Boondocks

Chapter 17: The Witch

FERN

The minute Tex left, I looked around my camp and thought of how in the world I could make it more...witchy. It kind of already was—in the woods, all natural. Well, except for a few basic supplies. How would it feel to not need them? To have magic that could conjure my every need?

I shook my head and tried to live in the moment. This one time. It was okay to have a day. One day where I didn't worry about survival and experienced something other than basics.

I spent the better part of the afternoon gathering odd pieces of dead wood and any moss I could find, then arranging each piece around my camp to make it seem more ominous. I built ten more fires, spread out to form a circle around my camp. I added moss to the last one and blew on the embers.

Then, I turned to find a strange man watching me. I jolted back, and he ducked his head. His clean appearance and lack of tattoos made him the polar opposite of the other men here. "I brought you these." He held up two fish and a wad of olive-green fabric as if offering them to some aggressive deity.

When I didn't take them, he laid them by my feet and took a large step back. He studied me, cautious, how a child would study something their mother told them was dangerous. "You perform voodoo?"

I blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"You're a witch. My friend said that means you perform voodoo." The words came out slow, wary, as if he were doing his best not to offend me. "I brought you the best fish, and a dress." He pointed to the wad of fabric. "An offering. I was told if I do this, you won't use your voodoo magic against me and my family." He stood a bit straighter and motioned to what he'd given me. "Does this please you?"

For a moment, I could only stare. Was he being serious? I looked around, expecting to see Tex peek out from behind a tree with his lip twitching, but there was no one, and the man before me looked ready to bolt. "Did Tex tell you that, when he asked you to bring the fish?"

He grimaced. "Tex only asked me to bring one fish. I brought you an extra, and a dress." He paused. "And I can get more. However many you need. Can we make a deal?"

I laughed, and the sound was so foreign, I shocked myself. My eyes widened as it bubbled out of me. This man was at least a foot and a half taller than me and twice as large. Nowhere near Tex's size, but still. He looked terrified. If I hollered "boo" would he fall backward? The image sent me over the edge, and I chortled. My unattractive laugh, with snorts and all, just like I did before. I'd forgotten I used to do that, and Daddy and John would tease me for it.

Croc took another two steps back.

I held up my hand to reassure him, but the action did the opposite.

He dove to the side as if a laser would shoot out of my palm, and the sight of him hitting the dirt made me drop down in hysterical sobs.

"I've offended you." He scrambled to get back upright.

I propped up against the nearest tree and forced myself to calm. I took a deep breath, then another, but it still took me a few tries before I could look at his terrified face without laughing. "I'm not a witch, and I don't know voodoo. It's just pretend. For fun."

It was funny, but he believed me right away. No sooner did the words leave my mouth, he finished standing and dusted himself off as if he wanted to disappear. "I see."

I laughed behind tight lips. "If it makes you feel better, that's part of Halloween. It's fun. The whole point is that people get scared."

His jaw twitched. "I see." His eyes narrowed as he looked off into the trees. "I'll just let you get your camp set up then." He started to walk away, but looked back over his shoulder. His attention skimmed over me, then the shelter and my meager belongings, before he said, "I'll still get you fish," and turned to sift off into the trees.