Veronica; The Winter Witch

It was a December morning. The aura was cool, full of dew yet the winter Sun was shining brightly. "Hey , my dear pretty daughters. See how pleasant the day is! Let's go to your old maternal home Get ready fast dears and pack up your things. ", said Joseph lovingly to his daughters. All of them were so joyous on hearing this. They had never been there before and got ready in a jiffy. When they were about to bid Aleena , their step mother (who always hate them)a bye, she kissed each of them so affectionately that it made them remember their mother , Lily. She was blissful because finally she was going to get rid of these children. They sat in their Dad's car and set their journey up to her maternal home. All day, they travelled until they reached to a forest. "Is there, where our maternal home is, Dad?"asked Afza, the youngest one. Yes dear, it's in the forest , deep inside. Joseph stopped the car. "Daughters, come out. Wait under this tree. Let me buy you something to eat from the nearby market but try not to move from here. Forest is full of wild beasts". "Yes Dad, everyone is so hungry but please return fast. This place really looks scarry", said Aira. "Okay dear", and Joseph drove his car till he was out of their sight. The sun was about to set and the poor girls were waiting for their father who was never going to return. It was very dark now. Their eyes echoed with strange voices of wild animals, sending shivers down their spines. All the three feared for their life. "Oh!where is Dad?why didn't he come yet?", asked Aira. Afza starting crying while Aira tried cajoling her.

Asfa, the eldest , the most intelligent and thoughtful one was lost somewhere inside her thoughts, digging the earth with a branch she had found lying there. It was only when the branch struck something deep inside the earth hard that she arose from her thoughts. "What was that!"cried they in one voice. Quickly they began digging deep down and found a strange house, pretty smaller than the usual houses. Asfa knocked the front door. After continuously knocking for about fifteen minutes, an old , short woman opened the door. "Who are you", asked she (yawning), as if she was woken from a long sleep. Asfa was about to introduce herself when Afza narrated each and everything about themselves. Aira tried to silent her but all in vain. There was a twinkling in the fierce eyes of woman. "Oh!my dear children. I will take you to your maternal home. I knew your mother. She was a good friend of mine", lied the old woman. She began pretending as if she really was friend of their mother Lily. But what is your name?" Veronica. But You can just call me Aunty". Serving them fruits, she promised to take them with her to their maternal home. After dining , she showed them their bed in a small room. The room was dusty and there were two beds. One was preoccupied with a blue blanket. "Thanks Aunty. But before sleeping, we want to meet your children. Did they have dinner?", cried Aira. "Shshh! No worries dear. My children are sleeping in that bed. They already had their dinner. For you, I have prepared bed with red blanket. Good night dears", wished the woman and left. Aira and Afza , both were in praises for her but Asfa was doubtful. "Why did she live uderground?Why were her eyes so fierce?Why didn't she introduce them to her children?These were some of the questions which were revolving in Asfa's mind. When darkness covered everything and there was a deafning silence all around, Asfa woke up with a strange noise. Quietly she lifted the curtains and peeped out of the window. The old woman, whom they called their Aunt was standing outside with her hair all open. She was sharpening her already sharp canines. "Today is the day of joy. The prey itself has knocked my door. Poor girls'', was the old woman saying and laughing out loudly and horribly. Asfa's doubts came true.

For a second or two, she thought she was having a nightmare but Veronica was really a witch. What Asfa didn't know was that this witch could use her powers only in the darkness of night. The scared girl was about to lose her consciousness on this horrific sight but somehow managed not to. She tried waking up her sisters but they were as sleepy as dead. It was now her intelligence and wits which could save them from this terrific witch. An idea popped into her mind. She exchanged her red blanket with that of blue blanket of Veronica's children, the tiny demons and closed her eyes as if she really had fallen into sleep. The witch entered and gulped those under the red blanket. In the morning, Veronica was dumbfounded on seeing the girls safe and sound. "Good morning, Aunty". "Good Morning girls. Have some apples", greeted Veronica pretending to be nice pointing towards an apple tree branch. There were red juicy apples with dried leaves covering the branch. "Okay Aunty , but first we want to meet your children". "Oh dear!that's so sweet of you but I have sent them to the forest for getting some fruits "lied Veronica. "Okay Aunty!It is such a sunny day , so are we going to our maternal home today?", asked Afza but before Aunty could answer her questions, Asfa quietly took out her magnifying glass which she always used to carry in her coat.

Holding it over the dried leaves of the branch, the rays of the sun got focussed on it and ignitiated the fire within a matter of few seconds. Everyone shouted "Fire, Fire!". Asfa dashed towards Veronica and pushed her into fire. By then, Aira along with Afza had moved outside safely as Asfa had already revealed Veronica's reality. With passing seconds, the kitchen was almost in flames and cries of the witch could be heard all over the forest. Quickly , the sisters ran out and were fascinated to find their Dad Joseph waiting for them with his car under the same tree he had left them at. He had realised his mistake and was searching them since early morning. He hugged his daughters and took them back to their home to live happily with Aleena who had promised to love them always even more than Lily used to.

By:-Shah Wasil