The hag on the meadows

"This thing is not evil," she looked at it with her eyes wide, her red hair moving to the wind. "At least, this is not a Blight man."

It took away its hand and Natalia felt her heart become heavy again. She looked to the water and found her hair black again. She stood up and grabbed its hand.

Her hair was red again though she didn't know what red was, she liked it still. She saw small bits of the same color on her dress also. It looked at her and then at the skies, confused. "What are you?" she turned to it.

The entity's neck moved, as if it wanted to speak. It looked at her and pointed to its throat. "You can't speak? At least you can hear," she smiled. It was a long time since she had smiled.

It looked around looking for answers. "He looks like not even he knows what he is," she thought.

Natalia wanted to help him, for he had given her that brief moment of lightness and showed her a part of her that she didn't know existed. But what can she do? She was just a thirteen-year-old girl with a sick mother.

She churned her mind for answers. She couldn't take him to the village – the people will stone him and her to death. She couldn't just leave – her mother was there. She thought of anyone or anything that might help.

Then she thought of her; Pacificia.

Natalia knew that Pacificia lives above the hill near the forest, yet she never went up there. People told horrible things about her, that she was a witch and can turn you into a rat or some said that she has an army of rats, while others were simply scared of her ramble. She came down the hill once in a full moon and spoke of the Blight men; shadowy people that could kill a man with a touch. She warned them to run away, yet there was no place to run to.

She was afraid of her but Pacificia could be the only one with any answers.

She grabbed onto his hand. "I know someone. She might be able to help."

The shadow walked, silent. He didn't know where he was going, or who the girl was, but he walked still. It was like a leaf dancing to the wind.

They went back outside the forest, crossing the roots leaves, and trees. When they crossed a bush of flowers, Natalia saw them turn red. She stopped near them. "So pretty," her eyes widened. She plucked some and turned them into a bunch and, kept it in her pocket.

The village didn't care for the girl or the one that came with her. They went on with their work, far down the woods. "I will be right back, ma," she looked to the end of the village

They went round the village, hoping no one would see them, and reached the foot of the meadow where Pacificia lived. It was like a black fist that punched the sky, with grass and trees that looked like grey hairs. Stones and boulders scattered like small and large pimples.

"We have to go up," she pointed and pulled his hand.

The two walked up the steep hill, with Natalia huffing and puffing along the way. "How the hell does that old lady climb this thing?" she wondered as sweat glided down her chin and fell to the ground. He was not faced by anything, for now, he was a mere shadow.

The shack hung from the side of the hill, waiting to fall if a strong gust came. It was made of wood, with termites haven eaten its corners, and a grey hay roof. The door creaked and echoed, waving and slamming the walls. A rope hung over two poles on the side of the house and she saw a grey dress flying over it.

"This better be worth it," she thought. She looked down the hill and towards her village, wondering if Rebecca was still there with her mother. "She won't be, not when even I am not staying with her."

They walked up the hill and towards the house. The sky was donned in shades of black and white, with it getting lighter as she looked from the ground and up to the sun; the whitest of them all. The house and the mountains gave off the sense of some old charcoal painting.

"You stay here," she told him near the door. "I don't want her to freak out."

He stood outside, silent as a statue. Natalie went to the door and pushed it, stopping it from dancing to the wind. "Pacificia," she called inside.

No one replied from inside and she called again, taking a step through the door. "No one steals from my house," she heard a shout and wood creaked. She heard feet stomping and with it, the tapping of a stick on the floor.

She was a woman of grey; her hair was grey and her skin was greyer and yet, her robe was darker than black. She walked with her legs shivering and her walking stick swaying, and her hood and sleeves danced. "I won't have no thieves in here," she spat, and her lips rolled over her teeth in grey and white.

"I am not a thief," Natalia took a step back, afraid.

The woman looked up at her with grey watery eyes. "Then what are you?" she poked her with the stick. "What the hell are you here for?" she poked her again.

"I . . . ," why was she here again? "I . . . ," she didn't even know this woman.

"Well spit it out. I ain't got all day."

Words failed her as she tried to explain the thing outside, and then she thought, it's better to show than to tell. "I have someone to show you, but please, don't freak out," she said and walked outside.

"You are taking away my nap time," Pacificia shouted as Natalia's feet went behind the door. "Who the hell is that anyway?" she thought tapping her walking stick on the wooden floor.

Pacificia's heart squeezed when she saw the girl's hair fluttering as she came back to view. "Red?!" her mouth went wide, and her lips quivered. "Is that a . . . color?" she couldn't believe her eyes.

And when she saw the phantom, with its shadowy appearance and red crawling snakes on its body, she was frozen in place. Natalia freaked out seeing the old lady's face. "I told you not to freak out," she ran to her.

Her lips turned and broke into a smile. "Finally . . . the key has come."