The True Believer

   The True Believer

“By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.”

This probably doesn’t sound right to you, so I guess I should start at the beginning.

It was a brilliant fall day and the colours on the tree were changing already. I made a mental note to suggest to go and see them this weekend before the football game started.

There was a certain excitement in the air. It was a few weeks before Halloween and the kids were already very thrilled. They had picked out their costumes a long time ago and had changed their minds twenty times before my wife put a stop to it.

I was going to drive them around and she was going to stay at home and hand out candy to the little trick or treaters.  

My youngest daughter had started hockey season, which meant early morning practices and games in the depth of winter. But, she loved it so much that there was no way I could deny her.  Besides, it was great that she was doing something active instead of sitting around playing video games.

My oldest boy had started his first year of high school football. He loved it. There was nothing like being part of a team and the feeling that there was a brotherhood, a group of young men united to do something together.

Life was good and then I hit an old lady.  

I was cruising down a country lane admiring the solid, vibrant colours when she popped out of nowhere. I didn’t kill her and she wasn’t angry.

I ran out from my car and was going crazy. But the old woman stood up and waved at me.

“That hurt,” she said.

“I am truly sorry, but I didn’t see you standing there.”

“That’s okay, I shouldn’t have just walked out onto the road without looking. But, I figured I was safe being out in the country and all.”

“Do you need to go to the hospital?”

She cackled and shook her head.

“No, you didn’t hurt me at all.”

“But, I hit you with my car pretty hard. You might have broken bones.”

She smirked.

“I haven’t broken a bone since I was a child. It was awful, because I was working on this potion and it went all wrong-

“A potion?”

“Yes, I am a witch.”  She smiled at me.

“A witch? But, witches don’t really exist. I mean, I know there are-

“What do you mean witches don’t exist?”

“Well, I’ve never met one before.”

“That doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Besides, you just met one right here.”

“Okay, so you are a witch. I want a million dollars and-

“I’m not a genie. I am a witch.”

“Oh, okay, sorry.”

“You don’t believe me do you?”

“Well, no, I really don’t and look I don’t want to be turned into a toad or anything like that.”

“You have watched too many Hollywood movies. We witches don’t turn humans into toads. We torture them instead.”

She laughed, I didn’t.

“What were you doing in the woods anyway?”

“Looking for the ingredients for my next spell.”

“Oh, okay.”

So we stood there not really saying anything for a long moment.

“I have to go now.”

“Yes, I am sure you do. But, wait, we still haven’t settled things between us.”

“What do you mean?”

“You still don’t think I am a witch.”

“Look, if you want to believe you are a witch, then believe you are a witch.”

“I’m sorry that is not good enough.”

“So what do you want me to do?”

“I don’t want you to do anything. But in the next week, I am going to convince you that I am a witch.”

“Okay, whatever you say.”

I got in my car and left.

The old hag watched me drive off shaking her head.

The next morning, I woke up and heard a noise. I looked outside and saw a scarecrow with a pumpkin head dancing on the front lawn. It was scary.

Helen was getting ready for work and stopped.

“What is going on?”

“Nothing, nothing at all,” I mumbled and moved on.

She looked at me strangely and then continued to get ready for work.

When I looked back the skeleton with the pumpkin head was gone.

The following day, I pulled into the yard and saw a witch flying across the sky on a broom just under the moon. I think she had the latest model because that old woman was flying at top speed.

This could not be happening could it? I mean, witches didn’t exist.

We moved further into the fall season and on day three, I was starting to freak out. I mean what mirage was I going to see today?

So, later that night, I had to go and walk the dog and there were hundreds of toads outside. They all glared at me and the dog barked and was really agitated. I had never seen so many amphibians in one spot.  

So, I ran home and got the wife.  

“You have to see this.”

She put her coat on in a hurry and pushed the kids outside. But, the toads were gone. I mean there wasn’t one singular toad out there.

The next day, at the supper table everyone was there, something that was getting rarer as the two oldest never seemed to have time to sit down at a family meal anymore.

“It’s almost Halloween.”

The two youngest squealed with delight.

“I can’t wait.”

“Okay, how many of you believe in witches?”

They all looked at me like I was crazy.

“Dad, witches don’t exist.”

“Witches only exist in fairytales.”

“You are so funny, dear. But, I like the way you are trying to stir up some Halloween fun.”

“But, witches exist.”

“Sure, dad, just like all of those hundreds of toads last night.”

“Are you feeling okay, dear?”

“I am.”

The next morning, I had a hard time getting up. But my daughter needed to go to her hockey game. By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.

“Can you see the leaves honey?”

My daughter looked up from her phone and shook her head.

“Dad, they are just leaves.”

“But, they are on fire.”

“No, they aren’t. The leaves are just sitting there.”

I got in the car and drove off.

So, the next day, I returned to the spot where I hit the old woman. I stood there and looked around.

“Looking for me?”

She surprised me and I jumped back.

“Yes, I am.  Okay, I believe in witches.”

“There you go.”

“And, I am truly sorry that I doubted you.”

“That’s okay, you aren’t the first.”

“I have a strange request.”

“Go ahead, try me.”

“Will you be my friend?”

She cackled.  

“Well, we witches aren’t allowed to mingle with you mere humans. I will have to get special permission from the witches’ council.”

“Okay, and if and when you do, would you come to my place for supper?”

“Well, I could do that. But, you can’t tell anyone that I am a witch.”

“How come?”

“Because, we witches aren’t exactly welcomed in your society. We are called heretics and evil.  They might burn me at the stake.”

“Oh, I see. But, my wife and kids aren’t going to burn you at the state. They don’t believe in witches and I want to convince them that they exist.”

“Well, just maybe I will go over for diner. But for now, how about we just stay friends? Come on by some time. I am usually here a few days a week around this time of the day.”

“Okay.”

He was ready to leave.

“You want something else?”

“Can you make the leaves look like they are on fire? I mean that is a real cool party trick.”

“Oh, sure, anything for a friend,” she cackled.

The old hag waved her hand and all of the thousands of the leaves looked like they were on fire.

“That is so neat.”

It lasted for a few seconds and then they were gone.

“By the way, what is your name?”

“My name is Contesta.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Contesta.”

“And you are?”

“James Tallon.”

“Please to meet you, James Tallon.”

“I’ll see you later.”

I left.