The garden was far from the village bordering the dark forest. Bountiful flowers grew within the white picket fence. Raspberries and blackberries grew in and around the garden, their branches filled with their sweet produce and vines twisting and encircling the garden. All year round, the garden was always growing, its harvest always plentiful. The woman who made sure the garden maintained its glorious state was Anna. A tall slender woman, her long hair a dark ebony. Her finger would quickly pluck the fruits and berries, while her song would fill the air. The children of the village loved the garden, and Anna. they would have the chance they would run down from their homes over and under the fence just to be with her. She would offer them the fruits, and dance with the children all day long. Sometimes she would bring her small guitar  and teach them the songs of the forest. Many of the children would hum her tunes as they would fall asleep. Erik was like the other children who loved Anna. He would watch as the sun set and Anna would walk into the dark forest. He wondered why she did not live in the village. He would go to her and ask, “Anna, why don’t you live in the village?” She would laugh and reply, “The forest is closer to the garden than the village.” Erik did not want Anna to go. But despite his pleas, she would leave as the sun would touch the horizon. One day, Erik wanted to know where Anna lived, so as the sun began to set he clung to Anna’s arm. “Please don’t go.” “But I have to go.” Anna said, “Little kids like you are not ready to go in the dark forest.”

“But I am not a kid!” Erik cried out. 

“You are not?” A smile appeared on Anna’s face. “Well, maybe I can show you where I live. But you must not tell a single soul.”

Anna grabbed the child's hand and the two of the set out into the dark forest. As soon as they pass through the branches, the garden behind them was no longer visible, as they were surrounded in darkness. Terrified, Erik shifted closer to Anna. When he looked up, he saw her eyes were glowing. 

“Anna, your eyes!” He said.

“It makes it easier to see in the dark.” She replied.

Deeper they went into the forest, until Erik had trouble walking over the brush. He rubbed his face to get rid of the fine hairs of spider webs that kept catching his face. He could barely see Anna in front of him. Her pale skin seemed to fade to a more translucent color. 

“Anna, your skin! Its fading!” He said.

“To make it easier to walk in the forest.” She replied.

Erik wanted to go back, but as he turned around, all he could see was the dark woods. Reluctantly, Erik continued to follow, until they arrived at a small clearing. A house, covered in moss, and stunk with rot was before them.  Anna smiled as she waved for the child to enter. With nowhere else to go, Erik entered the woman’s hut. Jars of strange herbs littered the floor. Some were filled with liquid and baby birds. 

“Are you hungry?” She asked. Erik nodded, as he sat on a stool in the center of the room.

Within a small fire pit with a large pot. Erik watched as her body began to grow and become thin. Her hair became long and full covering her face. Her fingers became elongated, and her fingernails grew to form claws. She picked up a jar from the floor, and unscrewed the lid.

“Anna you're growing!” Erik cried out.

“Only the better to reach my ingredients.” She giggled. She threw the dried leaves into the boiling pot. Despite her appearance shifting, her angelic voice was left unchanged. As she stirred the pot, Erik’s stomach turned from the smell. He wanted to throw up. But all he could do was pick up the jars and open them to see what was inside. Once he opened a jar of a strange brown powder. When he looked up, Anna was staring at him with her black empty eyes, with a grin upon her face. 

“Anna, your teeth!” Erik said “They are sharp!”

“Better to eat you with.” With those words, she lunged at him. With no other thought, Erik threw the glass at Anna, and it broke. The brown powder exploding in her face. Anna blinded, Erik ran to the door. Anna reached out with her scraggly hands, but the little boy escaped her grasp. The boy lept outside, and began to hide behind a fallen pine tree. He could hear the monstrosity behind him cackle and call out his name.

“Where are you Erik? Won’t you come out? I am not going to hurt you.”

Erik began to run. The branches slapping into his face, his feet tripping over the branches and logs.  He could hear her cackling behind him, creeping up closer and closer. 

Suddenly he arrived back of the dark forest. But he did nto stop running. He ran past the garden, and straight back to the village. Only when he was in the arms of his mother did he stop. He began to cry and shake, as he could feel the comfort of his mother’s embrace. 

“Erik what’s wrong?” His mother asked.

“Anna, is a monster!” He cried out. His mother’s eyes widened. But she did not ask anything else. She put him to bed, but Erik could not sleep. The monster was living within his head. All he could think about was her soulless eyes. 

The next morning, His mother holding onto Erik’s hand went to Anna, demanding why Erik was crying about her being a ‘monster’. Anna calmly strummed her guitar. “He is only a child.” Anna said, “They have wild imaginations. You should watch your child more closely who knows what lies he will make up.”

Erik gripped his mother’s hands, because all he could see was the monster, smiling back.