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The Witch of The Woods


I was lost. My secret venture into the nearby forest had quickly turned into a misadventure. It did not take me long to realize that I could not find my way back home.

It was getting dark and there was nothing in sight except the apparently endless array of trees. I could feel the mounting fear inside me as fatigue started to get the better of me. ‘I’ll be home soon,’ I kept convincing myself while walking aimlessly.

It was then that I started to hear a faint sound. ‘It is nothing. I’ll be home soon,’ I kept mumbling as I tried to calm myself. My feet froze and my heart began to beat faster. The sound got clearer, as I realized that it was made by leaves getting crunched by someone, or something. Though it could have been anything, just one thought clouded my mind; ‘The Witch of The Woods’. A chill ran down my spine and my heart sank as I could feel my hair slowly stand on their edge. My mouth went dry as I slowly turned around to see a woman at a distance.

‘The Witch, The Witch,’ I started to mumble as I could sense fear devour me. I had heard about her from almost everyone at the village and she aroused fear even among the bravest. They used to say that she was always hungry and that she abducted children and then devoured them whole to stay young forever!

I could feel myself tremble as she walked in my direction. I decided to run as fast as I could but I couldn’t move. My feet froze. I stood there silently. All I could do was to watch her approach me slowly. She was dressed in black, a hallmark for witches as I had been told. She was carrying a couple of sticks, one of which must be her broom and a few plants, to make potions I assumed. 

Suddenly, I could move. I hid behind a tree and observed her to make sure she hadn’t seen me. It was when she got close to me, I could hear her whisper something or maybe she was just humming.  

She went right past me while I hid behind the tree holding my mouth and trying my best not to make a sound. Luckily, she didn’t notice me. Maybe she was just some woman whom I mistook as a witch. Or she might really be a witch.

I kept observing her, not out of curiosity but out of fear. She was just far from me to barely distinguish her features when she turned back looked right back at me and started moving her lips as if saying something. To my horror, I could hear her, as if the winds carried her words straight to me. “Witches are not always hungry.” Then she gave me a wide smile, wider than any human ever could. A blink of an eye and she was gone!

 

 


Comments

Priyanshi said…
Every second reading this my heart was throbbing
Well written
I can visualise the story very well
May 13, 2020 at 2:40 AM
Anonymous said…
This is straight terrifying. I can definitely feel how helpless the character is. Another great story
September 13, 2020 at 9:48 AM
Shona said…
Great story. I would love to read more!Maybe hear you narrate it as well.
March 14, 2023 at 12:11 PM
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