The Runaway Page

The Beginning

The three children ran along the pebbled path that their parents warned them about. The silence of the woods was intruded by the giggles and folks songs coming from the children. No older than sixteen years old, the children ran the through the forest in the midst of the night. The legs of the children ached, but they were on a mission to find the witch and steal some wishes. A once folk story to get children to behave soon became an obsession to the younger generation. Many kids would look for her in the yard, but they weren't like most kids. It was dark outside, but it didn't scare the kids. It only encouraged them to go further. They thought that maybe the witch would be afraid of what lurks in the dark. The giggles soon came to a stop as they reached an old cabin covered in moss and leaves.
"This is the witch's house!" One of them exclaimed.
"Inside she lies with cat and a pointed hat. If we behave, our wishes is what she'll grant." The youngest recited just like her mother told her. Then one of the children pulled out a knife.
"And if she behaves then she won't get hurt when we steal all of the wishes." The oldest said with a grin plastered onto his face.
"Samuel, you mustn't tamper with the witch, or she will not be merciful. Please don't try to get more than you can carry. Let's just get our wish and leave." One girl tried to reason, but Samuel didn't listen. He stepped closer towards her house, but retreated when he heard a noise. The young kids giggled when they realized that it was only a frog. Samuel's face lit up like a tomato.
"Stop it," he frowned, "since it's so funny how about one of you go and intrude her house." The children fell silent, nobody was brave enough to approach her threshold. Then a little girl with two red pig tails and three missing teeth walked up to the door and gently knocked and recited these words
"Good evening old witch, are you home? We've come to you on our own. We're sorry to disturb you at such late notice, but please grant us with a wish and we'll be gone. Just open up the door and we won't take long." At first there was nothing, just an eerie silence that bundled the greedy children together. Then came a creek from the old wooden door. It was so loud that it made their teeth chatter and grind. Then a mist slithered from the door and hovered upon the boulders that protected the cabin in front of them. A twisted laugh came from inside of the cabin and lingered around their ears. Slowly a black ripped and flowing dress came into view, and soon the dark silhouette of the witch could be seen. It was dark, but you could see her turning her head to see the children. She chuckled before she snapped her fingers and light appeared over her face. The kids gasped as her face came to view. She wasn't like how the story made her to be. The story granted her as a beautiful creature with nature in every aspect, but the being in front of them was anything but. She had matted black hair with twigs and bugs crawling all around. Her clothes was old and ragged. Many years  of stains marked its territory on her ugly dress that had a recent layer of mud and dirt. Her skin was not wrinkled, but warted and blistered. Her nose was sharp and crooked, and teeth were stained brown. She wreaked of an odor so foul; an odor so rich of waste and molded bread.
"Why are you here?" The witch said.
"To steal the wishes, and make sure you die." Samuel replied. The witch chuckled and stepped closer to children in front of her.
"Steal my wishes and kill me? Why?"
"Because you're an ugly old witch, too ugly to have a life, and we are children who are worthy of anything we want or need."
"You, my dear, make a very good point. How about I make you a deal. I'll grant you three wishes, then I'll leave this forest and never return."
He thought about her offer, and he thought about it really good, then said, "would you grant me endless wishes? Would you do it if you could?" The old witch thought about his question and she said,"sure why not."
So the children thought about wishes and wished away. All of them were greedy, asking for money and more wishes and clothes. Except one little girl named Suesy, she only wanted one thing, and it was to be safe and happy. The witch was surprised, but granted her wish anyway.
"Is everyone happy with their wish?" She asked with a crooked grin. Everyone nodded except Samuel.
"No! I want more wishes! More money! I want more!" He yelled at the witch. She twitched around the eyes, and fumbled with her hands.
"You want more? Are you sure?" She asked. The boy nodded yes and stomped his feet.
"YOU SELFISH GREEDY CHILDREN! WHY CAN'T YOU HAPPY WITH THE WISHES YOY HAVE NOW! I was going to let you go, but I realized that you children are selfish. Kids like you have to be taught a lesson." She ranted. She began to swirl her fingers around and around, then a tiny pot levitated in front of her. She mumbled words and flicked her hand at the pot, every time she did a new color would burst from the pot. Then after a minute or two she chanted the following words, "Let these children suffer from wealth, jealousy, greed, and anything the great heavens and hells can throw at them. Curse everyone if them to have selfish needs that will tear them apart from everything theu have. Let them burn internally from the loneliness they will soon encounter. Let this travel with them for millions of years, and never to be broken... Except if they find the hidden piece in the most darkest part of the earth that will be guarded by the worlds most powerful creatures. Engulfed in many mazes that will drive one mad before they escape. If they find the hidden page, then they'll break the curse."
Then she took the pot and threw the cursed potion on the children. They sat there in shock as the potion ran through their blood and DNA. The witch gave an ear piercing scream and the children ran out of the woods and back to their homes.

"And that Jeanabene is that 'family curse'" Sarah told her granddaughter.