Dewitched

Ok. We can slow down now. You’re puffing so much you could blow down a house.

I – can’t – believe – we – are – free – Gretel. I don’t know how you did it.

Well, when she bent down to add some wood, I thought, it is now or never. I suddenly felt so strong like I was under some kind of magic spell. I charged towards that huge backside, tipping her off balance…

…before the body slam sent her tumbling into the fire. Funniest thing I have ever seen.

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What’s that you keep looking at?

It’s a map.

You’ve got a map to find our way home? How long will it take? Will we be there by dinner time?

No Hansel, we are not going home. We are not safe there.

Then where are we going?

We are going to live with an old lady who needs our help.

I don’t want to live with an old lady. I want to go home. Give me that map. Where did you get it, anyway?

Old Mother Hubbard gave it to the witch, and I stole it. She told her she would find lots of children there and no one would notice if one went missing every now and then. She made the witch promise to save the left-over bones, for her dog.

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This bush is scary. It’s so dark and thick. Did you notice when you really look at the trees they have faces? It’s giving me the creeps, like a million eyes are following us.

Don’t be ridiculous, Hansel. Trees don’t have faces. It’s just the way the sun flickers through the leaves onto the gnarled bark.

You wouldn’t know. You are always looking at the map.

The map will show us the way.

What was that?

What?

I saw something. Over there. It looked like a wolf, a big bad one.

Oh boy. Old Mother Hubbard did mention a wolf. That’s why I packed these roasted rats. I’ll throw them into the bush and then we run as fast as we can, that way.

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I. Can’t. Keep. Up. You’re. Running. Too. Fast.

Sorry. I keep forgetting you got so fat. It’s not far now.

Are we lost? We are aren’t we. I’m so scared. I don’t know where we are going.

We are not lost. Soon we will come to a river with sandy banks and bright green weeping willows, where fairies bathe in crystal clear water, the map says.

Can we have a break there? I’m starving.

The path then follows the river and the shoe is at the next clearing.

Look, over there, where the water is trickling over the rocks. I can see fairies diving into the water then flying out again.

We have to keep moving.

But you’re missing the magic along the way.

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Look, Hansel. There is the woman who lives in a shoe.

Oh my…. she has so many children.

She looks like she doesn’t know what to do.