Into the Mountains

The little girl was watching the old woman in awe. Draped in a red shawl, the woman had snowy white hair and a wrinkled face which was barely recognizable. Her dark eyes peered under the soggy eyelids, studying the child.

Next to the child sat a man in his early thirties. He had the same blonde hair as the girl, but his eyes were jet black and he had a crooked nose. They were at a strange cave which was adorned with colorful beads. Candles lit all around them, giving off fragrances of rose and lilies while an altar lay in front of them on which the old woman was sitting upon.

The child was hardly four years old, but very inquisitive. Her amber eyes were on the old woman, as if trying to recognize who she was. The old woman was also studying the child with interest.

“Thank you for allowing us to receive your blessing, Maman!” the man said in a grateful tone. His name was Mikhael Vadimovna, a simple witch who worked in the village down the valley. No one knew he was a witch. In fact, he