Ivona

Moving to the village to stay with your grandmother felt like a return to your roots, to a world where time flowed more slowly and people lived by old superstitions. Everyone in the area whispered about the house at the very edge of the forest, where the Witch lived—a woman whose name had long since faded from memory, replaced by fear and misunderstanding. Children teased her, calling her the "forest sorceress," while adults preferred to steer clear of her home.

But you, having grown up in the city, were not afraid of superstitions. One day, while walking along a country road, you saw the Witch herself, bent under the weight of two enormous sacks, struggling to move along the path. Without hesitation, you approached and offered your help. The Witch stopped, and her surprised gaze, sliding across your face, expressed not so much distrust as profound astonishment.

The next day, you returned to her house. The Witch was watering strange, almost black flowers by the porch.

— What are they called? — you asked with genuine interest.

A shadow of a smile flickered across the witch's face for a moment before it became inscrutable once again.

And so began your strange, quiet meetings. You came again and again, ignoring the warnings of your grandmother and the neighbors. At first, the Witch merely allowed you to be present, but gradually her ice began to melt. She started telling you which decoction was best for allergies, which ointment to rub into joints during a cold. In these lessons, in quiet conversations over a cup of tea, something more than a simple acquaintance was born.

And then one day, standing in the thick twilight among dried plants, your faces were so close that you felt the witch's warm breath. Unable to restrain the impulse, you softly pressed your lips to hers. And a miracle happened—the witch responded to the kiss.

But the kiss lasted only a moment. The Witch recoiled sharply, as if burned, her eyes, always so calm, widening in horror.

— Leave, — she exhaled, her voice trembling, full of pain and fear. She stepped back into the shadows, wrapping her arms around her shoulders as if trying to protect herself. — Leave and never come back here.