The Witch's House - The Diary of Ellen

Chapter 1

Back Alley Meeting

1

I was sick,

so no one played with me.

I saw a black cat catch a mouse.

It happened in an instant. All I saw was a dark shadow leaping out, and before I knew it, there was a black cat with a mouse in its mouth.

The mouse didn't even twitch - perhaps the cat had hit its vitals. As if noticing my gaze, the cat looked my way.

Her large, golden eyes were wide open.

Only moments later, the cat vanished off into the alley.

I let out a great sigh. How beautiful it was. The image of that black cat was burnt into my sight.

Such a nimble body, and with eyes like full moons. Gold like mine, true. But I had no fangs like her. And I had no freedom.

I sprawled out on my dirty bed and gazed outside. All I could do every day was look out the window into the back alley.

Why, you ask?

Because to do so was my way of life, and my duty.

The people passing through didn't notice me. And if they did, they pretended not to notice the pale girl glaring at them.

Honest people scowled as if they'd seen something taboo, and quickly departed.

Naturally. These were the slums.

Everyone is focused on living for themselves, unable to spare the time to lend others a hand.

"Ellen?"

My mother gently calling my name returned me to reality.

"Did you see something?", she asked, placing a bucket of water down on the floor.

Perhaps she'd noticed how I looked outside with more of a gleam in my eye than usual.

I nodded slightly and opened my mouth.

"A cat..."

A voice more worn than I was expecting came out.

I coughed slightly, then continued.

"I saw this dark black cat catch a mouse."

"Ah," she smiled. Her loosely-wound light brown hair swayed above her collarbone.

She dipped a cloth in the bucket of water and wrung it out. She neatly folded it, then put a hand on the blanket.

"I'll change your bandages."

As soon as I nodded, she pulled the blanket up to my knees.

I had bandages wrapped around both my calves. There were faint splotches of red in places.

When she removed the bandages, the cracked skin discolored an awful red became evident. Mother began wiping it with expert hands.

I tried to tell her about how quickly, how elegantly the cat had caught the mouse. But as it truly had been over in mere moments, I soon ran out of things to say.

While I kept silent, mother finished wrapping my bandages and pulled the blanket back up.

She looked at my head, and as if only just noticing, said "Oh, your ribbon's slipping."

She reached for it. Not that I would know myself if it was slipping or not.

She smiled and gestured for me to look the other way. I obliged, turning my body toward the window.