The witch stepped closer to the coffin. Her mind was a mess, her hands were trembling. It had been another year, another long and tiresome year after the death of her daughter. How many years had passed she didn’t know. The trees around her leaned forward, brushing her haggard face with their gnarled branches, as if asking her to join them. She collapsed on the ground as mist swirled around her, clouding her mind. She stroked the lid of the coffin, she gazed at the blood red roses which curled around it, it seemed they were protecting it. She could feel the cold of the coffin, and she could sense that the spirits were shivering as the wild north wind danced around them.

Today, she was ready. She had finally made her decision. Slowly, she started inching forward. Gradually, she was sitting atop the coffin which held her beautiful daughter. Her flowing white dress spread out on the mossy ground. Taking a deep breathe, she raised her hands and clapped them thrice, each a long, ringing clap. Immediately, the sky rumbled, her cry had been answered.

“ Take me away ! Take me away ! “ she cried, hands still raised. Then, she hastily tore a rose and held it up as an offering.

“ Please. “ she pleaded

Suddenly, she saw a bolt of lightning flash across the sky, and strike the earth. The next moment, she lay on the ground, motionless. A change was coming over her. Her face was wilting, her hair was disappearing rapidly. Her jet black eyes, eyes that were once shimmering with life now lay hollow. The lightning had given her a curse in the form of a gift, and in turn had taken her youth, her magic. Her form shrivelled, the flower which she had offered lay beside her forlornly, its petals burnt. It had been robbed too, just like the witch. In a few moments, her eyes opened.

Sitting up, she glanced at her arms. They were thin, fingers protruding like roots. A smile adorned her gray face, her eyes had been replaced by holes, thus, she groped for a while, before she found the coffin again.

Crawling up to it, she sat down.

The forest was still again, as if nothing had happened.

The witch regained her composure and lovingly looked at the coffin. She could finally be with her beloved.