A prequel to “It’s Your Fault!”

————————————————————

“That….is the CandyHouse!” Charlotte skipped through the dead branches towards the dark tower as it emerged from the thick fog.

Tall, dark, and dry, the trees towered over them as they made their way through the Silent woods.

“Pfft! No!” Casper’s voice echoed through the woods, “There’s no way THAT is the Candy house.”

“Why not?”

“Wasn’t it supposed to be all colorful and Candy-like? Y’know? Just like in Hansel and Gretel?”

“‘That’s’ in Fairytales.’ She waved him off. “ ‘This’ is real life. The witch obviously renovated…and besides, she’s harmless”

“I think you should reconsider your plan“ he grumbled

Candy or not, Casper ‘really’ didn’t look forward for ‘HANSEL AND GRETEL VOLUME II’

The wind blew bitterly by the time they climbed up the stony stairs. White wisps escaped their mouths. Charlotte knocked the door with her cold fingers.

The door opened, shrowding them with warm golden light against the veils of darkness. Standing in the doorway was an old women with a stick which probably was supporting her balance. A woman so old that she couldn’t have grown older. Her large eyes bulged, her face creasing even more when she let out an unsettling smile.

“My my!” she exclaimed in a low raspy voice, “Hello dears, what brings you here at this hour, hmm?”

“Well….” Charlotte began, “ we were lost and—“

“Oh look at you poor things shivering in the cold!” Casper tried not to freak out as she caressed his cheek. “Come in, dears. I’ll get you some hot Cocoa first” She turned around and hobbled into her house, her black robe wrapping around her.

Charlotte followed. Casper pulled her back by her arm.

“What are you doing!”

“Don’t you see?” Casper hissed, “It’s a trap! We better get out of here while we still can!”

“This isn’t Hansel and Gretel, Casper!”

“Come in dears!” The witch’s voice came from the inside.

Without a word, Charlotte stepped inside.

The house looked warmer and cozier from the inside. The fireplace neatly lined with dark red bricks. Bright fire crackling in it. Books arranged neatly on wooden shelves with green vines encircling it. The house smelled strangely like fresh baked bread.

“See?” Charlotte nudged him. “She’s harmless”

Casper still wasn’t convinced. He walked over the well furnished floor, gazing at the peculiar shelf beside the fireplace exhibiting unusual books. Grimoires, books on fortune telling, Wizarding history, curses, fashion magazines (Who knew witches were this modern?) and a few jars which Casper did not want to know what was in them.

He turned around to show them to Charlotte… except he only found the witch, and two dangerously delicious-looking cups of hot Cocoa.

“Where’s Charlotte?”

“She said she wanted to look around” the old woman smiled.

Casper sat in his armchair near the fireplace, staring at his own green eyes in the chocolaty reflection of his mug. The mug nearly touched his lips when he heard a tiny voice call his name.

He perked up.

“Casper!” The voice called.

He immediately scanned around. His eyes fell upon the jar the witch held. She was looking at the bookshelf on the other wall, perhaps thinking where to keep it.

Something moved within it.

Something colorful, maybe an insect? Casper cautiously inched forward and—

Oh no….

He almost felt guilty for making that comparison. That wasn’t some insect…..that was the mini-est version of Charlotte he’d ever seen. She sounded like she’d inhaled a number of helium gas balloons. His throat went dry. He couldn’t decide whom to kick first: Charlotte or himself? He realized two things at the moment

1. The witch WAS evil

2. He was right

It wasn’t just renovation. The witch had upgraded her trap. But how was he going to toss Charlotte out of that jar? He definitely wasn’t going to fight the witch. That would be the last thing he’d want to do.

Well, he thought, that leaves me no choice. He pushed the witch, knocking the jar out of her hands.

The jar shattered into a number of pieces. Shards of glass scattering everywhere.

Mini-Charlotte poofed into normal Charlotte.

Easy? Not quite. Judging by the green glow in her eyes, the witch definitely didn’t seem happy with Casper crashing her plan. Her stick turned into a staff. With a flick in the air, the witch shot a flaming green ball in their direction.

They managed to duck just in time. The green explosion caused a black burning hole on the wall.

Casper was glad he was not a witch barbebecue. But his problem was far from over.

They were face to face with an angered witch.

“DIE!!” She yelled.

Casper made a mental note not to come across a crazy lady blasting green fire again.

_CRACK!!_

The two of them slowly turned around.

Cracks started to form their way onto the entire wall and beneath their legs.

Casper gulped.

“I think…..we better run.”

_________________________________