Lovely Witchery

First Impressions

When I got to the kitchen, he was turned away from me and standing with his hands in his pockets. He had dark hair and he was tall and nicely dressed. My mother was talking to him and then she noticed me and said "Payton dear, come say hi." He turned before I started to walk and I was frozen.

He was probably in his mid-forties and he has streaks of white in his hair that I could see from the back.

I was frozen in place. My mother gave me a threatening look and I started to walk down the hall. He turned to me before I made it all the way into the kitchen. His smile was kind and surrounded by well kept facial hair. I didn't know what to say and he could tell

"My you're beautiful," he said which made me very uncomfortable.

"Yes she is," my mom said, stroking my hair and then yanking ah it to get me to say thank you.

I looked up into his eyes and they were dark green. Words wouldn't form in my mouth, at least not the ones I was supposed to say. I wanted to tell him that he was too old for me, how I'd rather die than marry him, and that I was not ready to beat children. Women are supposed to cook, clean, and carry children. Men remarry so often because their wives die during childbirth and they can't take care of themselves and want more children. That's not how I want to live or die.

With everything going on it my head with this old man and my mother staring at me I start to cry and run out the door. My mother goes to come after me but is stopped my the man who comes instead. I sit on a rock and he kneels next to me.

"Listen, I know oh don't want to Mary me. You are young and I get this is scary but you need to go it for you family. I have money that could really help them out and I need you to give me children that will help me in my farm," he explains in a soft tone.

"But what about taking care of myself? I'm doing all this for other people but nothing for just me. I won't ever be happy, will I?" I said.

This is when things go bad. He lifts my to my feet by my arm and shoves a big finger into my face.

"You are selfish aren't you? I agreed to marry you because I was told that you were pretty and well behaved," he growls.

I started to scream and as I did, he let go of my arm and started to grab at his throat as if her were choking. When I calmed down he took a deep breath like he had been underwater for a long time. Did I just do that? I must have because he ran away from me in terror yelling "Witch! Witch! She's a goddamn witch!"