Elsie

~1~

"Get up!"The witch howled. Elsie rubbed her eyes. She looked around the mangy hut.The hut is small and cramped, made of crooked and warped pieces of wood. The roof sags and the walls are covered in a thin layer of dirt and grime. The only light comes from a few small, dusty windows.

She slowly got up. "Put this on!"The witch screamed while stirring a green pot in the fireplace. Elsie looked at the ragged black dress. The dress was made of ragged and torn black fabric, covered in wrinkles and dirt. The hem was frayed and the sleeves are tattered. It looked like it hasn't been washed in years.

"This? But..." Elsie stammered. She looked at the greasy dress in her hands. "Now!" The witch kicked Elsie with her gnarled, bony foot, her sharp toenails digging into Elsie's skin. Elsie fell to the floor, her arms flailing as she tried to catch herself.

A mischievous smile curled on the witch's lips as she spoke. Elsie couldn't help but shiver in fear at the sound of her tone. The air around them seemed to grow colder, as if under a spell. "We have some guests today," the witch purred, her eyes glinting with a dangerous light. Every hair on Elsie's body stood on end as she awaited the arrival of these unknown visitors.

Elsie peeled off her gnarled nightdress and slipped into the dress that the witch had offered her. The fabric was smooth against her skin, like liquid silk, and it clung to her curves in all the right places. The witch took the grubby nightgown and tossed it effortlessly into one of the many blackened pots bubbling over the fire. Elsie watched as the flames licked at the edges of the fabric, eagerly consuming it with a voracious hunger. She couldn't help but feel relieved to get rid of the old and worn garment.

The witch's high-pitched voice startled Elsie from her daydream. She jolted up from her spot on the rickety wooden floor, and the witch thrust a filthy scrub brush into her hand. "Get scrubbing, brat," she spat. The door creaked open, and in walked the guest.

The guest's blond hair cascaded down her back in perfect curls, bouncing with every step she took. Her dress was a delicate shade of pink, with layers upon layers of tulle that added volume and elegance to her appearance. The fabric flowed effortlessly as she walked, and the hem of her dress brushed against the floor.

"Where is the girl?" The woman's voice was sharp and demanding With a forced smile on her face, she approached the witch's side, trying to hide her fear.

The guest's grabbed Elsie's arm. The guest's grip on Elsie's arm was tight and painful. She yelped when the guest aimed a swift kick at her stomach, causing her to double over in pain. Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to catch her breath.

Elsie's vision blurred as she tried to focus on the guest's face, her features contorted into a cruel smirk, her eyes narrowed in triumph. Elsie's vision blurred and swirled as she stumbled and fell to the floor. The guest's face, with its perfectly applied makeup and smug grin, was the last thing she saw before everything went dark.