Charming Fables

The Mermaid Legs

The Mermaid Legs

I was shocked was an understatement. I was baffled. They moved aside and let me in. I looked around and saw bows and arrows. In a shelf, there were different wands from the dark witches they had slain.

"You look all bloody."

Gretel gave me a glass of water. I gulped it down hurriedly. Something was definitely off about them but I pushed it back. They were moving around the house in monotone mode. I felt chills running down my spine.

I looked around the house. What caught my attention were the walls. They weren't some usual walls. They were made of candies. Gingerbread, frosting and candies stuck all around. The table and chair were made of gingerbread.

I got an alert. Either they were bewitched or they accidentally came in. I was shocked to see them because it's been years that no one had heard from them. As if they never existed. I looked around to find any hex bags. But all I saw was candies and armours.

"Hey Gretel, can I borrow your armoury?"

She turned to me. Her eyes were empty and dark. She didn't speak anything. She just stood there staring at me. As I got up but I bumped into Hansel. He too was staring at me with empty eyes. I had to save them but how? I slowly backed off towards the armoury. Before I can grab any of it, something went wrong. I fell on the floor clutching my head. The only thing I saw before unconsciousness were two shadows hovering over me.

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I groaned as I woke up. My head was still heavy. I feel like I was drugged. I slowly opened my eyes and adjusted to the surrounding.

I smelled something gross. Something nauseous. As if it was rotten. I controlled my nausea. I looked around and saw maggots, fungus and what not stuck on the walls, tables and chairs. I swear I even saw two maggots get hanky-panky.

I saw Gretel by the giant furnace stirring what looked like soup. Hansel, on the other hand, was sitting on the fungus covered chair. I slowly stood up and grabbed my bag. As soon as I took a step, both of them started right at me with empty eyes.

Their eyes had turned red due to lack of sleep or something even more. They look bewitched. I looked around once again to find something to break the spell. All I could see was a broken house with rotten food. All I saw earlier was an illusion. Hansel walked up to me and gripped my hair. He dragged me across the room to the supper bowl. I struggled and looked around to see anything that helped me.

I saw a glint in the corner of the room. But I was being dragged away from it. I drew my fist tight and banged it on his head. He stumbled a little and before he could come at me again, I hit him with my bag. He hit his head on the wall and fell. Gretel was walking towards me. I made a run for the glint.

I reached down and grabbed it. As I looked at it, the glint got in my eyes. I turned away and went into the shadowy area. I saw it to be a tear-shaped topaz stone. I saw the door ajar and made a run for it. I held onto my bag and the stone tightly and pushed open the door. The door burst open letting the sunlight stream in. Gretel hissed and quivered back in the darkness. I had no time to look out for them so I left the door open and made a run for the woods.

I stopped by the river to drink and wash myself up. As I was done with my activity, I looked up. I saw a body swimming on the surface. The entire river was turning red. The body floated towards me so I grabbed its hand. As I pulled it on the bank, I jumped back with a surprise. I couldn't believe my eyes. After everything I did, this happened anyway.

I saw Ariel's lifeless body with legs tied together like a mermaid. She was bled to death. Whoever killed her, cut off her ankles. Her mouth was still losing blood. I slowly opened her mouth to find her tongue cut off. I immediately stood up and walked away.