A Summer Retirement, Maybe

Image by Jörg Peter from Pixabay

When a witch decides to hang up her broom, it is best she does so quietly and disappears. Else she will find she is disappeared and her broom stolen. And nobody was doing that to Griselda. She knew the horror stories.

She’d sent those two brats packing with as much sweet stuff as the greedy pair could handle. There was no way Griselda was being shoved in an oven for anyone. Besides, she’d never seen the point of gingerbread houses. That sensible one from the three little pigs had got it right when he used bricks but no, she was told, it was traditional. A witch always lives in a gingerbread house.

Not any more, Griselda thought. Not now those greedy kids had carried everything away. Goodness knew where they’ve stored it all. But that’s not my problem. Not now.

Besides it would help her good friend, Labelle, the Tooth Fairy. Her rounds had been quiet of late. Hansel and Gretel would soon put that right if Griselda was any judge. And, if she wasn’t anymore, maybe it was time to go after all. She wasn’t a fool. It was time to face up to being in the autumn of her life with a chilly winter just around the corner.

But she would exit in a way she thought fitting. Reports of a dragon sighting were all over the news and as Griselda checked her monster slaying kit (every good witch had one), she realised, for the first time ever, she had nothing to lose.

Beat the beast and she’d still be useful and prove those who scoffed at her age wrong. She might still be in the summer of her life, though she conceded to herself it would be an extended summer. While even she knew she could only extend things for so long maybe, just maybe, she would have a late final flourish, just like her roses had last year. She liked the thought of that. She could be every bit as prickly when she chose. That beast would regret crossing her.

Lose and she’d die quickly and be remembered for a heroic but tragic failure yet her exit would be remembered. It would be an honourable way out.

She slipped on her cloak and pointed hat. It was time to go and find out if summer or winter awaited her.