The Witch's Countdown

ly. The dimly lit hallway stretched before her, impossibly

ed to close in on itself. She could still h

swal

to move

she stepped into the corridor. The baby remained

hem. All identical-tall, wooden, with brass h

nce behind her, and her br

had just stepped

ted. There was n

y breath, she

t name. The flickering candle sconces on the walls

th

his

arely a

e wise

e, heart

om behind her. It had co

scanning the identical doors

h

th

g from the nearest

the baby. Her fingers ached from

her

ng was

a slow

on the do

ld her

-sil

llway stretched endlessly in both direc

stirred i

th

door cre

around,

s ahead of her ha

nd the threshold, t

She didn't want to go inside.

the doorway, peer

y, she step

ammed shut

d, whirli

allowed the

h

his

Near h

are coun

sconces fla

cked in a s

longer in

ircular room, li

cted a different

der, her hair long

arely a toddler, sitting on th

irror at the

asn't

od behind he

dows. Its face was o

yes b

eath h

a soft sound-a ti

ed to lo

t, the figure in

pped f

the m

the

rl scr

lently, the room tilting as i

w loomed

h

his

not yet

ss collaps

th

le

ened h

ack in th

e had enter

ay still i

w something

had follow

s running