When The Wicked Witch Meets the Big Bad Wolf

A Tragic Tale and A Flaming One

The Wicked Witch

"It wasn't safe to stay there anymore," I say beginning my story.

"What do you mean?" Delilah asks worriedly. "Was Johnny still bothering you?" I hear one of the wolves growl at the name but choose to ignore it. My theory is if I ignore them I can pretend they aren't there listening to my story.

"No, no," I say hurriedly. "It wasn't my safety that was in danger it was everyone else's."

"I don't understand," De say confused.

"My sign was growing." I state bluntly. "My power was growing and it scared me. I went to Aunt Marye, she always knew what to do and how to help me. Being six hundred years old has given her pretty good instincts and she knew how to help me gain control."

"How?" asks De. "Let me see it." She demands scooting closer to me.

"Patiences!" I say laughing, forgetting for the moment about the wolves and the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. "You'll get to see it soon enough." Muttering under her breath about where I can shove my patience she sits back and motions for me to continue.

"Aunt Marye and I left the House the night I told her without telling anyone. We each packed a small bag and then got on a plane to India."

"India!" De exclaims her eyes wide with shock. "You've got to be kidding me! Why the hell did you go to India!"

"There's a Buddhist priest there who specializes in elemental witch craft." I say. "I spent a year training with him in the monastery learning to control and harness my power. It was during that year that my sign finally stopped growing."

"Was it awful?" Del asks looking at me and choosing her words carefully. "Aunt Marye left you there didn't she?"

"Just for a year," I say defensively. "and no it wasn't awful. There were several other witches my age training there at the time. Each with their own master and special skills. I made friends there... Good friends."

"Was there a boy?" she asks somewhat teasingly. I hear one of the wolves growl and look up locking eyes with the larger wolf, my kidnapper.

"Yes," I say so quietly I'm not sure she hears me but by the look in the wolf's eyes he did. "I- I k- I don't want to talk about him!" I say breaking eye contact with the wolf and wiping away the single tear that trickles down my cheek.

"Did you love him?" De asks pressing me further.

I laugh bitterly at this, "Everyone loved him but yes I loved him even if he didn't love himself."

"And then?"

"And then what?" I ask confused.

"After the monastery," De prompts me. "What happened after you left?"

"Oh that," I say relaxing a little. "Well after my year there Aunt Marye retuned and took me to live with her in a little town in the middle of nowhere where she opened a magical book store. I worked there for the next two years until I was -" I slant my eyes back to my wolf kidnapper. "kidnapped."

"What about school?" asks De. I roll my eyes she's such a good girl, always concerned with grades and college even after the ordeal that made her a witch.

"I went to the local high school and graduated top of my class. I had plans to go to the local university but now..." again I meet the eyes of the wolf. "I'm thinking of becoming a werewolf hunter."

The wolf huffs out what sounds like a laugh before standing and beginning to walk toward where De and I are sitting.

"Woah," I say shakily. "What did I say about staying away from me! Come and closer and I will light you on fire!"