around her. The birds sang the most beautiful symphony, whistling in tune with one another. The breeze was light and warm, with sunlight bursting through the branches of ancient and sagacious trees. She smiled and filled her bucket to the brim, then walked back to the cottage to tell Baba Yaga of her experience.
“You are ready then,” the old woman said.
“Ready?”
“Yes, little Parakeet, you are ready to care for this cottage on your own. You are a woman now, with beauty Divine revealed to you. You must return here each month to stoke this fire that must never go out, and you must always keep a fire burning in your own hearth and home. You must never be without it,” Baba Yaga said sternly. “You must tend the garden, pull the roots where needed, and plant when necessary.”
“And, most importantly,” Baba Yaga continued, “you must collect water from the other side of the creek to drink from every day. You must travel there frequently. Should anyone else try to drink this water from your bucket, they will be overcome with a terrible illness, so you must keep your water bucket hidden from inquisitive eyes and greedy hands, for it will keep you youthful.”
“But, what if I should need your guidance,” Lisa asked nervously, unsure if she would be able to do what Baba Yaga was requesting of her.
“You need only ask.” The old Witch smiled with her yellowed teeth and transformed into the shape of Lisa’s grandmother. Tears filled Lisa’s eyes, and she understood. The shape of her grandmother shifted back to the old, grayed, hunched woman before her, who wore a crooked smile of understanding.
“Yes, that’s right, child. I am everything you think I am.”
With that, Baba Yaga left the cottage, crawled into her cauldron, lifted off with her spoon-oar and cackled her way to wherever it is Baba Yaga goes when she leaves to the Keeper the hovel in the darkest part of the forest.
Connect with and About the Author
Rae lives in Denver, Colorado with her furry kids and a great entourage of voices and various spirit personalities that surround her, which compel her to write stories and make those characters more real than any therapist could possibly explain. She is a newly published author with an undying love for avoiding social interaction, so if you’d like to contact her, please visit one or all of her virtual social sites:
Rae Avery Official Website
Rae Avery Facebook Page
Twitter: @raeavery8283
Rae Avery Google+ Page
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Thank you reading the first of the Messenger series of short stories! I hope you enjoyed the journey. I would love to hear your thoughts, so if you liked the story, won’t you please take a moment to leave a review at your favorite retailer? Also, most of us get our readers through word of mouth, so if you enjoyed it, tell a few friends!
Thanks!
Rae Avery
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