big breath and letting it out loudly, Katherine turned her back from the trees to face the river.

"Pull it together Kat, you're really starting to lose it now" she said quietly to herself as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

Finally deciding to head back home, Katherine stepped back into the river to make her way across, failing to notice the cloaked figure that stepped out of the tree line behind her. Watching her every move, the figure waved their hand and the flow of water in the river steadily increased around the girl. Katherine, not expecting the water to pick up its pace, lost her balance on a slimy rock and felt a sharp pain on her foot. Falling to her hands and knees with her head now barely above water, Katherine tried to slowly crawl back to the other when she heard something wet collide with a rock near her with a thunk sound.

Turning her head toward the noise, she could hear her heart beat getting louder in her ears. Sitting up as her body fought for balance in the rushing water, Katherine could see the body of a man face down floating toward her.

"What the fuck" she whispered under her breath with a shaking voice. Slowly standing up in the water as she regained her balance, she shivered as a cool breeze invaded her wet hair and dress that clung to her. Bracing herself for the mans body that was coming to her legs she was able to grab ahold of his tattered shorts while keeping herself steady. Dragging him to the side of the river bank, Katherine, with shaking hands, turned over the man in the mud. To her horror, the man had four diagonal wounds across his chest deep enough for Katherine to be able to see the shredded white fatty tissue. As dark blood continued to ooze through the jagged edges of his skin, the young girl covered her mouth and nose turning pale from the rotten smell coming from the man. Composing herself, Katherine lifted her head with fearful eyes and frantically searched the forest around her, this was the first animal attack she had seen since living in the forest but not another soul was in sight.

Sitting next to the man she pulled from the river, Katherine placed her hands on his chest. To her relief she could feel his faint heartbeat, there was still a chance she could save him from death but she had to be quick. Looking at the sky turning from orange to purple, Katherine estimated she had about an hour before her sisters would arrive. Standing up she winced at the sharp pain on her foot, Katherine lifted her leg to see to see a jagged cut on her heal.

Even though her house was relatively close to the river bank, Katherine who was wet and cold, hoped her sisters would forgive her for breaking the rules. Kneeling down next to the man, she proceeded to dip her fingers in the mans festering wound to gather blood. Making a triangle with a circle around it on his forehead, Katherine drew more symbols and lines on his chest and legs.

"Surge Sursus" Katherine chanted with her palm on the mans chest. After three chants the mans body started to rise off of the ground. As Katherine stood up the mans body raised higher following the palm of her hand. After 10 minutes of painfully walking on her cut foot, the witch's cabin finally came in to sight. The cabin itself was made of simple dark wood with a small covered porch that had a hanging cushioned swing. There was a short wooden fence around the perimeter of the cabin to help keep animals away from the garden, of course the wooden fence was only a marker for where Katherine had cast a salt barrier spell.

Making their way through the gardens Katherine placed her foot on the front steps, as her skin touched the wood, the cabin came alive with light and the door opened for its masters return.