The Dream

She shuddered. Where was she? This looked like a haunted house. She approached the house. A fellow companion joined. They walked towards the house. A smiling face greeted them on the doorway. The house was meant for them to stay. They had nowhere to go so they went inside.

But soon things began to change. The blue sky turned grey. Light gave way to an eerie darkness. She had always loved darkness but what was this? The smiling face became a window of terror. It chased them. Soon she was alone. What happened to her companion she did not know. She ran and ran but she had seen(or felt) the smiling face put something inside her hand. It was an insect of some kind, a dark wriggling coiling insect. She had not seen the species before. The smiling face had taken her hand and forcefully inserted the insect inside her veins. Now while she twitched and turned in terror, she could "feel" something turning up inside her hand. How far could she run before some help arrived?

Could she run from the smiling face? But the insect, was it inside her? Or was it a dream? Something that she had imagined? She did not know. She ran but creatures of darkness surrounded her. She was not scared, she was terrified. The terror of the unknown, the savage wilderness of night seemed to surround her in its grasp. She ran and ran..where could she find a bit of daylight?

Daylight came soon, to her relief. But the creatures..they didn't stop! In fact, they started chasing her. From all sides! Gosh what would she do now? Suddenly there came a handsome charming youth. They ran away together. With him around, she could move faster. Her feet felt light. The creatures..she could feel the distance widening between her and them. She dared to breathe again.

The youth and she stopped. The place was deserted. Grey caves surrounded them. Their insides were black holes. Her white dress flowed in the air. The youth was dressed in white shirt and black trousers. He told her about the creatures of darkness. He told her that she had to kill the smiling face- the witch. But how? She asked. How could an ordinary person like her kill that witch? She dared not look at the lower part of her left hand where she thought the insect was. That part had become rigid. Her hand felt heavy.

The youth gave her something small.It was soft and leafy, she felt it was a twig. She could almost see the faint green color. He told her that she had to strangle the twig and ultimately tear it away. This would kill the witch. But it would only work when the witch was around. How would that happen, she wondered.

There was a gap as she opened her eyes. Beads of light floated in and dazzled her.

When she closed them again, the witch was already coming closer to them. Shit!! She did not even have time to run. What would she do now? The twig was still in her hand. But where did he go? Her eyes eagerly searched for him and there he was, battling it out with the creatures- the ones that scared her, terrified her, the very sight of whom repulsed her. But ..she turned around. The witch was flying in close to her. She only had the twig in her hands. She had to do something fast. As if with a reflex, she began to unconsciously twist it. The witch stopped as if suspended on air. She was shocked. What was happening? A few seconds later and the witch would have killed her..what happened? Then it dawned upon her. Of course the twig!

While she was busy thinking, the witch had regained mobility and was now steadily closing the distance with her. Desperate for life, she twisted the twig savagely. The witch cried! As if with a tremor of savage laughter, she began twisting it with all her strength. The witch cried, her voice like a shrill mourn, begging for mercy. But she showed no mercy. She twisted the twig, till the sap came out of the plant. Her hands were wet. The witch had died.

When she opened her eyes, she was still feverish. Terrified, she got up from bed and made way towards the door.