*My sister, Emma Katherine has written two short stories -- She'd appreciate some comments! :) And Thanks for all of y'alls lovely comments on my story! :D*

Chapter Seven – The Witch

Several days later, I was better and able to get up. I thanked the kind ladies for all their kind help, I left on what would be in our world, August the seventeenth. They gave me plenty of bread to carry with me and warned me that when I came to the stream up ahead, to not drink from it; the waters were poisoned by a witch and many people had died in that way. I made my way down an old overgrown path, which wound into a gloomy forest. I had been given warm clothes to sustain me and a box of matches. As the last patch of sunlight closed around me, I lit a match and put it to a stick to make a torch. I heard a whistling ahead of me, and soon I saw another little light ahead of me. It began to get further away from me, I figured that it must be another human, and I wished that I could catch up with him or her, and have a companion. But then a thought came to my mind, what if it was the evil witch? Then, about thirty feet ahead of me, the light stood still, it went no further. I kept walking, though cautiously. I stopped about one foot behind the person, he or she had a full cloak on with a hood; the person turned towards me, I couldn't make out the facial features of the person. It was a she, she spoke;
“Who are you? And where are you going?” the voice was unwelcoming, and I felt uneasy. I hesitated,
“Who I am is my own business, and where I go is my business.” she nodded her head and said,
“As you wish.” (Did she watch the princess bride or something?!) For several moments, we just stood there saying nothing. Then I said,
“if you want to know who I am, take your hood off.”
“No.”
“fine.” I began walking again, and so did she. And we kept walking, side by side. Neither of us saying anything to the other; then she broke the silence.
“In due time, I shall tell my identity to you. But you tell me your name and where you are going.” I thought for a moment, should I tell her?
“My name is Jess, and I – I am headed to the Land of Iglis, to see the Magician of Iglis. can not you at least tell me where you are headed?”. She turned to me,
“Ah. I suppose it need be no secret where I am headed. I, too, am headed to the Magician of Iglis.”
“Oh. And where do you come from? This World?” She looked shocked when I asked if she was from this world,
“Where else would I be from? Heaven?” She smirked.
“Well, I asked that because.. well, because I am not from this world. That is why I am going to the Magician.” I said.
“You what?! I have never heard of other worlds. What do you mean?”
“I am not from this world. that is what I mean!” I snapped back at her, my patience slowly being lost.
“Where is your world? How'd you get here?” she asked, I could tell that she sounded was more friendly than when she first talked to me;
“I don't know where my world is now, and I have no idea how I got here. I think it had to do something with this ring.”
then I told her the story, and about Kya, the whole time I talked, she was nodding her head thoughtfully, which annoyed me. Then she stopped walking,
“would you like to be companions? I see no reason why we shouldn't be!” I raised an eyebrow,
“okay. Sure! Do you know the way to Iglis, anyways?”
“Yes, I do. I think, at least. I was told by an old lady, and I think I can remember it all. You?” I needed no time to think,
“I remember every instruction that an old woman gave me!” she looked glad of that. We continued down the path, sometimes saying a few words to eachother here and there. But I had a new companion at last, and maybe, just maybe, if she wanted to she could come back to my world with me. Just maybe. We finally found a place to the side of the path that we could sleep on. But I stayed awake, because I still did not fully trust her – whoever she was. And however hard I tried to sleep, the thoughts of her being a witch still haunted me. And all thoughts of her coming with me as a companion soon vanished. When I thought she was really asleep, I got up and began on my way again, being as quiet as I could, so as not to wake her. And I had not gotten very far, before I heard footsteps behind me and heavy breathing.
“Where are you going? I thought we were going to be companions!” I did not look behind me, I just kept running and did not turn back. About an hour later, I finally did look behind me; not a soul was in sight. I let out the breath I realized I had been holding for a long time. I was relieved, but then I realized that it was lonley and dark and scary in the forest. I no longer had a companion with me. I was about to get out a match to see better, and then I realized in my hurry I had forgotten all my things in my fright. But no, I was not going to go back. Then, I turned a corner, and I saw a light ahead of me. As I came closer, I nearly screamed, because there was my 'companion', in her hooded cloak.
“H-h-how, how did you get ahead of me?” I asked, and then hated myself for even asking. She turned towards me and flung her hood off to reveal a haggish face,
“I have ways, child!” her voice had changed into that of a hag, and I knew at once that she was the witch. Then I did scream; I screamed and screamed until there was no breath left in me. I was frozen in fear to the spot I was in, and she just cackled. The next thing I knew was that I was in a dungeon that stunk, and my hands and feet were chained. It was dark. Pitch dark.
“Help me! Someone, please help me!” I yelled as loudly as I could. Not a reply, which is what I should have expected. Then, an idea occured to me. I put my hand in my skirt pocket and my hand brought out my cellphone. I remembered that it only had ten percent of battery left, but I thought I might as well try. What if mom was not home? I turned it on and to my surprise, it had seventy-five percent left, I also had a connection – five bars! I quickly dialed mom's number. It rang, and rang, and rang some more. But I let it ring, even though I was getting less and less hopeful. Then a voice answered it, but it was not moms. I recognized the voice, which terrified me; it was the witch's voice.
“Whatcha want, Jess?” I threw my phone across the floor. I gave up, I would never, ever get back home. I would never, ever see Kya again. I cried and cried, until I couldn't cry anymore.