The Witch’s Curse

Dear Diary,

Until Halloween, I was never so happy to be myself.

Ready to trick-or-treat, I put on my costume. Always having aspired to become a ballerina, I slipped on my slippers and pranced out the door. As the night wore on, my feet began to hurt. Seeking a place to rest, I entered the haunted house across the street, my torn slippers in hand. Expecting tranquility, I entered the fortune teller’s room.

The fortune-teller sneered. Her gaze took me in and came to rest on my slippers. Then she asked whether I regret my costume. With a shrug, I admitted “a little.” Delighted, she offered me a change-in-costume, “some new shoes to walk in.” Curious, I replied “Why not?”

Upon the condition that thou keep out of sight

I will grant thee the gift to shape-shift tonight

Thou need only envision to become what thou wish,

but thou must give up something dear lest things go amiss.

With a crooked finger, she beckoned for my slippers. Captivated, I hand them over. Just as they left my grasp, miasma flood the space. Then as soon as it came, it went, and so had the witch. In her place rest a message:

If thou decides to end the deal,

be back by midnight to make the final appeal.

Wanting only to fly out of there, I shift into a crow to fly over to the local farm. As I glide over the corn maze, I made plans for my escape, only to become disoriented and land in the orchard. From there, I shift into a black cat to conceal myself amongst the canopy, coming to discover creatures which never knew day. By the time I came to ascend the tallest tree, the night had fallen to darkness. Forced to resort to echolocation, I shift into a bat to brave the blind descent. As I found my way upside down, I looked forward to sharing the night's adventure with those I knew.

...Only then did I realize the witch’s curse.

As I flew in, she didn’t so much as stir from her slumber. Upon realizing that I remained a bat, I uttered a screech.

...So thou made it back by twelve after all!

At a quarter to midnight none-the-less...such a close call...

I told her I changed my mind and I wanted my slippers back. For what was the point of this charade if I couldn’t share it with friends? Having transcend her curse, the witch was forced to surrender my slippers. Tired and broken in, the slippers were laid to rest before me. Just as the night's final toll began, I settled into them, happy to be myself again.