Fiction: The Witch Apprentice

This month's Words for Wednesday is hosted by Cindi at her blog, Of Dandelions and Sunshine. For more takes on this week's prompt, visit Cindi's blog here.   
    This week's challenge: They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. Write at least 100 words about the image below.

Fiction: The Witch Apprentice
The forest was thick with trees and slivers of footpaths. Genie sighed as she stepped over a fallen twig. It had been hours since she walked from her house, through the town square, down the road, past a river, past the king's castle, down another road, and toward Misty forest. She had followed the instructions in the letter from Witch Hazel. But as Genie turned round and round, she saw nothing but trees after trees. Bits of sunlight filtered from above between the branches. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and adjusted the strap of her bag. A light wind swept past her but it did not make the day any cooler. She turned and walked down another smaller path.
    Genie let out a long breath as she stepped into the clearing. Surrounded by tall elms and high bushes, was a low building with vines crawling over the walls like tentacles. It was slanted slightly to the left. Its roof was shingled in light pink with a tall chimney. The three windows seen between all the greens reflected the bright blue sky.
    Genie smiled. She was finally here. Today will be the best day of her life. Toda—
    Her view was suddenly turned upside down. Something had gripped both her ankles and now she was hanging from a tree. The contents of her bag ran past her and down to the forest floor. "Let me go!" Genie shouted. She had no fears of wild animals nor magical creatures. Living with four brothers and two sisters, how could she fear anything? She had been tricked, trapped, misled, stuck on the head, gotten poisoned, locked in cages and even ate a spider all for her siblings to test out their theories.
    "Let me go now and I'll think about forgiving you." She crossed her arms over her chest. Her head was pounding.
    But no one answered. She leaned forward for a peek at whomever was holding her legs but they were caught in rows of twigs. A raven flew pass her, close enough to send soft winds over her.
    She bended forward with her hands stretched out but she could not reach her ankles. After a breath, she reached out again but she could not do it. It was as if she was fighting gravity.
    The trees around shifted. Her eyes veered around her. Did she imagined it? But the branches above her shook as if it was laughing. "This is not funny. Let me go at once!" She was used to demanding for things because if she didn't, she usually got nothing. "I mean it. You let me go. You had your laugh, didn't you?" She didn't know who she was talking to but she was certain there was someone present, someone she could not see.
    Silence answered her. Then there was a snort and then the twigs untangled from her legs. She fell and landed on her behind. Quickly, she scrambled up and dusted her clothes. Then she gathered her things back into her bag.
    A few orange leaves scattered down on her head. She shook them off. Something flew passed and lifted her braid and struck the back of her head with it. "Ou!" Whomever or whatever it was, it was circling around her. She reached up and grabbed hold. It was soft and small, perhaps a leg but she held on. "Show yourself," she said. But the creature bit the back of her hand. She let it go. A swift wind passed her and then it was gone. She growled and rubbed at the bite mark. Just a small ache. She must get to Witch Hazel's house no matter. No creature, visible or not, will deter her.
    Then she realized she was no longer near the house. She was certain she had not moved much. How could the house not be here? She scoffed and started down the path that looked like the one from before.
    She wiped at her forehead with the palm of her hand. It was far too hot a day to be traveling this long. She should have brought a canteen of water. One foot sank a little too low. Below, her left foot was inside a puddle. She pulled her foot out and shook it. Bits of mud struck her face. She wiped them away with her blouse sleeve and moved on.
     The trees swayed as if something brushed against them but she ignored it. Soon she was in a clearing and there was the house again with its pink chimney. Smiling, she started forward but she hit something. She rubbed her forehead and then reached out a hand. Something was there, something hard and flat like an invisible wall. She traced both hands along the wall, from the left to the right and above her but there was no opening. From her second-hand witch books, she knew all magical walls have ways to get through, you just have to find a way. Should she knock? It was the only polite thing to do and besides, she had no other ideas. She looked around her but there was no one but trees. The house was so close. She could even make out a thin smoke coming out of one of the chimneys. There were three, two of which she had not noticed before.
    She wrapped her hand into a fist and knocked on the invisible wall. A soft thud resounded. She waited. Ten seconds. Twenty. Three minutes. Then six. She knocked again. And again, a thud echoed softly. She waited. One of the things she had learned living in a tiny house with eight other people was that, she was often waiting for something - for the use of the bath, for the bread basket to come her way, for a piece of precious meat that they only got to eat once a year, for clothes which was never new but hand-me-downs from one of her sisters. Yes, she can wait. She had waited for years for her apprenticeship. Being the youngest of seven, Genie was often the last one to do anything. Her four brothers had finished their apprenticeship a while ago and was working for Madam Zulu and other masters while her two sisters were married and already expecting children. There was no money to send Genie anywhere so here she was. An apprentice at twenty which was a not a terrible thing. Her friend, Katherine, started hers at twenty-seven.
    A creak sounded. Genie shook away her thoughts. A tall rectangle began to took shape in the air where the invisible wall should be. It glowed a bright yellow and then faded. Genie reached out a hand toward the space where the rectangle had been and finding that her hand could go through, she careful stepped over and through as if it was a door. Normally, she wouldn't be so quick as to walk through a magical opening but she didn't want to wait. She was back facing the house and everything was the same. She straightened the collar of her blouse and the strap of her bag and walked forward but the ground below her opened and swallowed her.

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Genie woke to the darkness. As her eyes adjusted, she sat up and struck her head on the ceiling. Behind her, there was a wall, ahead of her was a faint light. The only way was forward. She got to her hands and knees and crawled toward the light. The ground was coarse and slightly wet. There was a musky scent in the air.
    Genie took in a breath and let it out. What's wrong with Witch Hazel setting all these traps for people? It was not like anyone wanted to go her house.
    As she moved, the tunnel grew wider and taller, she began to walk upright. Soon she had to stop. There were two openings before her. The one on her left had an orange light. The one on her right was unlit, full of darkness.
    She remembered when choosing between any two or three things, always choose the one you're most afraid of because facing your fears makes you stronger and bright lights did not necessarily meant good things. At least, that was what her Pa would say but he was afraid of spiders and dark spaces.
    She started for the dark tunnel. If she had chosen wrong, she could always go back. There was still one more choice unless she got killed in which case, she would go and haunt her Pa.
    "Help! Someone help me!" The voice was thin. It came from the orange tunnel. Was it another trick? Genie didn't want another detour. She was already hours late to Witch Hazel's house. Perhaps someone will help whomever it was. She stepped toward the dark tunnel.
    "Help! Is there no one to help me? I'm hurt and I can't move on my own." The voice was definitely a small child. It even had that whine that Eve, her neighbor's daughter, had whenever she got hurt. Genie shouldn't stop and yet, she turned around and ran into the orange tunnel.
    Faint orange light lit the tall, narrow tunnel. The walls were bumpy but not rough.
    "Are you there? Please help me." The voice was close.
    Genie walked toward the small dark figure on the ground. The girl was perhaps four or five years old. Tears covered her face. Her dress was covered in dirt. She wiped her eyes and smiled revealing two missing teeth in front. "You came!"
    Genie kneeled by the child. "Where are you hurt?"
    "My ankle."
    Genie inspected the small cut on the side near the girl's ankle. The wound was not deep. Genie dug into her bag and took out her handkerchief and wrapped it around the girl's wound and tied the ends together.
    "Thank you. I was so afraid no one would come." The girl smiled again.
    "How did you get here?" Genie knew no mother would let allow her child to wander off alone but then again, Genie's mother would allow Genie to wander off even if there was a giant standing nearby.
    "I don't remember. Can you get me out of here?" The girl's large green-gold eyes were staring at Genie with a strange awe.
    "Can you walk?"
    The girl shook her head.
    Genie sighed. Smiling, she turned and kneeled down with her back to the girl. "Climb on my back, I'll carry you out."
    But as Genie and the girl walked toward the orange light toward the end of the tunnel, she paused. Perhaps they should use the unlit tunnel. Who knew where this tunnel led to?
    "Should we change tunnels?" Genie couldn't see the girl but she felt the girl shaking her body as if saying no.
    "Why did you choose this orange tunnel instead of the other?"
    "Orange is my favorite color," the girl said.
     "Perhaps—" Genie turned around and the opening that she had came in was now a wall.  Genie sighed. She turned and headed toward the orange light. "We'll go this way."
    The girl was light. Her soft breath at Genie's neck was familiar as Genie often carried small children home when she babysat for her neighbors.
    But as she walked, the little girl grew heavier and heavier until Genie was bended so forward she might as well be crawling. She shifted slightly to move the girl higher on her back. If this was one of Witch Hazel's trials, it was ridiculous but Genie was not going to give up. She have to get this apprenticeship. This was her last chance to get out of marrying some fool. She did not want to live the same life as her mother. It was not a bad life but Genie knew her mother was often tired of feeding children and cleaning house. Genie always felt sorry for her.
    Sweat dripped down Genie's face. She stopped. Her legs were aching. She was certain it was a thousand times hotter in here than the outside. After a while, she paused, lowered to the ground and the little girl slipped off her back. "Give me a moment." Genie sat on the ground and fanned her hands at her face. She wiped the sweat off her forehead. Her blouse beneath her dress was clinging to her. The little girl sat beside her looking up at Genie with a subtle smile.
    Once the girl was on her back again, Genie set out toward the end of the tunnel. Almost there. The light around them was getting brighter and less orange.
    There was the exit just ten, twelve feet away but to get there, they must cross the large gap in the ground. Was this some sort of sick joke to get Genie to quit? Even if Genie could jump over it, and even if the weight of the girl did not force her backward, the chance of safely landing on the other was lower than if Genie just jump into the gap.  She looked around her. There was nothing to use as a plank nor was there any way through unless Genie can climb walls. 
    She lowered the girl to the ground. The girl kept her eyes on Genie. Perhaps Genie could throw her across the gap. She might suffer a couple of broken bones but at least the girl would live. 
    Genie kneeled down to face the girl. "I don't think we can both get pass at the same time but if I bundled you up, I can toss you across. It won't hurt one bit. What do you think?" Genie smiled. She might go to hell for lying to a child but this was the only way.
    "Can't you come with me? I'm too scare to go alone." The girl's green-gold eyes filled with tears. She wiped them away with her hand.
    "We can't both go across. It's just not possible."
    "I don't want to go without you." The girl wrapped her arms around Genie.
    Genie pulled the girl from her. "We can both jump across but we might die. Do you understand what that means?"
    The girl nodded.
    Genie pet the girl's head. "Then, let's go." She turned around and the girl climbed onto her back.
    "Hold on tight." The girl tightened her arms around Genie's neck. Genie straightened up and wrapped her arms around the girl's legs. At the edge of the hole, she paused and looked down. The darkness appeared shallow. She kicked at a tiny pebble toward the hole to see how far it would drop but the pebble remained above the darkness. What was that? She lightly placed the tip of her boot onto the darkness and it held. Then she pressed her foot down and then the other. Still standing. She ran across it and then stopped and looked behind her. It was an illusion. She laughed without sound. No time to linger. She raced on.
    Soon they stepped out of the tunnel. They were in half darkness. Genie sighed. She wiped her face and forehead with the blouse sleeve. A light breeze washed over Genie. It was night. Had she been in the tunnel for hours? She kneeled down and the little girl slid from her back. She turned to face the girl.
    "Thank you, Genevieve Spellwood," said the girl. Then she glowed and then disappeared.
    If she knew the girl was just going to disappeared... Genie let out a breath. She looked up and around her. She was back in the clearing and the witch's house was in front of her again. This time, instead of facing the three windows, there was the front door with two lit lanterns hanging on either side.
    Had she made it or was this another trick? Genie was exhausted and yet, as she looked at the black cat knocker on the door, she could not help but smile. She was here. She was finally going to learn witchcraft and later, she may even go work for Madam Zulu and make spells for the rich and the royal.
    "Well, what are you waiting for? Come in!" The raspy voice was loud and commanding. Genie had not met Witch Hazel but from the many rumors about the witch, she knew Witch Hazel was a decent mistress and all her apprentices turned out well. One even became a witch to the king. But it was not her reputation that Genie was here. Everyone knew Witch Hazel was for the poor. She didn't require payment but she require someone to help with housework in exchange for apprenticeship.
    Genie pulled the door open and stepped inside. Instantly, her body cooled down. It was as if the weather outside didn't have any affect here.
    "Close the door, please. I cannot stand the heat."
    Genie closed the door softly and turned back. The space was large with a high ceiling. A few candles on the table in the center of the room lit the place. On the left, beside the lit fireplace, sat a large, faint orange creature on a wicker chair. Perched on its long snout was a pair of round eyeglasses. In its claws was an opened book, barely the size of one of the claws. The creature looked down at Genie with its green-gold eyes. "It is rude to stare. Have you no manners?"
    A shrill cry resounded. Genie snapped out of her trance. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare it's just that— I'm looking for Witch Hazel." 
    "Well, you have found her." The creature put down the book on the table along with the eyeglasses. "I'm Witch Hazel." The creature, Witch Hazel, smiled, at least, Genie thought it was a smile. Witch Hazel's nostrils flared. A raven, black with hints of deep indigo, sat on her shoulder.
    How was it no one had told Genie Witch Hazel was a dragon?
    Witch Hazel suddenly laughed - it was gentle and light. "Oh mine! I nearly forgot. Not everyone is comfortable with my form. I supposed no one had told you I was a dragon?"
    Genie shook her head. "No, mistress."
    "I have not swore anyone to secrecy but perhaps people thought it was best not to say anything in case they make me angry. Do you wish to change masters?"
    "No, I do not. My family cannot afford me to go to another." Genie had once thought Madam Zulu was to be her mentor if she could afford it but to learn from a dragon, now that's something new and she wanted to experience it.
    "Very well. If you are not afraid of me, then you shall be my apprentice, Genevieve Spellwood."
    "Yes, Mistress. I would like that." Genie smiled at Witch Hazel.
     "Judging from your appearance, I imagine you had a rough day. But you have passed my trials. Only a rare few could get to my door without harm."
    Genie grinned. So they were trials. And she passed them!
    "You might as well turn in for the night. First, take a bath. Find whatever you need here and there. Take any room on the second floor. And forget this Mistress nonsense. Call me Hazel." Witch Hazel turned away and picked up her book and glasses.
    "Yes, Mistress, I mean Hazel." Genie peered down at her dress and blouse stained with a tear here and there. Her right hand had a bite mark and her left foot was caked in mud. Her hair was probably just as bad.
    "And Genevieve, if you ever fear I would eat you, just remember, I am a herbivore." Hazel winked.
    "Yes, Hazel, I'll remember."
    "Good night, Genevieve."
    "Good night, Hazel."