THE WITCH & THE WOLF

The numbing feeling always comes back, worse than before at times.

I would feel a glimpse of happiness before eventually, something would come to ruin it. Bashing in the very light that keeps me going and replacing it with something foul-smelling and mucky.

Ripping the core of the apple fruit and ridding it of its chance to wander by crushing the very bitter seed within it, they did this with the witch.

Her light was so bright at first that no veil could ever shun or taint it. Her very being resembled something of the sun; if she ever had offspring, they would be as giving as her or so she thought. 

One Sun day, she was strolling a-pass when a fur beast came into view, appearing to be hurt, it whimpered and howled for attention. Knowing the kind witch would help, and she did, letting the beast into her home and caring for it until it was well again.

However, she would soon come to learn that it would not leave her be, following her around and watching over her as she would sleep. Which, in turn, she found comfort in until the beast finally caught her a guard, ripping through her flesh and tearing through the bar.

Making her almost unrecognizable unless she struck back, and in turn the beast gave her a scar she would never forget, forging a new heart into the witch. A heart that would grow to be small and shriveled, beckoning for love but not knowing how to receive it as she would now kill in her tracks.

Wearing a veil to cover her loss and anger, her once bright appearance is now rotten and evil. And if anyone dared to look in her direction they would soon regret it, which I should have known because of the tale but yet I followed her anyway.... Trailing down the stairs with horrid background music playing in her head, I continued down a similar path like the dim-witted daughter I am. 

Quietly, I try to be, but I know someone could hear me and even in the dark the bright red of rubies still shines on her like iron blood, matching the very wine she sells like twisted gold as the old ages drink it like nectar. She is a witch who was probably good once but is now tainted and I hope my path doesn't ruin completely like hers.

Forced into something unwanted and then having to look at the sad disgrace and failure of a copy, of me. She could have had an offspring that was grand and worth something but instead, she was cursed from the beginning, her mistake, was trusting my grandfather.

And believing in a wolf when it showed its true intentions from the beginning. But, I guess the one who is blind really can't see even the clearest of signs and instead falls right into the dagger that lies out for her.

Sharp and painful it would be, stabbing her even after the initial attack, this wound would follow her forever in life and kill her faster than she could heal it. Harm her internal before she could spot it and infect the bones in her body until they were brittle and frail. Most importantly, her offspring would no longer heal but instead infect rather than what they were meant to do.

Shame, bloody shame, I would have liked to see a happy ending but I don't think there is one.

....

It got darker the further I ascended and as much as I would have liked someone to stop me, no one did. Which made me think she knew I was here, knew that I was following behind, and wanted me to.

For what reason? I had no clue but the curiosity in me wanted to find out as the void started to get further away, the absence of light being so far and near that the moon would appear closer.

Yet I was still compelled to continue, especially knowing that the witch's story continues in me. I don't know the whole version of it but bits and pieces from what my mother told me. So maybe going down this crooked road would help me finish it. I continue to step down as a flick of something starts to ring in my ears, a spark, of a flash that could mimic the sun. I turn my head to the side, a lighter?

A smile props upon the witch's face and she waves her hand over to somewhere. My brows furrow until she continues into a familiar area, a see-through, glass sanctuary-well what used to be a sanctuary.

For now, it haunts me with buried secrets from one of my parents and the face of curly-headed Bellum, which makes me shiver. The very thought of a Bellum being associated with another sour memory just makes my brain twist. But for now, I can't focus on that, right now I need to focus on why the witch is going into the garden, with a lighter at that. 

Is she going to burn something?

My eyes go wide, is she going to burn what my father was burying before I could discover it? If so then that would put it end to my clues, at least I think, I mean judging by the last drawing, wouldn't it? 

And if it did whatever would I do? Go back to the life I didn't enjoy, trying to forget about Rene'?

No..No I couldn't, even without clues I would still have to find something, a reason, a meaning behind why she left. It would be unfair to her if I didn't at least have a proper goodbye.

A final chat. 

I glance downstairs and take a deep breath, whispering to myself before I head down, "Well, come on Victoria, have courage, bravery. Take the dark forest head-on." 

"Are you quoting a dark fairy lore or something?" "Fairy lore?" I questioned, "Oh, Folklore, I sort of combined the two words of fairytale and folklore, clever ain't it?" I blink back, folding my arms, "Charles?" "Greetings, Lady.Victoria." "What are you still doing up?" "Well, I guess that's an answer for another chapter don't you think?"

"Chapter?"

"A To Be Continued...."