𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤

ninety-five

The First Witch.

Bonnie was in the presence of the first witch. She couldn't believe it. She had heard about her, had seen her statue when she went to the other side and had even met her on the night she had been plagued by the Devil's curse but here they were, face to face again. Only this time, Bonnie was not out of it and could actually ask all the questions swirling inside her mind. "You saved me," she began quietly. "When I was cursed, you came to my room and healed me. I thought you were a nurse."

The First Witch nodded.

"I've seen you before that, though." Bonnie's brows furrowed in confusion. "I can't remember where but I have the feeling that I met you before." She gave her a questioning look.

"You have," The First Witch  responded in a calm voice.

Bonnie waited for her to elaborate but the first witch remained quiet, sitting on the chair and watching her with glinting green eyes. There was a youthfulness to her face which contrasted with her regal posture and the wisdom in her gaze. Young and wise, beautiful and deadly. This was a woman you did not want to cross. Bonnie could feel her immense power, surrounding her, surrounding everything really. Had she felt this kind of magic from another witch, Bonnie would have been absolutely terrified but she wasn't. There was something about the first witch's presence that made her feel at ease. It was an interesting contradiction. "When?" Bonnie finally asked her.

"When you were a little girl," the mother of all witches responded, her lips twitching slightly at the memory.

"I don't remember."

"No, you don't."

Their eyes met and held.

"When you were a little girl, your magic was very active. I felt it," the first witch began explaining. "You were doing things that grown up witches couldn't even accomplish."

"Really?"

The first witch nodded. "I saw you, long before you were born."

Bonnie frowned. "You saw me?"

"I can see the past, the present, and the future," the first witch informed her. "I had a prophetic dream about you. It was a very long time ago, a dark time really, when I felt like I needed to ended it all." She studied Bonnie's face in detail. "The witch who would change it all."

Bonnie didn't know what to say to that.

"The time has come Bonnie." The first witch stood up and walked towards a small table to the left, where a small black cauldron was simmering. "You must remember your past." The first witch grabbed a small wooden cup and filled it with the liquid inside the cauldron. She made her way towards the bed, sitting on the edge and handing Bonnie the cup. "This will restore your memories."

Bonnie took the cup in her hands and looked down at the yellowish liquid. It looked like apple juice but when she sniffed it, there was no scent at all.

"Go on," the first witch encouraged with a soft smile.

Bonnie felt slightly nervous. She felt curious, she wanted to know but she also felt afraid. She made herself comfortable on the canopy bed-resting her back against the headboard- and took a deep breath; meeting he first witch's eyes before slowing taking a sip of the potion. It tasted like water.

"Now close your eyes," the first witch instructed. "And the memories shall be restored to you."

Bonnie closed her eyes.

                                     
✮

She was playing in the garden of her grandmother's home. It was a lovely sunny morning and while she had touched the pretty flowers she caught sight of the black little creature lying on the petals of a rose. There was no movement, no life, nothing inside.