The Northern Forest

By: Crystal Luna

In a crooked old shack, lived a family poor

and rough as stone. They wore grave faces of
skin and bone. Watery soup flavored with a
sliced potato set the table. The children slurped
their supper. Their mothers eyes peered into
her worst regret. Soaked in bitterness, she
grieved over those burdens she bore; the
children they could not afford to feed. As night
crept, the children slept, and their parents
stepped outside.
Under the moonlight, the woman whispered,
Is it really selfish of me? Im thinking of the
greater good. Otherwise we all will starve
here.
I cant do much better. Ive worked myself
to the bone, and still I cannot feed us all Only
two at most. Why cant I ever keep a job? I feel
so worthless, sobbed the man.
Then it is settled, I know what to do. Fret
not. Tomorrow when youre off looking for
work, Ill send Edith and Aiden to pick berries
conspired the woman.
An opaque sun shone faintly against the
morning fog, and the forest fumed of rotten
decay. The man hurried off to search for work,
and soon after the woman scurried over to
wake the children.
Arise children! There is much work to be
done! Everyone must do their part. Hurry and
get dressed. Then, be ready to go pick berries in
the Northern Forest, ordered their mother.
The Northern Forest! Aiden cried to his
bewilderment.
But, but Old Man Myers has always said...
Beware, in the forest demons creep. And when
you walk in knees deep, you can hear children
weep. Twas a witch their souls did reap,
whimpered Edith.
Oh, a fools tale! Now fetch your baskets
and get to work, or we all shall starve! shrieked
their mother.

There were no trails in the Northern Forest, for

no one traveled there in fear that evil lurked
within. Elders told tales of wicked witches
feasting on small children as creatures gnawed
on left over bones. The forest was bountiful
with rotting berries. Aiden and Edith ventured
into uncharted territory in search of edible
berries. Soon, light could not escape the canopy
of entangled trees, and darkness overwhelmed.
Spirits whispered of the children as demons
grinned with anticipation. With nightfall upon
them, Aiden kindled a weak fire with
surrounding sticks and twigs, flickering flames
delivered them from evil and confined demons
to dark crevasses.
Wicked spirits throughout the forest
yearned to consume souls, especially those
delicacies of innocent children. Aiden woke to a
song of morning nightingales sung by a voice as
sweet as a sirens. Frantically, he shook Edith.
Edith! Edith! Do you hear that?!
Yes, I do dear brother. How beautiful
Never mind that. But maybe we can get some
help to find our way back home.
You mean you dont know the way?
You know as well as I, there arent any trails
round here!
The children began to follow the sound
instinctively as birds drawn to the south for
winter. Through thickets and over a hill they
came upon a small cottage. Aiden quickened;
Edith trailed behind. Despite the murky forest,
the cottage glittered like vitreous glass. A
lustrous candy coating radiated a luminous
shine that tempted the childrens hearts. An
enticing, sweet aroma lured Aiden closer and
closer. Mesmerized, he licked a shutter and
nibbled at a corner. Mmmsweet delicious
gingerbread! Here, Edith try some. Aidens
face flushed with excitement. Never had he felt
such delight. Edith cheerfully, but cautiously
took a bite.

From a sugary window, an elderly woman called

out in a shrill voice. Hungry children low and
poorwhy not knock at my door?
Though slightly embarrassed, Aiden and Edith
rapped at her door. A wrinkled, frail woman
answered the door with a tender grin.
Oh my darlings, you must be worn dry.
Come in, Ill make delectable desertswhatever
your little hearts desire.
They gorged until they feared theyd burst.
The fragile little woman offered her featherbeds
to them. The children were obliged. Amidst her
dreams, a cackling laugh caused Edith to stir
from her sleep. She tried to wake Aiden, but he
was fast asleep. So, she crept out the room.
From a cracked open kitchen door, she peeked
inside. To her astoundment, the woman was
clutching a staff while she conjured spells over a
cauldron. The witch swayed to the counter,
chanted, and desserts appeared out of thin air.
Edith was amazed and enchanted by the sight
of the witchs power.
Despite the overwhelming smell of vanilla
and cinnamon, the witch smelled the stench of
human flesh. I know youre there! I smell you
my dear.
Edith praised her magic, Oh my, your magic
is wondrous! Would you be so kind to teach
me?
Although surprised, the witch decided an
apprentice was a good as a willing slave.
Aiden awoke to the smell of pancakes and
berry jams. Sorcery captivated Ediths heart
which made way for power and greed. The
witchs magic was dark and corrupted her soul.
After Aiden finished his breakfast, the witch
spoke to Edith, The use of magic comes with a
price my child. We must consume flesh to keep
our powers from overwhelming our own flesh,
or we shall wither unto nothing.
Edith, blinded by frivolous glamor, agreed to
aid the witch in fattening her brother for a
feast. Aiden was caged, unaware of his sisters
actions. Edith will suffer, the witch
threatened, if you dont eat it all!
In effort to protect his sister, Aiden forced
himself to eat everything served to him. After
weeks of fattening, the weary witch decreed it

time to cook him. She instructed Edith to light a

fire to prepare the oven. She bound Aidens
wrists and ankles with a holding spell and
ordered Edith to throw him in the oven. Ediths
irritatingly slow response frustrated the hungry
witch. She cursed Ediths incompetence,
grabbed the boy herself, and dragged him to
the oven. Aiden squirmed weakly like a fish on
the edge of suffocation. Suddenly, his eyes
widened with hope as Edith ran towards him.
But Ediths eyes reflected an eerie emptiness;
coldly, she pushed them both in. Aidens heart
tore when Edith slammed the oven door in his
face. The witch immediately turned to ash, but
not Aiden. Slowly, his flesh began to roast. His
chilling screams of agony echoed across the
forest. Excited demons anticipated the
collection of a new soul. The evil deeds of his
little sisters betrayal horrified Aiden. Seeds of
evil far beyond their mothers grew inside her.
Her heart darkened from crimson to ebony. She
danced around and laughed, Now its all mine.
All the magicand power. I wont need anyone.
Ever. Blossoming wickedness transformed her
heart into a black diamond. She gazed at the
oven. A deep yearning for flesh filled her. A new
Wicked Witch of the Northern Forest was born
that day.