15The forest was a pleasant place to be. The trees kept the majority of the sun's punishing rays off our backs, and the dappled forest floor was an absolute marvel to behold.
But the forest was silent. No birds sang in the trees, and the only sounds of movement were those Jorinda and I created as we searched for the black ram. Every once in a while I would halt, motioning for her to do the same thing, and we would listen for the ram. The silence made it easy for us to track the beast, but it did little to assuage my fears of the witch.
Jorinda didn't keep up her usual chatter in the woods. Despite her bold words, she seemed afraid of the forest, more so because she could tell I, too, was scared. She kept close to me, clinging tightly to my arm. I wanted to comfort her, but I could hardly tell her there was nothing to fear. I could sense it, closer and closer, as we walked through the woods- an evil so deep and so powerful, none could stop it.
Suddenly, we came to a clearing. I held out my arm to stop Jorinda from stepping forward. I pointed into the clearing, and her quiet gasp told me she saw it, too.
In the exact center of the clearing sat a small cottage. It looked innocent enough- brightly painted shutters, clean whitewashed walls, a well-thatched roof- but its very existence was foreboding. The cottage was real. The witch was real.
"Maybe it's been abandoned," I whispered, for my own comfort as well as Jorinda's.
She shook her head. "It's too clean to be abandoned. And there's smoke."
Her body shuddered furiously against mine. I held her close and stroked her hair.
"We'll go around," I said. "We don't have to go over there."
Jorinda pointed again, and I saw what she saw- the black ram, grazing in the shade of the cottage.
"Don't worry. I'll go and get the ram. You wait here. As long as we're apart, her spell won't work. Everything will be all right," I said.
She nodded slowly.
"Remember what you promised me?"
She nodded again. "I'll wait," she said, "if anything happens."
"If something happens to me, you go for help, all right?"
"I will. Jorindel-" She pulled me down for a swift kiss. "Be careful."
"Stay here."
I squeezed her hand, then took a single step into the clearing. Finding myself still able to move, I continued more confidently. I was almost within reach of the ram when I heard Jorinda scream.
I whirled around, or tried to, but found I was frozen in place. Jorinda was quiet now, and the only sound I could hear was the twittering of a bird, the first I had heard in the woods.
A bird. Oh no. Jorinda. She had stepped into the clearing.
My suspicions were confirmed a moment later when the black ram transformed into a bent old woman carrying a wooden cage. She took hold of the mockingbird that had perched on my arm and shoved it inside. Then, with a devious cackle, she disappeared into the cottage.
The rest of the day was absolute hell. I couldn't move, and the sun beat down on me, and Jorinda had been transformed into a bird, and I was all alone. My absolute stillness led my mind to wander, and I began imagining every horrible thing that could possibly happen. Jorinda could have forgotten her promise and died already. Perhaps the witch had gotten impatient and eaten her. Was Jorinda even Jorinda anymore, or was she nothing more than a bird?
My mind was tormented, as was my body. At last I slipped into some form of doze, only to awaken suddenly at dusk to find the witch in front of me.
"She's a lovely songbird, your girl," she said mockingly.
My emotion must have shown in my eyes, for she laughed loudly. "All right, boy, I'll free you." She tapped my nose and suddenly I could move again. I stepped toward her angrily, but my body was weakened by its hours of inaction and I fell to the ground, prompting another cackle from the witch.
"So tell me," she said, "what was her name?"
"Jorinda," I whispered. My throat burned and could produce little sound. Still, she heard me.
"Jorinda. Pretty. She's no Jorinda now, though. No, she's naught but a pretty songbird to brighten my home."
I struggled up and made as if to attack the witch, but she only laughed.
"Take one step toward me," she croaked, "and it'll be the last step you'll ever take. Now go, lad. You're free. Go live your life."
"No! Let her go!" My voice was hoarse, but I managed to speak up this time.
"You're not the first to make that request. And you're not the first I'll refuse. Get off my property before I turn you into a statue permanently."
I then did the most cowardly thing I have ever done in my life. I fled.
When I reached the village, I was greeted by general consternation.
"Jorindel, where have you been?" my mother cried, embracing me.
"Please," I panted. "Water."
A cup of cool water was pushed into my hands. I downed it and half of another before I could speak.
"The woods," I said. "The witch. Jorinda…"
"Where's Jorinda? Jorindel, what happened?" Matthias asked.
"The black ram. We followed it. Into the woods. I tried to tell her to stay but she wouldn't. She— the witch—"
Jorinda's sister Elisbet knelt beside me and put a hand on my shoulder.
"Jorindel, where is my sister?" she asked calmly, looking me in the eye.
"The witch," I murmured. "The witch got her."
I'm not entirely sure if it was exhaustion, heat stroke, or shock, but I chose that moment to faint dead away.
I awoke later in my own bed, slightly disoriented. I could hear people whispering around me.
"Who knows what really happened out there? All I know is, Jorinda's gone and Jorindel's come back alone," said a voice I recognized as one of Jorinda's ex-suitors.
"What are you trying to say? That my son—"
"Murdered her, yes."
"But why? He's a good boy. He'd never do something like that."
"Who knows why? Murderers don't make sense to anyone."
"He didn't kill her. He was genuinely upset. He loved her." Elisbet.
"We all loved her."
"Not like he did. Jorinda chose him because he loved her differently."
By this time I was fully awake, and I was beginning to piece things together.
Although I had fervently believed in the witch's existence before our encounter, others weren't as sure she existed. To them, of course, my story was pure nonsense. They thought I was using local myth as a cover story for some dreadful crime I had committed.
Elisbet was on my side. So was my mother, and I was willing to bet Matthias believed me. But if one of Jorinda's suitors thought I'd killed her, others would, and it wouldn't be long before they banded together to throw me out of town. Or kill me.
I could show them the cottage, but I doubted I could find my way back to it, much less that I could convince them to follow me.
I could find a way to save Jorinda. It had never been done before, but there was always a first time, wasn't there? But saving her would take time, something I didn't have here. I had to leave.
Sneaking out was surprisingly easy, once I set my mind to it. Mother and Elisbet were attempting to argue down the other villagers, and I took advantage of their distraction to run. I glanced back only once toward the forest, where I made my own promise to Jorinda.
I'll save you, my love, I whispered so softly I wasn't entirely sure I'd made a sound. Remember your promise. Wait for me.
With that, I turned and strode away into the darkness.
Yes, I'm quite alive. More updates should be forthcoming, as school's about to end. I should have this finished up this summer, which will be nice.
R&RSVP.
~~Mazzie~~