Alabaster Catz
Alabaster Catz
Episode 05: The Waiting Witch
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A creepy and quaint tale about a boy who finds a little girl that warns him about a patient witch.
Afraid she’ll be eaten if she’s out after dark, the boy reassures her that there’s no such thing as witches and offers to escort her home. But when the route grows longer than expected, he too, finds himself keeping a close eye on the setting sun.
Good evening, I'm Alabaster Catz. And it's time for another tale to tell in the dark. Welcome to the show. Have you ever heard of the seven deadly sins? I'll bet you have. But did you know that there's also seven virtues, one of which is patience. And that brings us to tonight's story. The notion that not all good things come to those who wait. For let it be known that not all who wait are virtuous. So join me as we stroll through the creepy and the quaint and learn about a little girl's warning regarding a patient witch. Once again, it's time to grab a drink, dim the lights and listen to voices. The show's about to begin. The Waiting Witch. By Alabaster Catz Waiting. That's what I was doing when I sat at my window watching the sun sink closer to the horizon. It was almost 8pm and even though it was technically nighttime, the summer season ensured that the sky would remain a fiery orange for another hour. I looked around my room to see if there was anything I could do to rescue myself from boredom. I looked at the TV. I looked at my game console. I looked at my cell phone laying neglected on the bed. I even eyed the book report I hadn't finished yet. Still, nothing. It had only been a week since my friends and I raced down to the cul de sac on our bikes. But now they were all out on family vacations, leaving me to be the only kid still around. Heaving a sigh, I turned my attention back to the window, and that's when I saw her. A little girl sitting alone on the sidewalk at the other end of the street. I found it a bit strange that she was by herself. Not that the neighborhood wasn't safe. But she didn't look quite old enough to be outside without an adult. She also didn't look familiar, which told me she wasn't from this neighborhood. However, what made things particularly odd was that she wasn't doing anything. She was just sitting there, waiting. Seeing this as an excellent opportunity to do something interesting. I went to the front door, put on my shoes and called out to my mother.
Eben:"Mom, I'm going outside."
Eben's Mother:"Okay, Honey. Don't stay out too late. Dinner will be ready soon."
Alabaster Catz:I ran down to the cul de sac where the girl was sitting. When I got there. She was clutching her scooter and scanning the treetops for something that wasn't there. Then she looked at me with a start.
Madeleine:"Are you the Waiting Witch?"
Eben:"No, I chuckled. I live down the street. My name is Evan. What's your name?"
Madeleine:"Madeleine."
Alabaster Catz:She answered.
Eben:"Hi, Madeleine. Are you lost?"
Alabaster Catz:She nodded and her eyes welled with tears.
Eben:"It's okay. Which direction did you come from?
Alabaster Catz:She pointed to a street leading to a different neighborhood.
Eben:"Do you think you could find your way home if I walked you over there?"
Madeleine:"I think so."
Alabaster Catz:She said
Eben:"Okay, come on. We'll go together. Just let me know if you see something familiar."
Alabaster Catz:Nodding she stood up and rubbed the tears out of her eyes. Then she picked up her scooter and followed me down the street. The walk wasn't far, but it took longer than expected. This was partly because I was trying to give Madeleine time to study the area. But mostly because I needed to match her pace. By now the sky had begun to turn a soft violet.
Eben:"So,"
Alabaster Catz:I said breaking the silence.
Eben:"Who's the Waiting Witch?"
Alabaster Catz:Madeleine drew closer and glanced at the trees.
Madeleine:"She's a witch who takes kids that are out after dark and waits until they're ripe to eat them."
Eben:"Well, I wouldn't worry about."
Alabaster Catz:I smiled.
Eben:"There's no such thing as witches."
Alabaster Catz:Madeleine glared at me.
Madeleine:"She's real. At night, she flies through the air on a broom and follows you through the trees."
Eben:"And during the day?"
Madeleine:"She turns into a normal person. That's how she hides. She could be anyone. A stranger, someone close to you, even someone you just met."
Eben:"Well, if no one's ever seen her, then how do you know she's real?"
Madeleine:"Because whenever she's close, you'll hear the whisper of the last kid she ate."
Alabaster Catz:Smiling, I steered the conversation to the task at hand.
Eben:"Okay, this is the end of the street. It was anything look familiar?"
Madeleine:"That yellow car."
Alabaster Catz:She said pointing in another direction.
Madeleine:"I remember passing that."
Eben:"All right, let's go check it out."
Alabaster Catz:Madeleine smiled and continued to follow me. Several more minutes past and by the time we reached the yellow car, the sky had turned purple and a breeze began to blow through the trees. There was still plenty of sunlight, but it wasn't as bright as it was before.
Eben:"So who told you about the Waiting Witch?"
Alabaster Catz:Madeline glanced back up at the trees.
Madeleine:"My mommy did."
Eben:"She probably made it up just to scare you. You know, to make sure you didn't stay out too late. Besides, there's nothing to worry about. I'll keep you safe."
Alabaster Catz:Madeleine shook her head.
Madeleine:"No."
Alabaster Catz:She said.
Madeleine:"No one is safe from the Waiting Witch."
Alabaster Catz:Moments later we reached the yellow car and stopped.
Eben:"Okay, which way now?"
Madeleine:"That way."
Alabaster Catz:She said pointing to the park.
Eben:"The jogging path?"
Alabaster Catz:She nodded. We followed the path which was lined with lush trees and metal lamps. I was beginning to grow a little nervous about the time, but I figured I could make it back quickly enough if I ran. Besides, I wasn't going to leave Madeleine here by herself in the middle of a park. This sky had just turned dark blue when the metal lamps flickered on. Hearing the breeze rustling through the leaves, I rubbed the chill out of my arms and looked at Madeleine who was now leading the way.
Eben:"Hey, do you know where you're going?"
Madeleine:"Yeah."
Alabaster Catz:She said excited.
Madeleine:"It's just through here."
Eben:"How much further is it?"
Madeleine:"This much."
Alabaster Catz:She said indicating the distance with her fingers.
Madeleine:"Come on. We're almost there."
Alabaster Catz:Then she hopped on her scooter, and sped off ahead of me. I jogged after her until the trail dumped us onto a street I didn't recognize. The street was much older and filled with tall houses with large windows, sloped roof tops and iron fences. My friends and I had heard rumors about a spooky neighborhood hidden somewhere in town. A neighborhood that no one could ever seem to find. Under normal circumstances, I would have been excited. But all I could think about now was how badly I wanted to get home. I followed Madeleine to a dark house with a cone roof and a tall iron gate. Pushing her way through, she walked up to the front door and knocked.
Eben:"Is this where you live?"
Madeleine:"Yeah."
Alabaster Catz:She said.
Madeleine:"This is my house."
Alabaster Catz:Anxious, I stood next to her and waited for the door to open. But when no one came, I began to worry.
Eben:"Madeline, are you sure this is your house?
Alabaster Catz:She nodded.
Eben:"Is your mommy home?"
Madeleine:"Yeah, she's home. We just need to wait."
Alabaster Catz:Then her stomach growled and she placed her hand on her belly.
Madeleine:"Did you hear that?"
Alabaster Catz:She said giggling.
Madeleine:"My tummy is rumbling."
Alabaster Catz:A tingle crept down my spine as I began to feel like something wasn't right. I told myself that it was just the creepy houses, or perhaps all that talk of the Waiting Witch. Whatever the case, no matter how much I tried to convince myself, I couldn't quiet the nagging voice that told me I was in danger. Looking up at the sky, the sun had finally set and now the only source of light was whatever the neighborhood chose to provide. Once again, I heard the breeze rustling through the leaves and started to rub my arms, but then stopped after realizing I wasn't cold. That's when it occurred to me that despite all the times I heard the breeze on my way here. I never actually felt it. 'She flies on a broom and follows you through the trees.' That's what Madeleine said. And when she's close, you'll hear the whisper of the last kid she ate. I held my breath and listened, hoping with all hope that I wouldn't hear anything. And after a long moment of silence, I didn't. Then a branch snapped overhead and the voice of a child echoed in the street. It whispered one word.
Ghost:"Run."
Alabaster Catz:Not wasting any more time, I scrambled back to the trail and raced through the park. The leaves in the trees behind me shook as something leaped from one to the next. The metal lamps along the path began to flicker and die, forcing me to run faster to stay in the light. My lungs screamed for air and my muscles burned like fire, but I didn't stop. The rustling of the leaves was getting too close. Bursting out of the park. I ran past the yellow car and down the sidewalk, screaming through an empty neighborhood. I could sense the presence of a hand reaching out to grab me as I rounded the corner to my street. I was almost home. Suddenly, an icy chill seized my lungs. My breathing stopped, my legs slowed and my vision darkened. Then I saw nothing. The sky had just turned bright orange when Evan's mother came across a little girl sitting alone in the cul de sac. It was 8pm and even though it was technically nighttime, the summer season ensured that the sky would remain a fiery orange for another hour. Approaching the little girl, Evan's mother smiled.
Eben's Mother:"Hi, sweetie. Are you lost?"
Madeleine:"No."
Alabaster Catz:She said, clutching her scooter.
Madeleine:"I'm just waiting for someone."
Alabaster Catz:Evan's mother frowned, her eyes heavy from a sleepless night.
Eben's Mother:"I've been waiting too."
Alabaster Catz:She said.
Madeleine:"Do you want to wait together?"
Alabaster Catz:Evan's mother looked up at the sky, which was turning a soft violet.
Eben's Mother:"That's very nice of you. But shouldn't you be getting home? It'll be dark soon."
Madeleine:The little girl smiled."It's okay. I don't live far."
Alabaster Catz:Suddenly a breeze rustled through the leaves and a boy's whisper echoed in the street. The little girl jumped and clung to Evan's mother's leg.
Madeleine:"Did you hear that?"
Alabaster Catz:She breathed.
Eben's Mother:"Yes, I did."
Alabaster Catz:Answered Evan's mother.
Eben's Mother:"It's the Waiting Witch."
Alabaster Catz:A chill washed over Madeleine's body like cold water. Then her face went pale and she began to tremble.
Madeleine:"Please."
Alabaster Catz:She begged.
Madeleine:"Don't eat me. I'm only little."
Alabaster Catz:Eben's mother looked at her and grinned.
Madeleine:"Don't worry, my sweet. I can wait."
Alabaster Catz:That concludes our show for the evening. Thank you for joining us, and I hope you enjoyed my presence in the room. Next time, per the request of one of our listeners, we'll cuddle with the cute and the mccobb as we learn about the unending devotion of a witch's familiar. If you liked what you heard tonight, consider leaving a review. Also, if there's something you'd like to hear, send me a message from the beyond at alabastercatz.com. Once again, thank you for joining us. I'm Alabaster Catz. And remember, the best stories are the ones we tell in the dark. Special thanks to tonight's voice talent, Kat Jones as Madeleine and Sammy Price as Evan's Mother.