Witch | ksj

9. No Longer Human

Chapter nine: No Longer Human

Lia was told to rest for the day. Jeongguk would stop by in her room from time to time, bringing her milk and cookies, or just to have a quick chat with her, then he'll leave again saying he'll have to help the witch tend the garden.

The boy's beaming energy did not go unnoticed by Lia. She knew that her brother seems to be careless and quite happy with where they are at.

But how will she tell him that they shouldn't be in that place? That it's more dangerous in that house than those humans running after them?
That the man Jeongguk now come to love, and look up to, isn't human at all.

There's no humanity left on that witch. Lia is sure of that.

Or was she?

"You're always in deep thoughts, are you not, human?" The silky voice teared Lia's thoughts apart. Her eyes flickered to the man, sauntering inside the room with new vials in his hands.

Lia sighed and sat straight, "I am fine now, we can—"

"Already came up with an escape plan?" The witch smirked, plump lips curving in a taunting manner, and dark eyes turning even darker.
"My, my, have I been too good that you pay no mind on how I'll feel?" The man acted hurt, but his smirk betrays him. He don't look hurt at all, he looks rather mocking.

Lia's hand crumpled the sheet covering her lower half.

The witch walk towards the wooden drawer to put the vials on top of it, eyes glancing on her sideways.

"May I remind you that you are yet to pay what you've taken," the witch said, he's now mixing the vials' content in one cup.
"And it's rather expensive"

"I-I," Lia have no idea how she'll compensate with what she've done. She don't have anything with her, not even a single penny!

The witch turned to her, the sultry smile is still in his lips.

"But if you were so keen to leave, then you might"

Lia's eyes widen as it flew back to the man.
A hope arises to her, but then again...

There's no way he'll let me off easily... so, why...what? What does he want this time?

The witch slowly sat on the wooden chair across her bed, one leg on top of the other, and both arms crossed over his chest.

"But leave the child,"

And just like that, the small glimpse of hope was immediately killed.

"N-No! I can't do that! He's my brother—"

"Then you are not leaving this house" the witch shrugged
"The moment that boy took a sip from my herbs, he already belongs to me. No matter how hard you'll try to hinder that and hide, the truth will always seek you and bite you on your facade"

Lia was speechless.

The witch raise a brow at her, the corner of his lips is curling into a menacing smirk.
"Admit it or not, mortal, you need me. One step out of my forest, and you both will suffer a painful death"

The witch's words turned Lia quiet. Because he's right! If she and her brother to ever leave the forest, the men from their village will surely be waiting to burn them alive!
And to admit it, she have no idea how they'll survive out there without money, home, a bread to eat, and with angry villagers chasing after their trail!
Or if ever those men didn't kill them, they will either die out of hunger or the nearing winter cold!

"W-What do you really want?" She asked, weakly.

The man across to her smirked, eyes glimmering with unknown emotion. But one thing can be sure--the witch is cooking another scheme to trap Lia with a deal. A deadly one.

"The boy won't survive alone, he's no longer human, the fluids of my herbs are now running through his every veins. Sooner or later you'll witness the physical changes, and sooner or later, I might need to train him how to be one of my kind"

"One of my kind."

"One of my kind."

"One of my kind."

"One of my kind."

"One of my kind."

"One of my kind."

Lia's mouth agape. One of his kind, that can only meant one thing.

No!
Her mind shouted.

"N-No," she whispered, but the witch heard of it and he titled his head on the side, cat-like eyes staring deeply at her.
"My brother is just a boy..." she said desperately, wishing those words could alter the man's conscience and allow them to leave freely.

But there was only silence after....and that silence was soon interrupted when the witch hastily stood and turn his back on her, ready to leave the room.
But before he could actually leave, he spoke, in a dark, cold, and dangerous tone.

"You should have thought of that before stealing from my garden," the man gritted.

And then he left Lia with something to ponder on.