𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐌𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐝 - 𝐀 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠

CHAPTER 4

"Whoa," I gaped, my eyes twinkling in amazement.

We were soaring above clusters of dark, lush green forests, silhouetted beneath the hazy glow of the full moon. We'd been flying for hours now, and it was already nighttime. Occasional house lights twinkled like stars on the surface. All was quiet. The view was so peaceful and serene; unlike anything I was used to. As the small villages shrank smaller and smaller, the wind licked fiercer at my cheeks. I leaned against the soft fur of the pegasus, feeling as though in a dream.

I wrapped my cloak tighter around me, in hope of receiving what little comfort I could get. "So where are we going, Peggs?" I asked the winged creature.

She only whinnied in reply. Of course. What did you expect? She's a pegasus.

"I trust you," I mumbled softly enough for her to hear. "I trust Hansel, so I trust you. Lead the way,"

Peggy slowly began ascending below the cool night clouds. I yelped as my ears popped, and gasped when she finally sank - or rather, crashed- into a small patch of flowers, deep inside the woods.

"What was that for?" I stood up and winced at the throbbing of my aching bones. I'd been on saddleback for far too long for anyone's peace of mind.

"Peggy?" I asked, brushing the soil off my apron. Right. I was still in my work clothes.

No answer.

I glanced around in mid-panic. Where did she go?

I attempted to imitate Hansel's sharp whistle. Weeoo-eet! That's when I heard a soft cry. "Peggs? Where are you?" I blindly stumbled through the blackberry bushes, ignoring the stinging thorns that tore at my skin.

Ah. There she is. Standing in the middle of a colourful clearing was the pegasus, grazing on a sort of striped red fruit. I've never seen anything like it before. I tried to squint my eyes for a closer look...

That's when I caught the fainted waft of gingerbread at the tip of my nose. My eyes fluttered shut and embraced the nostalgia. I was six years old, visiting my aunt's bakery before everything changed. Me, mum and Lisa laughed as we rolled gingerbread cookies. The hearth was cackling, causing light to flicker and dance around the toasty kitchen. The hot chocolate was bubbling in a silver pot. A gingerbread cookie accidentally fell into a jar of enchanted sugar and sprang to life. I'd never had so much excitement in one day...

My thoughts cleared away as the crunching of Peggy became unnaturally loud. My eyes snapped open in horror. Hold on a second, that wasn't fruit! That was a CANDY CANE!

Aunt Lisa used to tell me stories about naughty little children who strayed too far into the woods, resulting in becoming roasted for a witch's dinner. I didn't come all this way to become one of them!

"Peggs! Run. Before we become the witch's food!" I hissed in hysteria.

"Hello? Is anyone there? Don't be afraid to come, my delicious little dearies!" a scraggly voice of a woman called from afar.

A gingerbread house must be close by, I thought in alarm.

I bolted toward Peggy, prepared to grab her and go. Just before reaching her, my boot managed to step on some lavishly green grass that stubbornly held me firm. I slipped and fell, my jaw knocking onto the sticky floor. I couldn't move.

My eyes widened in horror. So this was how the witch caught her victims. By luring them with gingerbread and trapping them in syrupy grass! Tears blurred my vision, and I didn't bother to blink them away.

This is how I'm going to die, I thought as I heard footsteps shuffle close. Not from a hungry wolf, or public execution, but rather by a crazy old hag. Yay.

"Quick!" I heard a voice behind me breathe. "Put those socks on, and tie the ropes around them!"

My heart was at my throat. I'm going to be saved!

I felt something fasten around me and tighten around my ribs. Someone tugged on my back and I was dragged into the bushy thickets. That's when a figure lifted a bottle to my lips. It had a sloshy, deep purple liquid. A sickly-sweet taste slugged through my throat. I began feeling unnaturally sleepy... so sleepy. I struggled, fading in and out of consciousness.

"Don't worry," someone soothed next to me. "You can trust us."

"Friend or foe?" I tried to croak. But my throat was hoarse and dry. My thoughts became foggy, and I finally accepted the darkness to settle into my mind.

***

So how'd you like that for a plot twist? 😏 I hope you enjoyed this chapter! 

~ LKS ❤