The Witch's Curse

• Ashanti Gearon-Hayne, Grade 8, Pimlico State High School -
• Short Story
• 2018

Excellence Award in the 'Horizon of Dreams 2018' competition

Over centuries ago, there was a blast of light from the midnight sky. When the blast had died down, footsteps were heard. These footsteps belonged to one and one person only. Alwaynia Vulture. This person was no ordinary person. She was a witch. She was the most villainess witch that has ever walked this earth. She was the type of witch that made your skin crawl with one glance. She was the one that made you afraid of day as much as night. She walked towards her cottage with an evil grin on her face. Her cottage was deep within the forest, where it was still dark as midnight when it was midday. When she went inside she started to make a potion. A potion that would grant her whatever wish she wanted and there was only one wish she wanted more than anything. To take over the world! She would make the world grovel on its knees. Then, at that moment a booming voice burst through the walls.
"When the dark gives way to light,
There shall be a girl that you must fight!
All mistresses’ curses shall be reversed,
If she does not complete this curse!"
Then the potion suddenly dissolved into air. Alwaynia was outraged for she had been so close. She then vowed that she would defeat this girl of light.
One day there was a girl called Marian. Marian was beloved by all that lived in her village, in the Enchanted Mountains. Her smile was as bright as the sun, and eyes as blue as the river that runs through the village. That night when she was just about to go to sleep, she had this tingling feeling all through her body. When she looked at herself through the mirror she was changing. Her body was growing fur, her shouts becoming meows. She still had her blue crystal eyes. Then when she looked at herself again she was a black cat. There was an unmistakable loud cackle. Then she got lifted through the air. Then she was forced to watch a horrific sight. The village was being burned! Flaming green fire burning, anything and everyone. Ear-splitting screams bursting through the night. Marian then got transported to Alwaynia's cottage. Marian tried to get away. But she was bound to a chair. Alwaynia then gave Marian a potion. "Not a lot to live for now because your village has burned!" she cackled. When the witch wasn't looking Marian then tipped the boiling potion over, which then poured all over Alwaynia. She screamed in pain till nothing was left except her clothes. Then all the villagers that were burned in the fire suddenly showed up, all asleep as if nothing had happened. Marian then went into her human form. But nobody except Marian knows what happened that night. Although, she never returned to the Enchanted Mountains village...