Blogging Friends.... While writing fictional books, it often feels as
though I am watching a movie play out within my own crazy, never shuts down head!!
Odd, I know!! But while writing fictional books, I can "see" every
character who I've created. Certain things that they do. Trees. Bushes. {Etcetera,
etcetera, etcetera!!} And while writing fictional books, it always feels as
though I am the actor who plays every single character--girl or boy--as they
leap to life out of my head!! Odd, I know!! But while writing fictional books,
I literally get into my characters' heads!! Every. Freakin'. Time!! And as so
many films are based on true stories? This fictional children's book is not
exempt!! For it's {loosely} based on a true childhood story!! {See. When I was
growing up, some oddball friends did, actually, tell me that my next door
neighbor, Miss Chang, was a witch who lived in a haunted house. And, being as
gullible as I am? I believed this story!! Then--several years later!!--I was
blessed to know Miss Chang as a nice elderly Chinese/American lady!!} Now. As filmmakers
always create changes to their based-on-a-true-story movies, I definitely did
with mine. I added characters. I built a plot. I infused humor.... Love you
later.
"Creating beautiful mosaic artwork" with the broken, shattered pieces of my lifelong dream to be an author....
For my dear Blogging Friends who have children. You may print
this story off and read it to them!!
I am alright with that!! Enjoy!!
"The Wicked Witch"
Autumn arrived, as Summer's seemingly long days with hot
temperatures were at last over. Yes, the October air outside felt much more brisk
than it had just months before!! Tree's leaves were changing colors everywhere
from red, yellow, orange and brown. Soon, they will all fall off leaving
nothing but bare branches!! Pumpkins had been harvested and were now a bright
orange. Soon they will be gutted, carved and lit up on Halloween night!! Juicy sweet-tasting
apples were once again ripe. Soon they will be peeled, cut up and baked into
pies with cinnamon-sugar on top!! Yes, Autumn had definitely arrived!!
A short, silver-haired, old lady named Charlotte lives all alone in
her little white-painted house. An enormous-sized green bush frames over half
of Charlotte's small backyard. {It makes a natural "fence" which provides
privacy!!} And in the very middle of Charlotte's backyard is an enormous-sized apple
tree with thick branches. During Autumn, it's covered with ripe, juicy,
sweet-tasting fruit!! Underneath the tree, there are often several rotting, wormy
apples that have dropped. Among Charlotte's next door neighbors is a brown-haired,
hazel-eyed ten-year old girl named Autumn.
Children, as everyone very well knows, can have active, crazy, wild,
and somewhat weird imaginations. Stories that they tell other kids, friends, or
classmates are usually passed on from person to person. Like an untrue rumor. This
is exactly what a group of three ten-year old neighbors named Sarah, Dimetri and Stanley did. Their active, crazy, wild, weird imaginations
created an insane ghost story. And it all began with Sarah....
"Hey, Dimetri, Stanley," she said
in a mysterious voice one clear blue sky day, "You know the old lady who
lives next door to Autumn? I heard that she is a wicked witch!!"
"Oh. My. Gosh!!" exclaimed Stanley, a shocked tone in his voice, "Oh.... My.... Gosh!! A wicked witch?!"
"Well, that explains why her skin is
so wrinkly," said Dimetri in a matter of fact way,
"Huh. A wicked witch?! Wow.... She probably has a huge wart on her big nose,
too!! Just like the wicked witch character in Snow White!!"
"Yes, it does explain why her skin
is so wrinkly!! Good point, Dimetri!!" Sarah continued, "And I heard
that the wicked witch does, in fact, have a huge wart on her big nose!!"
"That house is probably haunted,
too!!" said Stanley.
"Oh, of course!!" Sarah continued,
"I heard that the wicked witch's house is haunted by ghosts and spirits!!"
"Whoa, creepy!!" said Dimetri,
"Her dead husband is probably the one who haunts that house!! Am I right,
Sarah? Or dead pets that the wicked witch owned haunts her house!!"
"Maybe...." Sarah continued, "I
heard that the ghosts and spirits who haunt this wicked witch's house are, in
fact, more than one!! Not just her dead husband. Or deceased pets, even. I heard that these ghosts and spirits are
anyone who has ever lived in her little old white house!! They date all the way
back to its very first homeowners!!"
"Wow!!" exclaimed Stanley,
"That haunted house looks really old!! It was probably built and bought
well over one-hundred years ago!!"
Sarah nodded in agreement.
"Good sense of observation,
Stanley!!" she said, "I heard that the haunted house was built and
bought in 1904!! If my math is correct, that was well over one-hundred years
ago!!"
"Wow. Just.... Wow!!" said Dimetri, "Over one-hundred years ago?!
Really?! Just imagine how many people would have lived in her haunted house
throughout the course of that many years!!"
"I know, right?" exclaimed
Sarah, "Isn't it exciting?! To think that the wicked witch's old haunted
house has over one-hundred years-worth of homeowners!!"
Suddenly, Dimetri gasped.
"I just thought of something!!"
he said, wide-eyed, "What if anybody ever died inside the wicked witch's
haunted house?!"
"Good question, Dimetri!!"
Sarah continued, "I heard that lots of people have died in that haunted
house over the years!!"
Then Sarah, Dimetri and Stanley all stood
speechless for several minutes. Lots of
people have died in that little, old, white-painted house?! Suddenly they were
all feeling quite haunted by this ghost story!!
Finally, Stanley broke the silence.
"Autumn lives next door to a wicked
witch?!" he said, "Does she know about all of this?"
"I have not told her yet,"
replied Sarah.
A sorry expression was written on her
face.
"She needs to know!!" said Dimetri,
"I mean, come on. Autumn lives next door to a haunted house!!"
So Sarah, Dimetri and Stanley found their
neighbor friend. She was at home. They explained everything to her. Autumn
listened, with absolutely no interruptions.
Finally, she spoke.
"Wait, what?!" said Autumn,
"My next door neighbor is a.... a.... a.... Wicked witch?! How can that
be?"
"It is true," Sarah mysteriously
said, "And nobody can make eye contact with this wicked witch!! Nobody. Because I heard that if your
eyes meet her's, she will cast a spell on you!!"
"My next door neighbor is a wicked
witch...." repeat Autumn.
She, too, believed it.
"I have an idea!!" announced
Sarah, "Let's all play a game of 'Dare'!! I will go first. I dare.... Autumn!!
She will walk into the wicked witch's backyard.... Alone!!"
"I do not think that is such a good
idea!!" protested Stanley, "Nobody should walk into the wicked
witch's backyard!!"
"I can't but agree," said Dimetri,
"Especially not Autumn!! Because she lives next door to the wicked
witch!!"
"I will do it," said Autumn.
She was somehow feeling very, very, very brave.
Autumn swallowed hard. She inhaled some deep,
deep, deep breaths. Then, as Sarah, Dimetri
and Stanley nervously watched her every move, Autumn
walked down a city sidewalk. She passed the enormous-sized green bush. Autumn
turned a corner. She tiptoed up the wicked witch's steep driveway. And then
Autumn disappeared into her next door neighbor's backyard.
This is it, she thought, There's no turning back. And I made it in before the wicked witch could
even see me!! Yes!!
Meanwhile, Dimetri and Stanley started feeling
very guilty about sending Autumn into the wicked witch's backyard all alone. {Even
though it was Sarah's idea!!}
"I.... I.... I.... I think we should
go in after her," Stanley bravely suggested, "Come on!!"
"Go in after her?!" said Sarah,
shocked, "What are you, insane?! The wicked witch will make eye contact
with us and cast one of her spells!! No. I am not going in there!!"
"Well.... We are," declared Dimetri,
"You can stay here and be a chicken all you want, Sarah. But.... We are
going in after Autumn!!"
So they did. Dimetri and Stanley swallowed
hard. They inhaled some deep, deep, deep
breaths. Then, as Sarah nervously watched their every move, Dimetri and Stanley
bravely walked down a city sidewalk. They passed the enormous-sized green bush.
Dimetri and Stanley turned a corner. They tiptoed up the wicked witch's steep
driveway. Then Dimetri and Stanley disappeared into her backyard.
Sarah followed closely behind.
Once they joined Autumn, everybody looked
around the wicked witch's backyard. It was dark. For with the
enormous-sized green bush and huge apple tree? It was quite shady!! Autumn could even see
her home above a rusty wire fence!! But the wicked witch's house was hidden
behind that enormous-sized green bush. Therefore. As long as she did not step
foot into her own backyard, Sarah, Dimetri, Stanley and Autumn were safe from
making any eye contact with the wicked witch!! For this way? She could not cast
a spell on them!! Dimetri and Stanley started to climb the apple tree's thick
branches. Sarah picked a ripe juicy sweet-tasting fruit. She started to eat it.
But Autumn stopped her.
"Wait!!" she screamed, "If my next door neighbor is truly
just like the wicked witch character in Snow White, then these apples are probably
poisonous!! Do not eat them!!"
Sarah immediately threw her apple onto
the ground.
"Oh my goodness!!" she said,
"Why didn't I think of that?! This could very well be true!!"
Soon it was time for Sarah, Dimetri,
Stanley and Autumn to bravely step outside of the wicked witch's backyard.
Because they could not stay trapped in there forever!! Sarah, Dimetri, Stanley
and Autumn needed to go home.
They each swallowed hard. Sarah, Dimetri,
Stanley and Autumn inhaled some deep, deep, deep
breaths. Then they bravely started to tiptoe back down the wicked witch's steep
driveway. However. Before they could, the wicked witch looked out a window. And
Autumn saw her. She quickly looked away, completely terrified of making eye
contact with the wicked witch. Then Autumn ran as fast as her legs could carry
her, screaming loudly.
"The wicked witch saw me!!" she
yelled, "The wicked witch saw me!! The wicked witch saw me!!"
"Oh no!!" exclaimed Sarah,
"You did not make eye contact with her, right?!"
"No!!" answered Autumn,
"But the wicked witch saw me!!"
Then, one late October day, out of curiosity, Autumn secretly did
something that neither Sarah, Dimetri, or Stanley would have ever been
brave enough to do. Because it was crazy. Reckless. And foolish. {All at once,
really!!} Autumn walked up the wicked witch's front porch steps and rang her
doorbell. Thump, thump, thump, thump,
thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump. Autumn could feel her heart
pounding hard.
This is it, she thought, There's no turning back....
The wicked witch opened her old wooden door. Autumn just stood there,
completely motionless. She could not breathe or speak. And Autumn wouldn't even
dare make eye contact with the wicked witch!! Because she felt terrified by
Sarah, Dimetri, and Stanley's ghost story!!
"Hi there, child," said the wicked witch, "How are
you doing on this beautiful Autumn day?"
There was a soft gentle grandmotherly tone in the wicked witch's
voice. This took Autumn by surprise, as she definitely did not expect it!! For
her next door neighbor's voice wasn't sounding raspy like the wicked witch
character's in Snow White at all!! And now Autumn felt very, very,
very confused. Was--or was she not--a
wicked witch?!
"Did you hear me, child?" asked
the wicked witch in a concerned tone of voice.
"Uh.... I.... Yeah...." began
Autumn.
"Well, speak up!!" said the
wicked witch in a patient tone of voice, "Don't you have something to say?"
Then--without making any eye contact with
the wicked witch--speak up Autumn did.
"My friends, Sarah, Dimetri and
Stanley said that you are a.... a.... a...."
"What?" asked Autumn's next
door neighbor.
"A wicked witch!!" she blurt
out.
Then, Autumn's next door neighbor
laughed. Hard. But it was not at all a cackle sound like the wicked witch character had in Snow White!!
"Fascinating," said Autumn's
next door neighbor, "A wicked witch? What else have your friends said about
me?"
The wicked witch is quite amused by Sarah, Dimetri and Stanley's ghost story so far!! thought Autumn.
"They said...." continued
Autumn, "Your wrinkles are proof that you are a wicked witch!!"
"Ha!!" laughed Autumn's next
door neighbor, "They are called 'laugh lines'!! And when you're
eighty-years old like me, you'll have them, as well!! For laugh lines are
simply something that comes with age!! They cannot be avoided. What else have your
friends said about me?"
Wow, the wicked witch's feelings are not even hurt by Sarah,
Dimetri and Stanley's ghost story!!
"They said...." continued
Autumn, "That your house is haunted by every ghost and spirit who has ever
lived there!!"
"Interesting," said the wicked
witch, "But tell me. How can a little old white house be haunted? I mean. Aren't
huge dark abandoned mansions usually the haunted houses? What else have your
friends said about me?"
Hey, the wicked witch has a good point!! thought Autumn, Haunted houses
usually are huge dark abandoned mansions!!
"Now you wait right here, child!!"
the wicked witch enthusiastically said, "I will return in a minute!! Just
wait right here!!"
Autumn watched as the wicked witch
disappeared into her "haunted house". She was gone!! Now would be a
very good time to escape!! But Autumn did not run away. For she no longer felt terrified
of her next door neighbor!! Just curious. Nonetheless, Autumn was still acting
cautious. For she absolutely refused to made any eye contact with the wicked
witch. So Autumn waited. Soon, the wicked witch returned, as promised. In her
hands she was carrying a large tray. On it were cookies and two mugs!!
"I have always believed in serving
my guests yummy-tasting food," said the wicked witch, "It is a good
thing that I just baked these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!! Here, try some
homemade apple cider, as well!!"
"Wow!!" exclaimed Autumn,
"Homemade apple cider?! We always buy ours from the store!!"
"Well, I have a huge apple tree growing
in my backyard that produces tons of fruit!!" smiled the wicked witch,
"Now please continue, child. What else have your friends said about
me?"
The wicked witch wants to hear more of Sarah, Dimetri and
Stanley's ghost story!!
"They said...." continued
Autumn as she ate a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie, "That your house was
built and bought over one-hundred years ago, in 1904!! Which means. Lots of
people have lived in it over the years!!"
"Your friends were very close!!"
said the wicked witch, "It was built and bought in 1911. Lots of people
have lived in this home. {Who I've known personally, anyway!!} My husband. He died
before me. Our five children. The family Golden Retriever/Basset Hound mix.
See, I've lived in this home ever since I was in my early twenties, when I married
my husband. Now. As for how many people lived in this house before us? I do not know!! What else have your friends said about me?"
Wow.... thought Autumn, The wicked witch is still curious about Sarah, Dimetri and Stanley's ghost story!!
"They said...." continued
Autumn, "That lots of people died in your house over the years!!"
"Well...." said Autumn's next
door neighbor, "As for those unknown homeowners who lived here before me?
Yes, I do suppose that 'lots' of people could have died in this house. But,
honestly? I haven't a clue!! Because I've never even thought about it!! Now, as
for my husband? He died in a hospital with doctors, nurses, our kids, close family
and myself by his side. What else have your friends said about me?"
Oh my goodness!! thought Autumn. The wicked witch just shared some very personal details of her Life
with me, and she still wants to hear more?!
"They said...." continued
Autumn, "That you have a huge wart on your big nose!! Like the wicked
witch character in Snow White!!"
"A huge wart?" she said, "On
my nose? I had a big ugly mole!! Which I did have removed!!"
Then the wicked witch looked closely at
Autumn. She had observed that her guest was constantly looking down. Or away.
For Autumn was not looking directly at her.
"What is wrong, child?" the
wicked witch gently asked, "Why aren't you looking at me?"
"Because.... Because....
Because...." Autumn started to say, "My friends Sarah, Dimetri and
Stanley said.... That if I make eye contact with
you.... You'll cast a spell on me!!"
"Oh, nonsense!!" said the
wicked witch, "You can make eye contact with me!! And I promise I will not
cast any spells!! Go on!! Look into my eyes!! It will be all right!!"
Slowly, Autumn looked up. Now there truly
was no turning back. Slowly, Autumn's eyes met her next door neighbor's!! They
were a very pretty grey color!! Not at all enormously-sized like the wicked
witch's in Snow White!!
"By the way? My name is Charlotte,"
said Autumn's next door neighbor, "You and your friends can stop thinking
of me as 'a wicked witch'. What is your name, child?"
"Autumn," she answered, while
drinking her apple cider.
"Like the beautiful season that we
are in!!" smiled Charlotte, "I love it!! Nice to have finally met you,
Autumn!!"
"Same here.... Charlotte,"
smiled Autumn.
And then a friendship was born!!