The king and the Witch

Just a little creative writing

"In a world where everything is how it should be. A world where no one ever wonders what perfect would mean because it's already there...and, and everyone had what they needed at the simple snap of their fingers. That's what I want, Gertrude."
I slap my fingers against the edge of the old woman's old clothe covered table. So ancient and broken down that the bottom surface scrapes against my thighs.
"Does it exist?" I ask.
We lock gazes, and i lick my lips, tired and sweaty from a combination of fatigue and fear. Her answer and the simple appearance of the helper.
The old girl follows after me, spreading her pungent tongue long over to the start of her chin and leaving the smell and saliva to tease my nostrils.
"Of course."
Her voice is sweet, too sweet combined with her...well everything else and it catches me by surprise. She pats her wild red hair back and slicks her fingers through a jar of clear slimy liquid, stroking it through her terrible locks like Aloe. But that can't be Aloe.
"I belive the word you're looking for is Heaven my dear."
She smacks her thin white lips together as she sucks her fingers and then wipes the excess goo onto her already filthy dress.
"Are you hinting that you could send me to heaven?" I ask her, holding my nose and tapping a foot against the dirt floor. Tension burning like firewood to a flame the woman picks up a cigar that had been laying on the ground.
"Do I look...like an Angel...child?"
She asks, her eyes growing bigger, her head tilting to the side as she lights it. Soon afterwards blowing a smoke ring into the air and marveling at her masterpiece as if it had been an Angel.
"No." I respond. What do I say? How does one answer a question so unnerving?
"I mean yes? They do come in all forms? " I have a sudden want to smack myself. And then run out of this pig pen and have the hag hung for all the crimes she's committed.
The woman let's out a small, thin laugh that causes my heart to beat faster.
"You know my name somehow. " She says to me. "But did you know that I know who you are? Arthur... You are a very very naughty boy."
She leans in closer to me clicking her tongue and in response I lean back until my stomach pains me too much to go on.
Her voice seems to have changed, gotten higher and snappier but it doesn't surprise me that she knows who I am. My father, after all, did want her hanged. She has good reasons to learn the faces and names of her enemies sons.
"I am honored, to be in the presence of such a...Young and open minded son of an ..s."
Clenching my jaw tightly, holding in all angry words I watch her stand up from the dirt, bringing a small dust cloud and her putrid smell with her. She holds the pipe to her lips so long her cheeks go white, and blows the smoke in my face.
"Tell me why the Devils offspring would want a heavenly world Arthur dear?"
She smiles at me, her rotten teeth black as dust and night but still managing to brighten her face up for the few seconds she holds it there.
The Witch scuttles over to the other side if the room as I stand up.
"Tell me how anyone in the dammed world could have the nerve to ask for such a thing as heaven. You ask me if I can send you there. What ever happened to hoping and not being the son of Satan?"
The Witch rummages through a sack for something or another, talking as she works.
"And your poor, poor subjects king Arthur; what would they do without you? Die faster? Be hanged for more things? Honestly Arthur...There."
Her words sink into me as she sits down once more, A wooden box in her hands, held as delicately as a child.
"Will that give me a better world? " I ask her, eyeing the box and the Witch, checking for signs of lying.
She rolls her eyes, slamming the box down in front of me.
"Get over yourself! " She says.
Gertrude takes a deep breath as she adjusts herself on the ground, patting down her hair once more.
"Listen. Arthur I am only going to say this one time. Understand? "
The witches eyes grow bigger, like she's about to share a secret of the universe and i do as told.
"This will not make you a better world. But it will make you see the world better. Consume it everyday and i can promise that your world will be the happiest place on Earth. Ever. You will never ever be down."
As I think over the woman's words I pick up the little box and open it. So small. What life changing thing could hide inside if it?
With a tinge of fear I look inside to see the most pitiful excuse for a world I've ever seen. Filled to the very top with white powdery substance.
"This will help me?"
"Yes, it is one of my best potions. "

Author's Note

Reviews

[ANTO]

The witch certainly could make things better looking - or at least her snowy powder could but for how long and at what cost?
I liked this vignette. It was quite modern but with witches attacking kings also had the olde worlde feel to it.
It is very creative and I liked the no BS - dialogue between the pair of characters.
"Tension burning like firewood to a flame the woman picks up a cigar that had been laying on the ground. " - I know this was a short write but I would have liked to have felt the tension via your words instead of saying 'the tension was ...etc'

A cool creative exercise, well done
Lyric

[Lyric]

Cool thanks for your feedback, and the powder was supposed to be cociane although I'm not sure if it was around back then or if anyone picked it up

[ANTO]

I got that it was narcotics of some sort which is why I mentioned 'modern' and I doubt that cocaine was available but there certainly was allsorts of things of that nature (mushrooms, digitalis, etc)

[brlockwood]

I like your dialogue and descriptions, moving the story along without weighing it down. This read very easily. Nice work.

[Lyric]

Thank you :-)