Jazzy - In the Shadows

Virginia jumped back and forced herself to calm down. She kept reminding herself that it wasn't the first time that she had been in the Swamp Witch's cottage and things like that were to be expected. Virginia's hand met the handles of the cellar doors and clutched them tightly. She took a deep breath and gently lifted them up and peered inside.

Heavy clouds of mist swirled on the staircase and blocked her from seeing deeper into the tomb. She stared down at the first step and had to force her leg to move. When she got past the first step, she swallowed down a heavy weight that blocked her throat. When she made it halfway down, Virginia stopped and turned back around to look up at the entrance. It wasn't too late - she could still go and get help. Virginia nodded to herself and turned to go back up the stairs and find someone to come with her; she found that other things besides fear were pushing her up. Her memories of the last encounter were more than vivid in her mind.

Before she reached the top, the deathly silence that filled the tomb besides the faint dripping was broken by a faint voice: "Virginia ... Where are you going, Virginia?" Virginia froze in place and shut her eyes to the sound. She never wanted to hear that voice again, but she didn't get her wish. "I know you came to see me, child. Come and talk."

Virginia forced herself to turn back towards the bottom of the cellar and swallowed. She shut her eyes tightly and reminded herself of why she was there and what she needed to do. Those few thoughts helped to push herself down to the bottom of the stairs and break through the mist.

The humid air that had hung at the top inside the house had faded drastically away and only a cool mist and a drafty breeze wafted by. Cobwebs covered the stone walls where the dripping water failed to touch, giving it another large feeling of death. As Virginia reached the iron gate, she gently pushed it open and stepped forward into the tomb.

The gate squeaked loudly as it opened and swung back with her very light push. The Swamp Witch still rested in the middle of the room, the exact same as when Virginia had seen her last. Only there was something different about her; something that was making Virginia's skin crawl. The Swamp Witch seemed more alive, even though it was impossible. Her mind was confused with the new events she was seeing and was broken out of her thoughts as the old voice spoke once again.

"Virginia," she sighed in a superficially sweet tone. Her eyes seemed to shift from her previous stare at the ceiling and over to meet Virginia's. "I always knew that you would return to me." Virginia felt he throat tighten and instinctively took another step back. Her hand reached into her pocket and fingered the vial inside, planning on when to take it out and use it. "You can have the power, Virginia. You can be so much stronger than your mother was."

Her hate for the Swamp Witch seemed to escalate to a new high. Due to the remark about her mother, Virginia was once again reminded that because of the Swamp Witch, her mother had left her. The evil witch that was in front of her had killed two people in her life that meant so much to her. First her mother and then Wolf. Virginia's loathing for the witch was beginning to become uncontrollable and she had to fight herself not to start screaming and punching the old hag.

When the silence continued in the tomb and started to deafen Virginia's ears, she found the voice. "Well you can think again, because I will never do that. I won't do what she did," she spat, unleashing her tone filled with venom and hate.

"But, my dear ... think of the power you can have. You will be given castles and wealth. Everyone will love you and always be under your ever whim. They will be yours to control forever," she promised.

Virginia shook her head but couldn't find the power to sound her denial and rejection of the offer. It was unthinkable, but very appealing. "No!" she thought as she tore her gaze from the Swamp Witch. Stop being so conceited. She's doing this on purpose. But as hard as she tried to fight it, her eyes met the Swamp Witch's again. The offer was so appealing; it was like having the Troll king's magic shoes all over again.

"Come..." The Swamp Witch's hand became slowly outstretched, inviting Virginia. "Join me, and find the power you seek and crave." Then she was silent and left Virginia to think about what was being given to her. Virginia's hand came up and she watched it with fascination, like it was a foreign object attached to her body. As it came closer and closer to the witch's, she fought it harder and harder.

"Stop it!" Virginia screamed in her mind, but was surprised to learn that it came out of her mouth as well as she ripped her arm away and backed away from her. The Swamp Witch's expression of promise and care faded away and turned to an evil look filled with anger and rage. Virginia backed away so far that her body was pressed against the wall. When the Swamp Witch wouldn't release Virginia's gaze, her anger also rose. "I won't let you do to me what you did to my mother!" Virginia shouted, even louder than her last outburst.

The cellar was still and quiet for a long time; neither Virginia nor the witch moved or spoke. The dripping of swamp water that leaked in from above was the only sound to be heard besides Virginia's heavy breathing. Finally, the eerie silence was broken. "My child, you are strong. Much stronger than your mother was, and it seems that you are expecting one yourself." Virginia's eyes flew open in horror as the witch had spoken of her child in such an interested tone. "I would never harm you or your child, but think of the possibilities for a future between you both. You could be the ruler of the Nine Kingdoms and your child would be the heir," she said quite dramatically.

Virginia's hand flew protectively to her abdomen as the witch continued, "Your baby would live the life you dreamed of, Virginia. Filled with love and power. Don't you want that for it? Don't you want that child to live the best possible life it could?" Virginia's head nodded mechanically as if under some trance. "Gaze into the water and see what my words mean."

The Swamp Witch's eyes motioned over to a pedestal that was set in the corner of the room. Virginia looked at it in confusion; she never remembered it to be there before, nor did she notice it in her conversation with her until that moment. She walked over to it, not really feeling her own legs, and looked into the water that was resting peacefully on the pedestal like a birdbath.

The water began to ripple and cascade, instantly distorting Virginia's reflection and blurring her own face. The inner part of the pool became suddenly still, while the outside continued to move. Virginia watched in awe as a young boy sat on top of a beautiful golden throne, cultured and proud. She gasped slightly at the form seated next to him, as it was her. She sat in a dark purple dress; a golden crown dressed with various jewels sat perfectly on her head.

She and her son sat idly on their thrones watching entertainers perform in front of them while a grand buffet of food sat next to them. Musicians played beautiful pieces while many women and men danced before them and then bowed respectfully. Virginia and her son smiled happily together and watched the ball play before the eyes with delight.

The scene ended with one final look at her son smiling with the wealth and power he had gained and then faded to a bright white and the cascades began again, overtaking the once clear look into the future and slowly returning to Virginia's face in the present. She looked down at herself and saw the face of a lonely little girl that had simply found a magic dog, but had ended up saving the Kingdoms. She didn't want her child to live a life like the one she had been dealt. If she could prevent it, she would. Virginia broke her gaze and turned back towards the Swamp Witch, meeting her eyes again.

"So you see, my dear Virginia, you can become glorious things and make a grand life for your child to come." Virginia felt her head nod as her eyes became entrapped with the Swamp Witch's. "Join me, and it will be yours." The witch's hand became outstretched once again and she motioned Virginia to come closer.

She felt her legs move towards the hand and her own slowly lifting. It was like some terrible curse had been put on her for her entire life, and with this, it would simply fade away and her childhood dreams would come true. She felt like smiling and feeling proud, but instead, her eyes shut suddenly without warning and she instantly saw Snow White pleading with her to stay away.

Do not do this Virginia. Remember who you are and why you are here. Do not become prey to her monster of evil and coldness. Stop before it's too late.

And Virginia's eyes flew open, her arm whipped away, and she backed up. "Stop doing this to me!" Virginia shouted. "It won't work!" She dug into her pocket and pulled out the vial, seeing her time running out, not knowing how much longer she would be able to refuse her. As soon as she held the vial in her hand, a strong bolt of electricity shot through her arm and forced her to drop it.

The vial fell to the floor and began to roll away. Virginia watched in utter confusion, as the small bottle seemed to take on a life of its own. She glanced at the Swamp Witch and momentarily saw her smile before going after the vial. As she reached the entrance of the cellar where the gate was, she was thrown back several feet by another blast. The rusted iron gate swung directly in front of her face and slammed shut, locking Virginia inside and the vial outside, where it came to rest at the base of the stairs.

Virginia got on her hands and knees and stretched her hands through the bars to reach the vial, but it was too far away. She got up and tried to undo the latch, but was horrified to see it had been welded together, the metal twisted and melted. Her hands were still clenched around the iron bars as she turned slowly to the Swamp Witch.

The witch laughed a deep and throaty cackle that made Virginia wince. "Old magic isn't going to work my dear, and you're not leaving." She paused for a moment. "Not now, not ever."