The Hag of the Woods

They ran for what felt like an eternity and were completely out of breath and covered in mud and leaves. Still, their sudden escape - by some fortuitous stroke of luck - landed them at their initial destination: A gnarly and twisted house, illuminated with the welcoming red light of fire. This must be the witches' house they were trying to find! Without second thought, the three of them rushed inside, to escape the night's freezing cold.

The inside of the weirdly shaped house was positively strange. Bubbling vials, a big cauldron, animal skulls, garlands of herbs and animal parts decorated the interior. Near the chimney laid a scrangly looking cat of clearly old age. The children however did not care, as they were freezing and needed the warmth from the crackling fire. Curiously enough, the cat did not care for the new company and continued purring peacefully. What the children experienced here did not match at all with what their parents had told them about the place.

Having regained a healthy temperature, the three started exploring the house. Many of the intricacies they saw when entering looked even more strange when viewed up close. Scouring through the shelves and chests, they found all sorts of curious items. It was definitely a treasure trove of exciting things to find. Enjoying her little adventure thoroughly, Tiffany looked outside, noticing that it started to rain - and the light of a lantern approaching the house. Shocked, the girl alerted her friends who promptly hid inside a cabinet, while she herself hid behind a wardrobe.

Tiffany's heart pounded in fear, as she observed the old wooden door creak open slowly. Dressed in a reddish brown robe, donning a large pointy red hat, an old woman entered the house, drenched in the rain from outside. A cold wind coursed through the open dorr, dimming the previously welcoming light into an ominous tone. Tiffany could neither see nor hear much of what happened at the entrance, yet she saw the woman notice the muddy trail they left behind, as well as the old cat welcoming her return. With a strenuous walk, the feline strutted to a cabinet and started scratching on its door - much to the shock of Tiffany. It was the cabinet her friends were hiding in!

Heavy footsteps of a vigorous walk echoed through the house, as the old woman rushed to the cabinet, flinging its doors open with force! Shrieking at the surprise, Roderick and Karen screamed in fear at the towering figure. They tried to run past her, but her firm grasp grabbed them at their collars! Squirming and flailing about, they screamed for help, but it was for naught. The witch had them captured. With both of them in hands, she stormed back outside into the rain, leaving Tiffany behind. Shocked at what just happened, the young girl was petrified. What just happened went by too quickly. But just as quickly, she found resolve - resolve to help her friends!

As if she'd been guided by something she didn't know, she ran after them into the rainy forest. Up the hill in the distance, she could see them: At the edge of a pond with children still in hand, the witch knelt down into the grass and plunged both Roderick and Karen into the water! Horrified, Tiffany screamed at the top of her lungs, alerting the witch. Her gaze turned to the little girl and she started approaching her rapidly! Wanting to escape, Tiffany started running into the woods, yet her little legs did not take her far enough, making her trip into the mud. Turning around, the last she ever saw was the witches' ugly, wart and scar-ridden face.