“What have we here…”, came the shrill voice as I entered the tattered hut. “Seeking a match are we?” said the woman standing inside, squinting as I entered.

She looked to be at least eleventy hundred years old but I had heard she was much much older than that. Some called her Oracle but I knew she was no such thing, just the best at her matchmaking craft for otherworldly denizens.

“Uh, no, not for me…but a friend”, I stammered.

“I could fix you up well with a nice spider lady I know! Sleep in a comfortable web each night, you would.”, she replied, as if still planning my future spouse.

“My friend”, I continued, pretending to have missed her comment, “He’s had quite a difficult time finding a suitable match, I came here hoping you could help him out.”

“No to the spider lady? Well, there is this witch that would be perfect for you! Makes a hearty stew in that couldron of hers. You’d not hunger in her house.”, still not acknowledging that I came to help a friend.

“Listen! I am here to help a friend! He’s a mountain troll that needs a spouse! Not someone dainty as a mouse but someone who is strong and bold and holds within a heart of gold!”, My voice rising a little in frustration, not noticing the rhyme flowing out.

“Such fire and flare!”, she exclaimed, now looking at me with hungry eyes. “I think I shall wed you myself!”

I tried to flee, unaware that entering the hut uninvited had trapped me there until she gave me permission to leave. I must admit, she has been kind. She even matched my friend with a lovely ogre lady from the forest and they’ve hit it off great! One day, I may even come to welcome the match she made for me.

[The end]

Never enter uninvited!

This is my entry for Day 23 of the 31 Days of Halloween writing challenge hosted at Flutter by Literature.

Be sure to read my previous entries here:

1—2—3—4—5—6—7—8—9—10—11—12—13—14—15—16—17—18—19—20—21—22

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© 2018 – James Sponseller – mindescapes.net

Special thanks to LoboStudioHamburg @ pixabay for the mystical forest image