If the world was ending...

The Witch of the Woods: James

If he was honest, James didn't want to leave this place. It had served as a nice home for years and by the time he got back, Tiktokers would probably rip it to shreds. James took the necessary objects, blankets, all of the food he had stocked up, his gun and bow, and of course his drawing tablet and pen. 

"I've got it!" Jaiden said, "There's a compass underneath this token! That must be pointing to where the next Animator is!"

"Where is it pointing to now?" James asked.

"That way," Jaiden said, pointing East. James would be lying if he said that he didn't like Jaiden's company. He had been alone for over a year with no other human contact except tranquilizing tiktokers. And even better, Jaiden was also an animator like he once was. Once they were all packed and ready to go, along with Jaiden's pet birds Ari and Tofu, James said bye to the old airplane and hopped into the stolen jeep from the tiktoker ambush. He and Jaiden drove off into the woods, listening for the token to beep.

"Turn left!" Jaiden said, after a good ten miles, "The needle just changed." James turned left. 

"So, where are you from?" James asked.

"I lived in California," Jaiden said, "But I was raised in Arizona."

"Same," James said. There was an awkward silence.

"Umm...what happened to your family?" Jaiden asked.

"I don't know," James said, "Once I was kicked out of my house, I never heard anything since." James had always held onto hope that his family was alive, but he couldn't be a hundred percent sure. Then, the token started beeping.

"I guess we're getting close," James said, "I'll just keep going straight until-" Suddenly, something grabbed his and Jaiden's leg and pulled them into a net out of the Jeep. The Jeep thankfully stopped moving suddenly. James and Jaiden were tangled together, a little closer than would be called comfortable.

"Ari, Tofu, try and find a loose piece of rope or something to pull," Jaiden said. The birds easily escaped the net and flew to the top. James studied the rope.

"This isn't a Tiktok trap," He said.

"Then who trapped us?" Jaiden asked him. Then, the net started swaying back and forth. James thought it was Tofu and Ari, but then, he saw a foot on top of the net. 

"Meh, just some Tiktokers," A voice said, "I guess I could maybe turn them into potions!" She leaped down to the middle of the net and came eye to eye with James and Jaiden. She wore an old purple hoodie and had a black skirt and leggings. Her hoodie came over her hands and she also had dark, amber hair. The token was beeping uncontrollably.

"What is that?" She asked, "Give it to me, so I can destroy it!"

"Wait," Jaiden said, "You're an Animator!" The girl's face softened. She climbed the net and pulled something. The net unraveled, but James and Jaiden's legs were still tied, making them hang upside down. The girl cut them free and they landed on the ground.

"Come on," She said, beckoning them to follow. James and Jaiden had no choice but to follow. Ari and Tofu flew down and landed on Jaiden's shoulders. The girl was standing on a platform and James and Jaiden stood there too. She pulled a lever and they went up into some sort of tree-house. Once they got to the top, They walked into a small living room made entirely out of a tree. Well, everything except the furniture.

"Sit," The girl said, beckoning to the couch. They sat down and she arrived back with a plate of tea and cookies. Jaiden finally got the beeping to stop. 

"So you think I'm an Animator," The girl said, smiling, "Well, I suppose you're right. But I used to be one until I had to quit Youtube." She added a hint of sorrow to that sentence.

"I'm Rebecca by the way," She said, "Or better known as the Witch of the Woods." 

"I know who you are!" James said, " You're the only person who isn't bothered by the Tiktokers!"

"Yep, that's me," Rebecca said, "Not my proudest accomplishment, but it's good enough in these times!"

"Okay, back to the subject," Jaiden said, "Rebecca, my name is Jaiden and this is James, we're supposed to be recruiting animators to help restore the government si that all of these social media stars won't have to hide in fear anymore." Rebecca gave her a hard look.

"I'm retired from that," She said, bitting out of a tea cookie, "Plus I don't wanna leave this place! It has always been my life long dream!"

"Well, you are the witch of the woods, James said, "I doubt that anything would happen to it while you're gone." Rebecca shrugged.

"Why don't you stay here for the night and I'll have an answer for you tomorrow," Rebecca said.

"But it's only five in the afternoon," Jaiden argued.

"Tomorrow," Rebecca said, "I'll show you the guest house." She got up and James and Jaiden followed her. There was a smaller version of the main house. She opened the door and inside was a couch, a kitchenette, and wedged in the corner was a door to what James was hoping was a bathroom.

"Wait, there's no bed," James said.

"It's in the couch." Rebecca said, "So, who wants to take this room?" 

"I guess I will," Jaiden said, shrugging.

"Excellent," Rebecca said, "James, I have another guest room for you a little further up." James took one last look at Jaiden who looked at him as to say, I'll be okay, and followed Rebecca up the flight of stairs.

"Sad that you won't be with your girlfriend?" She asked. James stopped in his tracks, embarrassed.

"She's not my girlfriend!" He said. 

"Sorry!" Rebecca said, "It's just that, you two aren't related and you looked concerned when I mentioned you guys having different rooms."

"Nope, we're just friends," James said, but he realized too late that he sounded like he was hiding something. He did really like Jaiden, but not in that way...right?

"Okay," Rebecca said, continuing up the stairs.