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Hansel and Gretel-- Witch's Tale |
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I bustled about my little cottage of graham crackers and chocolate and marshmallows, preparing for the little guests that would soon come. I knew all about them—about their mother’s disappearance, their father’s panic, their stepmother throwing them out. I knew it all. And I knew they were on their way, tossing little crumbs of bread so they could find their way back. But, really, what was the point of going back? They knew they were banished from their own home… why did they bother to make a trail? Using as little magic as I could, for I’d need it to protect myself, I told the birds to go forth and eat the crumbs. After all, if they went straight home after meeting me, of what use were they? There was a knock at the door, so I followed the sound, for my eyes were as useless to me as a hairbrush was to a fish, and opened the door. Sure enough, I heard Gretel’s small voice speak up from in front of me (and a few feet down). “Excuse me,” said Gretel. “My brother and I have no place to sleep, and we don’t have food or water either. May we stay, even just for one night?” I sniffed. I could tell, from both my nose and my instincts, that part of the house had already been eaten by these children. Before they asked for permission, they ate part of my house! How dreadful! No, snap out of it! I held my head to keep it from spinning. It’s just a curse. You can escape. This is not how it has to be! Don’t eat these poor children! Please… I grabbed Hansel’s chubby wrist with my thin, bony fingers. My long, sharp nails dug into the little boy’s skin. Hansel cried out. Gretel, desperate to help her brother, tried to pry my fingers away from Hansel’s wrist. I smacked her away. Stop it!!! But I couldn’t stop. Not now—not ever. I dragged Hansel through my house and threw him into a cage, while he and Gretel cried helplessly. But there was something I hadn’t expected—Gretel was crying more than Hansel. I clenched my fists and walked over to my kitchen, but stopped when I heard Gretel whispering to Hansel. “It’s going to be okay,” she whispered through her tears. “This woman is blind as a bat—I can free you.” I was surprised at her observance. She had wonderful sight and perfect logic… she’d seen through my blindness with a mere glance. “Maybe I’ll be freed,” I caught myself whispering. “Even if she doesn’t know it, she may be speaking to me as well as her brother.” The curse bubbled inside me, and flowed like a tidal wave over me. My self-control was swept away. I stomped over to Hansel and pushed Gretel aside. She stepped back without any resistance. Hansel whimpered in fear. “Hansel, hold out your finger,” I growled. “I must see if you are ready yet to be eaten.” Gretel cried out and jumped forward, but I pushed her away easily. As Hansel’s hand went to the cage bars, I closed my fingers around— A bone. Oh, clever child! He was trying to make me think he was too thin to eat, but I knew he was a rather chubby child who could have given me a good feast years ago. I stepped away. I had to stop the curse. I had to… “He’s not ready yet,” I said aloud. “I shall eat him tomorrow, then. Gretel!” The little girl jumped. “Go to my kitchen and make something fattening for this twig here. Hurry!” Gretel rushed about, preparing food. When she was finished, I tasted it. She was a good chef—no wonder she and her brother were so well fed. I nodded to let her know she was free to give the sweets to her brother. “Oh, and Gretel,” I called. “Don’t bother to poison the food after this—I’ll be taste-testing no more of your food, and it will go straight to Hansel. Understand?” I knew her muscles tensed then. I smirked with satisfaction and went to the couch to sit and think. The next day, we went through the same process. Hansel continued to try to trick me with the bone he’d found. Gretel continued to run around, cooking for her brother. After a full week, my curse went into overdrive. I had waited far too long for these children to stumble across my house, and even longer still as Gretel and I tried to save Hansel from my curse. “Gretel!” I shouted. “Start the fire in the oven—I shall eat Hansel today.” Hansel moaned, and Gretel started to cry. Why? Why was Gretel more frightened than Hansel at the idea of him being eaten up by a witch like me? Because she loves him! You can’t eat him and just leave Gretel in terror and pain! Stop this at once! I shook my head, trying to hold back tears. “Is the fire hot enough yet, Gretel?” Gretel paused. “I don’t know. I can’t tell when it’s ready and when it’s not.” That was a lie. She was a perfect cook. SAVE THEM! My mind screamed at me. “Do I have to do everything myself?” I snapped at her. I leaned in to the oven. Her excellent vision. Her logic. She got that from her mother. Gretel paused. What are you doing? Get on with it!! My curse screamed inside me. Devour them, it screeched. NO! “Is it ready…?” Gretel whispered. “Is the fire ready…?” HURRY!!! “I’m not sure…” Chubby hands pressed against my back forcefully, and I fell into the fire. Gretel was screaming. Why was she screaming? The fire decorated my face, my clothes. I could hear her screaming. I was dying. I was dying… dying… “MOTHER!!!!” Free.
FN Pixie · Sun Apr 20, 2008 @ 06:27pm · 0 Comments |
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