WITCH HUNT

Jonah had walked all day. However, no one had crossed his path. He was tired, thirsty, and was already beginning to feel hungry. Yet he continued on his way, hoping to find someone to help him.

Night came without Jonah noticing, for there were so many stars in the sky that no sunlight was needed. To avoid being seen, Jonah decided to continue his journey through the forest. The further he went into the forest, the darker and more frightening the landscape became. The trees in the forest were so tall and lush that the starlight was not able to pass between them.

"u-u-u-u." The hooting of the owls made Jonah's heart beat faster than normal although he couldn't see their big eyes, he knew they were looking at him. He had always been afraid of the dark and being alone, so far from what he once called home, made him tremble.

"You are doing this for your sister, you are doing this for Alma. Jonah whispered in a desperate attempt to remain calm.

"Quickly! Don't let her get away!" Jonah heard a voice scream.

"Yesterday, she escaped from us, but today we will not let her go alive.

"We will burn her to the bone!" cried a shrill little voice.

Jonah, seeing the group of people with lit torches and the faces of few friends approaching him, tried to hide behind a tree. For his bad luck, he didn't have time. One of the men managed to see him.

"There is the witch! She hid behind that tree."

Feeling exposed, Jonah started to run away. It was very dark, so he kept crashing into the trees. However, this did not stop him from running. He knew very well that if those people managed to catch him, they would kill him without mercy. His heart was still beating, even though sometimes it seemed not to.

Suddenly, the hooting of the owls began to sound like mocking laughter, joyfully announcing the death of Jonah.

"Say goodbye to this world. Tonight you will die," they said.

'I am sure I will die, but not tonight.' Thought. Although he was as tired as he had ever been in his life.

Jonah reached a point of no return. He had to decide between giving himself up to these bloodthirsty, revenge-hungry men or jumping into the void. He jumped. He was not unwilling to bow down to death without a fight.

In a dark dungeon, Jonah woke up with unbearable back pain. Tears were streaming from his eyes. He wiped them away immediately. He could not stop them from coming out, but he should not cry. He was no longer a child.

"Crying is good for the soul, little one. Exclaimed a hoarse voice from the shadows.

"I have no soul. I sold it to the Devil long ago," he whispered.

"What are you talking about? Ever since you were brought here, I have not stopped hearing the cries of your soul. Jonah said nothing, but then he saw a woman crawl out of the shadows with her face excessively wrinkled. The corners of her mouth reached her chin, leaving all her big teeth visible.

"You must silence her and give her what she wants." Said the woman, bringing her mouth close to the horrified face of Jonah.

Suddenly, the place was invaded by a foul smell of rotten flesh and blood. Jonah could not stand the stench and began to vomit.

"Another witch was burned. If they continue doing it so quickly, our time will come before the dawn." Said the woman with a hoarse voice.

Jonah sat in a corner of the dungeon, feeling exhausted, disappointed in himself. He had come so far. However, after all, the owls were right, he would die that night. His life was not a fantastic story in which against all odds he would come up with an ingenious plan to get out of there. He was finished, the tragicomedy of his life had finally come to an end.

"Are you sure it was the devil you sold your soul to?" said the woman after a long silence.

"Actually I sold it to Lucifer, I gave her my sister"

"That damn bastard, she did this to me."

Jonah said nothing.

"She's not as powerful as he appears to be. There is a spell that can send her to hell to burn for eternity in the lake of fire.

"What spell is that?" Jonah asked without emotion. That information would be of no use to him now. Once again he confirmed that bad luck was an inevitable part of his life.

"I don't know what it is, but I know who knows. Many years ago she left here, she said he would go to Arundel, I don't know if she is still there. Amelie is Lucifer's twin sister, they were two fourth-rate witches, but one day they managed the impossible, to invoke the Devil. They asked him to make them immortal. He accepted, but they had to pay a price, they had to separate forever".

"Is that all he asked?" asked Jonah.

"Of course, he asked them something else, but that is something that only they and the Devil know.

"How can you be so calm knowing that you will soon be burned to death? Jonah asked, puzzled.

"I am not afraid of death. Said the woman, flashing a frightening smile that left Jonah frozen.

"Aren't you afraid of hell?"

"I know I will be there for a short time. I am sure that if I die, I will soon return to earth as an evil entity. One of those that cause pain and suffering to the living. To do that for all eternity seems to be very pleasant." By this time the woman's voice had become so hoarse that it was almost impossible to understand what she was saying.

"I don't think dying is as pleasant as you describe it. I know many dead people and they all desperately want to live again."

"We will soon find out." The woman expressed indifferently.

The place was once again flooded with the foul smell of rotting flesh and blood. A few footsteps came down the corridor. Jonah and the witch knew that their time to die had come.