Gretel

13

More time passed. Gretel didn't know how long she had been trapped within the beast that kept her captive, but she knew a significant amount of time must have gone by. The clothes the witch had reluctantly made for her no longer fit. Her body was starting to change in ways she hadn't expected and no woman was there to assist and prepare her. One day Gretel woke up to find blood stains her sheets. More due to surprise than fright, the girl let out a blood curdling scream. In the distance she could hear the frantic horses kicking and whining in fear. 'Had something got in?' Gretal wondered, though even if something had, it didn't account for the blood. With dawning realization she looked down and discovered the source. 'Well,' she thought, 'I guess I'm staying home today, at least until I figure this out.' The horses had made tremendous progress but the young witch still had no desire to visit the creatures while she still smelled like blood. A pang of guilt consumed her, but she reasoned that they would be fine without her for the moment- not that either of them had a choice- Gretel was literally the only one there to take care of them.
It took multiple days of research to discover that this was a normal occurrence for women during and after adolescence. By the time Gretel understood what was happening the bleeding had stopped, but not before wreaking havoc on several bedspreads and clothing items. The girl cursed herself for not having a mother that could guide her. She finally solved the problem by fashioning makeshift sanitary supplies with some old cheesecloths she found lying around. It was a nightmare but compared to what Gretal had faced in the past it seemed like small potatoes.
The cramping was another story. The pain made it hard to function. On those days, Gretel would settle herself on her bed with a generous supply of dark chocolate.
Gretel's chest was another problem. Of course as young girls bodies tend to do, she started to fill out. Her once flat chest was now developing in full. She had to alter old outfits and fashion more new clothing to accommodate the difference. Tasks became more difficult, and the girl had to adjust her movements to work around her new proportions. It was challenging but as time went on it got easier.
The past got more hazy as time went on. Gretel could still recall the gist, but as the years went on the details started to slowly escape her. She could barely remember her parents. She had virtually no memories of her mom accept that she had hurt her and her brother. Perhaps it was the isolation, maybe it was Gretel's way of protecting herself from the trauma. The girl almost never thought of the witch anymore. In many ways it was a blessing, in others not so much. Hansel was becoming harder and harder to recall in detail.
It troubled her daily.
The horses back in the stables were doing much better. None felt compelled to eat flesh as they had in the past. Their diet stabilized, and their teeth slowly ground down back to the flat surfaces they were meant to be. They were of course traumatized by what they had become, yet Gretel no longer had to worry about locking the barn entrance behind her or being made a snack by the creatures. They could now walk the surrounding area unchaperoned and unassisted. Sometimes Gretel would watch them graze from her window and smile, grateful for how far they had come.
She began to realize that no matter how much the world had put her through, life goes on whether she liked it or not. Peace had come eventually- though just not the way she had imagined or wanted. It was bitter sweet. Though she was free of pain and fear, she thought of Hansel and how she had always imagined that they would both spend their lives by each other's side.  Now she had to walk this life alone. Well- almost alone. The girl looked back at the barn, thinking of the creatures who had supported her. It was almost hard to believe that they had once been enemies! Fate it seemed had a sense of irony.
It was always somewhat dark but Gretel's internal clock told her it was time for her to go to bed. In the warmth of the house she undid her braids and slipped into her nightgown. As Gretel climbed underneath the thick covers she thought of her brother despite herself. She zeroed in on what little she could remember of him. His cleverness, his determination. She wondered where he was now- if he was anywhere at all. Gretel squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't remember falling asleep but she did remember her dream that night:
She was back on shore, back on land. The place was strange but also somehow familiar, though she didn't know how. It was a quaint little village with cobblestone streets and villa's that held shops. Gretel didn't know why she was there but she knew she needed to find out. Walking down the paved paths the girl felt she knew where to go. It was like her legs had a mind of their own and she was just tagging along for the ride. Just when Gretel felt like she would never stop walking, she came upon a great castle. It was massive. Great stone walls and arches shone warmly in the bright sun. Curiously instead of walking through the front door like she had expected, she was led to the very back of its outer wall. To her surprise there was a villa connected to the main body of the great building that stood apart from the rest in the village in both looks and feel. It felt more... well put together somehow. Covered in elaborate carvings and pristine wood trim. It stood out like a sore thumb amongst its neighbors and the castle.
'Why am I here?''
Hesitantly, Gretel pushed open the oak wood door and peered inside. It was a small place, despite being connected to such a massive building, but cozy enough. Given her past, it didn't take long for the girl to realize that she was in a wood carver's shop. Stepping inside, she took a closer look. At a work station a boy was working on something. An apprentice by the looks of him, but a skilled one nonetheless if his work before him was anything to go by. An ornate miniature rocking horse sat in pieces as the boy worked. His line work was immaculate, Greecen keys spaned the creature's side in such a way that pleased the eye in a way she hadn't seen before. Gretel leaned in slightly, anxious for more detail. Her hair stood up on its ends, despite being a dream.
''Why am I here?' Gretel thought to herself, ready to leave when both seemed to hear a noise at the door. The girl rrealized that they were no longer alone. The young carver turned. That was when she saw his face. She knew that face from somewhere, she knew she did, despite everything.
"Hansel! Come help me bring in these materials," the voice at the door called loudly, though his tone was not unkind.
"Just give me one second..." Hansel called back absently, more focused on his carving than anything else
"Hansel!" The voice called again, a note of exasperation in his voice.
The boy set down his knife."Okay, okay. I'm coming."
Gretel's heart exploded in her chest. It was him. It was actually him. He survived? It was Gretel's greatest hope, but it was also one that until now she had no proof. The dream was beginning to fade. She could feel herself starting to regain conciousness, the scene before her slowly drifting away like smoke. Gretel wanted to hold on to every detail, to reach through her dream and shake the boy until he noticed her. Instead Gretel focused on burning the image of the place into her mind so she might remember and find it someday.
Then the dream was over.
Gretel lay awake in her bed. "I'm coming brother," she whispered quietly. "Just hang on."