“We leave at #sunset,” she says. “Wear these #bones as a #talisman.” “Whose bones are they?” he asks. She ignores the question. “You’ll have to wear a #blindfold. We don’t want you finding your way back again and bothering us.” #vss365 #366FF #whistpr #vssmurder

He feels an ominous #breeze on his neck as they enter the woods. He’s hopelessly disoriented behind the blindfold. It had seemed a simple request, a spell to make him more attractive to Lydia, but he wonders now if his body will ever be found. #nanofict #ficchills

The clearing looks more like an open-air living room than a place of dark magic. No witches are riding brooms or cackling, and there are no warts at all. Taking off the blindfold would demystify witches for him, and that wouldn’t be very kind. #ficchills

Stephanie says a few words and he feels the sensation of liquid on his head. What he can’t see: Witches lounging or reading in their yoga pants on the carved stumps they use for chairs. One watches, vaguely amused, and rolls her eyes at Stephanie’s theatrics. #bravewrite

She walks him back out of the woods by a different route, just in case. They don’t like to be bothered. She takes off his blindfold. “The next full moon is Thursday. #Dive into the lake at midnight and swim in three clockwise circles. That’ll be $250.” #flexvss

She watches him go, looking like a new man. It’s amazing what even the idea of magic can do. And it’s a living, after all. Win-win. She’s amused at the thought of the midnight swim he has coming up, but that’s the extra touch she throws in for the deluxe package.