Stolen Child

The witch glares into the log. There’s no magic in it. And no words.

“It’s asleep.” She says. “Needs good coffee. Strong wake up stuff.”

The guest argues, but he goes away and he comes back with good coffee. 

The pot boils over after a long time. It goes by the log and steams. They breathe.

“Log talks. It says no child. Barren belly.”

There’s still no magic in the wood. But the guest can’t know the difference.

He goes fishing and steals a child from the Island of Half-Forgotten Things.

She grows up looking like her false mother.