Witch Hunt

Long ago, before technology took over the world and made life easier, there was magic. Magic described and seen deeper than those magic tricks magicians used to perform in front of children and audience to impress them, magic that could hurt, magic that could kill. This magic was owned by the witches and wizards, but long ago, witches were more popular and secretly dominated the world. These witches scattered all around the world, living in fear that someone might see them and call off the knights to sly them and burn them in front of a huge crowd who despised them more than anything. Witches were feared for their spells that could harm anyone in any way. What scared those most was the fact that they lived in fear every day, not knowing if it'll be their last.

But long ago, there lived a young witch in the land. Ah, yes, she came to love a young prince and so the story goes.

Long, blonde hair and cold yet sweet, blue eyes. She went by the name of Caroline; sweet, dear, and loved by anyone and everyone—including the dear young prince, Marx. Marx was the prince and the heir of the kingdom of that land at that time, and Caroline just so happened to catch the prince’s attention. At a young age, both souls fell in love.

“No need for a magic to stop time, no spell can achieve what I feel.” Once said the prince, "Love bounding through every hour, joy lights a new day.”

Everyone loved the love that was Caroline and Marx. Everyone smiled and gushed about how they looked the perfect pair. Caroline’s perfect, silky blonde hair seemed to match Marx’s chocolate brown locks. Their personalities weren’t any different; both were very caring and kind towards everyone. They were loved for what they seem to be. But from afar, someone despised them—no, someone despised Caroline more than anyone; it was the woman who served the Catholic church of the land: Amy. She hated Caroline for a reason; she was in love with Marx, the prince who had shown her what it was like to live.

Amy envied Caroline for being the one who the prince loved. All of these didn’t happen before, and Marx was Amy’s and Amy’s only before Caroline came into his line of view and stole him away from her. Because of that, Amy, the well-known servant of God, began to blight her own soul; she began to blight her own heart with the darkness that was her jealousy towards the witch that was Caroline.

"She kept all the magic out of sight, how else to achieve what you feel?” Once Amy asked Marx, and the prince was taken aback. “Love burning the final hour. She’ll light a new day.”

Now, hear the witch crying louder as she’s tied up to her eyes.

“Penitence for your crime! Penitence and your life!” Said the crowd that was right before her very eyes, spewing venom with every word, eyes looking at her with pure disgust. The Caroline that everyone once loved was now the Caroline that everyone hated. It was amusing that in just a flash, their love turned into burning hatred and that hatred caused them to tie her up at a wooden crucifix, like the way Jesus Christ had been tied. Dried hay and leaves rest beneath the end of the cross; they will burn it once the church bells ring.

“If that love was just a curse, then you shall not have any tears to shed!” Cried Amy as she looked up at Caroline. Long, blonde hair faded and cut short. The life that was in her eyes faded into a dull blue—cold and lifeless, hopeless, too.

“Let it light, let it burn bright, we only do what’s right!” Amy added and as if on cue, the church bell rang, indicating that the time for Caroline to be punished for being a hideous being—a witch had begun. Amy took a torch and lighted it with a fire burning so bright and burning so painfully in Caroline’s eyes and she watched in fear as that burning flame started to scatter on the dried hay that was beneath her tied feet. She struggled, she begged for Marx to stop them, she begged for the prince to save her, but the prince did nothing but watch as the flames went up to her feet, blighting her delicate skin that he used to love touching. Marx apologized inside his head, feeling sorry and guilty for being unable to do anything despite being the prince and the heir of the land.

“Can’t believe of the fools that I see! You fed them dirty lies!” Shouted Caroline and a scream went out of her throat, and just like that, she was engulfed in the flames that kissed her good night. Marx watched in horror, and as the flames swallow Caroline—his dear, sweet Caroline, he could only mutter a few words;

“In another life, I will find you.”

*

“Good evening everyone! Thank you for attending this year’s book fair!” And the crowd of bookworms cheered wildly, raising their favorite books in the air and anticipating excitedly for the very special guest that the hosts of the fair had mentioned before, “Now, give it up for our very special guest! It’s none other than the author of the very famous book, Witch Hunt!” 

The crowds roared greatly, and there was a loud applause. He looked up from the book he was holding and onto the stage right before him. He saw how she walked out to the audience with a microphone in her hand, and he noticed her long, silky blonde hair, and her cold yet sweet-looking eyes. And her smile! So perfect. She caught his attention. Feels like something nudged onto him that it happened before—somewhere…

She spoke for a while, and then she descended down the stairs and onto the long table right in front of them, and then… the book-signing came after. Each and every one of her fans gathered up and lined up to have their copies signed by the lovely author with the blue eyes. From what he could see in his spot in this long line, she was friendly, sparking a conversation with her fans and smiling at them sweetly. He wanted to see that smile up close, so he decided to stay within the line, patiently wait for his turn.

And it was his turn. He was up next and when it was already his turn, something unimaginable happened. He tripped on his own two feet and fell right in front of her. Everyone was dead silent for a moment, and he got up quickly, smiling sheepishly. Something told this author that this man with the chocolate brown hair and piercing blue eyes was familiar, and that she had seen him before. Light skin that seemed to match hers, captivating stare and addicting smile… He was very familiar.

“Are you okay?” She asked, and he chuckled an embarrassing chuckle, scratching the back of his head, “Y-Yes, sorry about that.” He apologized, placing his copy on the table in front of her.

“Thank you for reading my Witch Hunt. I hope you liked it!” She said, grabbing the pen nearby while keeping her gaze up at him whose figure seemed to loom over her.

“I liked it very much! It was so detailed and so heart twisting.” The man replied and his embarrassed smile mellowed down to a soft one. “Ah, I see…” The author smiled again and her gaze fell down on the copy that belonged to the man in front of her.

“May I ask what your name i--…” She stopped talking immediately when she saw the words written on the first blank page of the book that she wrote.

It said;

(Photo credits: makki)