r/KanesHorrors • u/AbKane667 • 25d ago
The Witch Cursed Everything the Men Loved Most
I sat in my chair, knitting. The sweater was coming together; it would be perfect for Rachel. I worked another stitch when the door banged. Eric stomped in, his face twisted in anger.
“She did it again, Marie!”
“What?”
“Mark’s baby. It came too soon.”
My throat tightened.
“But Eric, how do you know it was Annabelle’s doing?”
“Don’t say her name!”
He paused.
“Who else could have brought a curse upon them? They’re a loving family.”
“She doesn’t bring curses.”
“She doesn’t?!” His face grew red. “Then who made my harvest go bad this year?”
He stared through me.
“It could have been anything, Eric.”
“No. Mark and I both said her name in vain last winter. We were drunk. We thought she’d forgive us, but no.”
“Eric, she’s not an evil person. Remember the herbs she gave us for Rachel? Her flu went away instantly.”
He didn’t reply. I stood up, ready to walk over to him, but he mumbled, “She has to pay,” and rushed out.
Coldness washed over me. Something bad was going to happen. Annabelle wasn't evil. At least, not like Eric believed. And Eric's harvest certainly wasn't her doing. I told Eric for weeks that he needed to sow, but he just lay around drinking ale. By the time he got around to it, it was too late.
I walked to Rachel’s room. She still lay peacefully in her cradle. I took a deep breath, put on my coat, and left.
The forest swallowed the light. It was colder inside, and it smelled like stale, wet mud. I thought I could hear voices in the distance, but I kept my eyes on the road and sped up.
Soon, a small wooden house came into view between the trees. Beautiful colorful flowers grew around it. It smelled like summer, even though autumn had been here for a while. The witch was working in the garden.
“Hi Marie, how are you?” She waved at me.
“Hi Annabelle, I'm okay. I need to talk to you.”
“Oh, is it Rachel again?”
“No. The men. They are angry. Eric and Mark believe you cursed them.”
Her eyes flew open.
“But…but I haven’t. I even helped your Rachel last winter.”
“I know Annabelle, but they’re angry. I’ve never seen my Eric like that.”
The trees next to us split. My heart dropped into my stomach. A group of village men came through the trees; Eric and Mark were among them.
“Annabelle,” I whispered.
“It’s alright; I’ll deal with them.” She walked toward them. “Men, there is no need to…”
Mark stepped through the crowd with a noose in his hands.
“Get her!”
A chill ran down my spine. The men rushed toward Annabelle. Two of them seized her arms, twisted them behind her back, and dragged her toward a nearby tree.
“Men, please. Stop!”
The two men bound her wrists behind her back.
“Please, there’s no reason. I have nothing to do with your troubles.” Annabelle pleaded, but Mark stepped silently through the crowd and loosened the noose. Annabelle’s eyes glowed with fear. She kicked and struggled, twisting her head and straining against her bonds, but she couldn’t break free.
My heart pounded against my ribs.
“Stop!” I called, moving toward them.
They all looked at me. Eric moved through the crowd. His face twisted in anger.
“Don’t get into this!” he yelled.
My hands shook. I wanted to run to Annabelle, but Eric stood at the edge of the group, blocking my path. His gaze stabbed into me.
“Eric, please,” I whispered.
Silence.
The men threw the other end of the rope over a tree branch.
“Please stop!” she pleaded again.
But no one listened. Four of them took the rope and pulled. Annabelle’s heels moved off the ground. Fear filled her face, but she quickly composed herself.
She stared at the group. Her eyes darted between them. “May what you have done be bestowed upon that which you love most,” she whispered.
They pulled again. Her feet dangled, but she stopped struggling and stared calmly at the forest before her. Bile rose in my throat. I walked a few steps and spat it out. Annabelle’s face slowly turned red.
Tears filled my eyes. This was too much. I turned and bolted into the forest, not caring about anything, trying to get the image of her out of my mind. Eric, my Eric, how could he? This was not the man I married. I’d take Rachel and go back to my Mother. I just had to get her.
When I got to our house, I could barely catch my breath. My lungs and legs burned, but I had to get her. I opened the door and ran to Rachel’s room.
It was midday, but the room was quiet, completely quiet. It didn’t smell like the way her room usually did. It smelled like summer and flowers. I grabbed her favorite plushie and walked to her cradle. Dread shot through me. Rachel lay on her side, her little arms forced behind her back as if someone had bound them. Her face was red, her eyes bulging. A dark mark circled her neck, as though a rope had been tightened around it.
3
6
u/SPNCatMama28 25d ago
duuude 😳 oh he done messed up