Witches Moon

Witches Moon

At the sound of a branch snapping the boy jumped behind the nearest headstone. The adrenaline rush intoxicating, his heart raced.

No one in his squad would be so careless. He searched the darkness. Maybe it was a rat, or maybe it was a rabbit, or maybe it was a Coalition Soldier, or maybe it was one of his squad. Maybe it was all four. Maybe it was none.

The air reeked of damp earth and rotting vegetation. He wiped his forehead with his sleeve and stared up into the night sky. The full moon was, surrounded by a white halo. A witch’s moon.

The snap of a twig returned him to reality. He spotted the source in a clump of trees off to his right. A cloaked figure carrying a basket seemed to be looking for something.
Perplexed, he relaxed his grip on his sling. It couldn't be a Coalition soldier. For one, they didn't wear cloaks, they wore Dureium body Armour, and two, they didn't carry baskets they carried pulse weapons.

The figure looked directly at him. "It’s not polite to stare." The voice was melodic. With its free hand it pushed back the cloak’s cowl. The moonlight reflected off the long blonde hair and finely chiseled features.

"Well?" The women asked

He glanced about looking for soldiers before answering.

"Well what?" He asked

"Do you intend to remain hiding there, or will you come and help? Collecting mushrooms and herbs is tiresome work."

He hesitated "It’s not safe here you should leave. There may be soldiers nearby."

The women laughed "You needn't worry about me Jason. I am shadow without substance.They cannot see what they do not understand."

The boy rallied his courage. "How is it you know my name? I have not told you nor have you asked."

The woman moved towards him. She seemed to glide rather than walk. Jason was mesmerized. Her eyes were of the deepest blue, glowing with a radiance all their own. She stopped "It is my nature to know the names of all things."

"Then...you are a witch?"

"After a fashion."

"Witches are evil...” Jason hesitated, his fingers tensed as he prepared the sling to throw. “You must be destroyed."

"I think you mean killed.” Came the reply. “And why must I be killed? Or, to put things into their proper point of view, murdered."

She twirled about in a small circle sending a pile of leafs swirling around her feet. "I mean you no harm. My kind mean you no harm. Let me ask this of you. Is it not true that because you are different, that you do not conform, is this not why the Coalition seeks to destroy you and yours?

So now Jason, you seek to persecute, to kill me for the same reasons?" The women sneered, "I guess it depends on your perspective."

Taken aback, Jason relaxed his fingers.

"I'm betting you wish things were different. Do you Jason? Do you wish things were different?"

Jason nodded feeling ashamed. The Witch...the women's words had hit home. By his intended action, he was little better than a Coalition soldier.

"Then tell me Jason. Tell me you wish for things to be different."

Jason looked into the blue eyes, "I'm sorry.” He said, “For many reasons, I wish things were different."

The women nodded "Then so be it."

At the sound of a branch snapping the boy jumped behind the nearest headstone. The adrenaline rush intoxicating. His heart raced.

No one in his squad would be so careless. His eyes searched the darkness, his hand clenched the homemade sling. But it was too late. The Coalition soldier stood barely six feet away a dancing red light already focused on the cold gray headstone.

The shot fired. The headstone exploded into oblivion, taking everything within a four feet range with it.

Inside the Soldiers helmet the radio crackled. "Everything all right Jason?"

"Everything's fine Colonel, just some wet work. Scratch one rebel off the active list."

"Good work. When you finish checking that area report back to command. And watch your back."

"Aye, sir."

The soldier walked up to the ruined headstone. The dead boy, what was left, appeared to be around 15. The soldier shook his head then bent down and removed what appeared to be a large rubber band from the boy’s hand.

The poor man’s weapon, a sling. He had to give these rebels credit. Outgunned, out manned, no weapons. And still they continued to resist.

He tucked the sling into his belt, and continued walking.

Nearby, a woman with eyes of the deepest blue, glowing with a radiance all their own, watched from the shadows. "Then so be it Jason She whispered. So be it."