The Witch from The Human Realm

03 Talking Over Tea

That afternoon, Maddie rode her bicycle on her way home.

She had a frown on, an uncommon sight on the usually cheerful girl. But it only reflected that she was still contemplating about what had gone down at the Principal's Office. 

As she pedaled, she looked down at the front basket of her bike. A copy of the brochure, which was given to her by the principal that afternoon, was placed in it. 

She knows that she's weird in the eyes of many. But she also knows that that weirdness makes her who she is. 

Being normal seems boring to her. Besides, no one actually, truly, is normal. Everyone has something weird about them. It's just that some people were given that much attention to point out every weird thing about them. 

That's what Madeline Anderson thinks. 

She then sighed as she stopped in front of a two-story house. 

The house was painted white with brown detailing, had brown tiled roofs, and a porch made up of wood. 

Maddie parked her bike inside the garage, entering the house through the door there. She then threw her backpack to the couch and headed to the kitchen, kicking her shoes off of her feet. 

She prepared a tea set for two on the dining table, and made some tea. 

As she waited for the drink to steep, she sat on a chair and slumped on it, looking at the ceiling. 

The ceiling was squeaky clean, and had brown designs and a lamp hanging from it. Just a normal, and boring, ceiling. 

She then closed her eyes. And instead of darkness greeting her, there was the same ceiling. 

But it wasn't the boring old ceiling anymore. It looked like a chessboard now. But instead of the normal white and black/red/green checkerboard pattern, it was mint and purple. 

The lamp in the middle had turned into a fountain with the same pattern.

A flock of white birds swam in the cool crystal blue water of the concrete creation. And red-colored fish flew around it. 

Maddie soon found herself standing in the area. She's now wearing a baby blue trench coat that was fashioned to look like a gown that had a pink bow to tie it all up, a pair of magenta tights, and a pair of white heels. Underneath the trench coat was a blue and yellow dress, and on her head was a purple top hat. 

The teen giggled, lost in her own world. 

She wandered about, and walked into the hedge maze that had somehow appeared around the fountain.

"Maddie! I'm home!" Marie's voice called, bringing the teen back into reality. 

Maddie caught herself falling from the ceiling and onto the couch. She crashed onto the cushioned seat, landing on her stomach. 

"Ow…" she groaned. 

Madeline then looked up, meeting Marie's soft gaze. 

"It happened again, didn't it?" the nurse asked, sitting next to the tri-colored haired girl.

Maddie giggled as she sat up. "Yep!"

The first time this happened, Marie freaked out at the girl's ability to do the extraordinaire. Well, at least until the girl herself stops believing that she could do a certain impossible thing. 

Maddie was told by her mother that that was exactly how someone she once knew does things. So the woman just let it slide. 

The mother and daughter duo took their seats across each other on the dining table, ready to talk over tea. 

"Why did you agree to the Principal's suggestion, mom?" Maddie asked as she poured some tea into a cup, her lips curving into a frown. 

Marie sighed. "I just said that to satisfy him," she responded. "I don't really want to send my daughter off to a camp that could take away something that makes her special." 

Maddie set the teapot down and shared a smile with her mother. She frowned again once she realized something. 

"What is it, Maddie?" Marie asked, dropping two cubes of sugar into her cup. 

Maddie took a sip of her drink. "I still have to go anyway." 

Marie placed her hand on the girl's own and gave her gentle smile. "I have a plan." She winked before taking a sip. 

"What plan?" 

"If you really are supposed to go there, then you'll go," Marie replied. "But you have to promise me that whenever you're doing what they want you to do, you'll have to be your bubbly self when the camp's lights go out at night." 

Maddie furrowed her eyebrows. "What?" 

Marie set down her cup and clasped her hands. "I went to that exact same camp when I was your age. And do I seem like I changed?"

Maddie still had the confused expression on her face. But when she recalled the stories her mother told her, her frown went upside down. 

But how is she going to be like herself at night? She's not loud, but not so quiet either, when she's doing something crazy. 

Maddie felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I know what you're thinking, and I know you can do it," Marie said. "Do not let the norms of this world tell you who or what to be." 

Maddie nodded and smiled at her mother. Marie smiled back at her. 

Then a beeping sound was heard. The woman took out her phone and checked the notification. Her smile faded as she did. 

"Mom, what is wrong?" Maddie asked with worry. 

Marie stood up and tucked her phone into her pocket. "Unfortunately, they asked me to fill-in for a nurse that has a family emergency," she responded. "I have to go." 

And with that, the woman ran up the stairs for a quick change. 

"I'll come back home at 4 am tomorrow," Marie said a minute later as she ran down the stairs. 

"But what about dinner?" Maddie asked as her mother took her car keys and her bag. 

"I'll just eat at the cafeteria," Marie responded as she walked towards the girl. "You can order whatever you want." The woman then gave the girl a peck on the forehead. "Love you," she then said as she made her way towards and out of the door. 

As the door slammed shut, Maddie was left with only the tea set in the dining area. 

She still has questions, but they have to wait until after another 12-hour shift. 

Maddie sighed as she took out her phone and dialed a number. And when the other line picked up, she smiled a small smile, trying to be as bubbly as she always was. 

"Hi, can I order one pepperoni pizza?" 

'Who doesn't like pizza, anyway?' 

After she made the call, she transferred the tea into her thermos pot and went to her room.