Beware the
Kumbrician Witch
A small Halloween one-shot
AN: In the spirit of Halloween. This story is loosely based on the "Bloody Mary" folklore.
"Thanks for coming" tinkled Galinda's silvery voice, half slurred by Gillikin beer and Ozmopolitans. The blonde leaned half-hazardly against the door, one slender arm leaning against the dark quoxwood frame of the door, the other, draped lazily at her side. A crooked smile pulled on her glittery lips, a deep blush spread across her pale cheeks; an after affect from the alcohol she had consumed earlier.
She gazed up at the two standing inside the door through a veil of thick lashes, her lids half slit and drooping, showing off the heavy smoke of her eye makeup.
The sequined crown on the top of her head sat crooked and if a faint breeze were to blow, it would knock the tiara off her head. Remarkably; although not surprising, the blonde had matched the sequined pattern of her tiara with a dress she had sewn herself. The dress itself was a rich dark blue, made of soft silks from the Gillikin. The colors faded and lightened as it cascaded downward towards the rippled edges.
"Ozmazifying party Galinda…you out did yourself this year" giggles the girl. Her laughter sounded like the soft ringing of wind chimes, the ones she used to listen to back home in the Gillikin and though she was drunk, she couldn't help the smile that split her soft, pale lips.
"Thank you Ria…I'm so glad you and Ouisieus were able to join us tonight" slowly the blonde's dark cerulean eyes moved towards the gentleman standing beside the young brunette. He was tall, and very handsome, with a thick chin and high cheekbones. His hair to Galinda reminded her of the calm of darkness before the night fully encapsulated the sky, for it was deep and boundless, yet enticing. A fine silk that one would wish to twist around their fingers, savoring the soft textures as it slipped through your hand.
"A pleasure Miss Upland" bows Ouisieus. Taking her delicate hand in his, he bends down and kisses it.
Galinda couldn't help but giggle.
Ria rolled her eyes at the blonde. She knew of Galinda's reputation for stealing others boyfriends if it suited her own purposes, and she'd be damned if she allowed this spoiled Gillikinese Princess from stealing her love. Possessively, she wrapped a slender arm around Ouisieus's waist, turned and literally dragged him out of the room. A faint goodbye thrown half-hazardly over her shoulder as they sauntered down the hallway.
Galinda blinked, shrugged her shoulders and slammed the door shut in triumph. Spinning around, she danced her way back into the living room where Elphaba, Avaric, Fiyero and Nessa sat, cleaning up the rest of the dorm room.
"Oz Glin…do you have to slam the door that loud?" groans Elphaba. She had never drunk before until this night, and her head was already starting to kill her.
Galinda giggled at her roommate; half bent over, plates and glasses half filled with beer and other spirits clasped between each delicate emerald finger. Her long raven hair spilled over her shoulder in a cascading waterfall of silk and curls.
"Sorry Elphie"
Elphaba rolled her eyes good naturedly at her friend and throwing a quick wink, rose and made her way into the kitchen to deposit what she had in her hands, leaving Fiyero, the blonde and Nessa alone.
"You're all going to be damned for this" groaned Nessa.
"Nessa…were all college students" chortles Fiyero.
"So?" asks Nessa, quirking an elegant eyebrow back at the Prince.
"Were adults…therefore were allowed to drink. Besides it's Halloween" laughs Fiyero.
"Halloween is blasphemous…the Unnamed God does not look kindly on this sort of impropriety" admonishes Nessa
"Nessa…shut up" says the blonde.
Nessa huffs and crosses her arms against her chest and frowns. She had never really agreed to coming to this party, but her sister and Galinda had practically begged for her to join, and being the "Goodly" sister she was, had agreed, only because she was worried for her sisters immortal soul.
Avaric and Elphaba walked out of the kitchen hand in hand after finishing the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen. Turning his head, Avaric bent low and kissed the green witch softly on the lips.
Elphaba, despite herself couldn't help but smile for never had she believed that Avaric Tenmeadows would be the man that she would have fallen in love with, nor marry.
Slowly, her eyes drifted to her ring finger, and the smile on her lips grew seeing the sparkling engagement ring, sparkle off the light from the candles. The truth was real, she was going to marry Avaric Tenmeadows, and become his wife.
"Aww…they're so cute" giggles Galinda watching the two. A soft smile pulled on her lips, remembering the night when Fiyero had proposed to Elphaba.
Avaric had come to the blonde earlier and asked if she could find a way to keep Elphaba away from their shared dorm room. To which the blonde happily nodded. Hence the eight hours of excruciating non-stop shopping.
Avaric had spent that time preparing the room, setting the table and the candles in the proper places where he could maximize the light. He then had taken Munchkin roses and sprinkled them on top of the table, and the bone china plates, the shelves, even a rose petal path leading from the door to the table.
Employing the help of another witch had been hard, yet somehow he had found someone who was willing to enchant the walls, with pictures of the Gillikin fields, of a cascading waterfall, and of Elphaba's secret hidden grove. What made it special was not only did you feel like you were there, but you could hear the water crash at the bottom of the falls, feel the spray out and splatter against your skin, smell the fresh flowers dancing in the wind.
The ceiling he had enchanted to look like the nights sky, complete with a full moon shimmering brightly high above. Everything was perfect, and Elphaba had been shocked when she had finally returned.
"So…now what are we going to do?" asks Elphaba as she takes a seat in Avaric's lap.
"Have you guys ever heard of the Kumbrician witch?" asks Fiyero as he too takes a seat on the couch, Galinda followed and took his hands in hers.
"Wasn't she wicked?" asks Nessa
Fiyero nods, "She helped create the Vinkun…she was supposedly very powerful but evil nonetheless. The legend goes that it took every Witch, and Wizard in the land of Oz to destroy her, and even when they had ripped her still beating heart from her chest, she still remained standing, smiting their armies, spilling their blood upon the ground and staining it crimson. Hence the birth of the Crimson Fields by Kumrbician Pass" says the Prince
"And your bringing her up why?" asks Nessa confused.
"Well…there's an old folklore our people used to tell when we were younger, a sort of yarn we'd weave. Especially on Halloween"
"Which is?" asks Galinda.
"They say, that if you call upon Kumbricia…say her name three times, she'll appear and take your souls to the land of the Damned" smiles Fiyero.
"And your bringing this up why?" asks Avaric.
"I say we do it"
"Fiyero no!" cries Galinda
"What are you all chicken?" asks Fiyero.
"I'm not afraid" huffs Elphaba.
"Me either" says Avaric.
"I don't believe in witches nor in silly fables, so I'm in" says Nessa.
"Glin?" asks Fiyero.
"I'll watch" she says.
"Suit yourself. Everyone join hands, and then together we say her name three times" says Fiyero. One by one each one takes the others hands. Nodding, Fiyero closes his eyes.
"Kumbrician Witch, Kumbrician Witch…Kumbrician WITCH!" they call out, their voices rising.
Silence, and each one tenses, waiting to see what would happen. After a few minutes, Elphaba wrenches her hand free from Fiyero's and slaps him hard on the arm.
"Yero! That wasn't funny!"
Fiyero falls back against the couch and laughs.
"Aww come on Fae, it's only a story"
"You scared Glin" snarls Elphaba pointing to her trembling friend.
Fiyero turns and the smile fades, seeing his girlfriend shake violently beside him. The color in her face drained away and her eyes widened the pupils but small little dots.
"Glin?" asks Fiyero.
Suddenly the windows burst open, spilling in sheets of freezing artic air into the room, the curtains billowed violently, knocking over pictures and lamps. The flames on the wicks snuff out, leaving only a thin sheen of silvery smoke.
Galinda screamed as a dark figure rose behind Elphaba. Grabbing Fiyero's hand she yanks him to his feet and points.
"Look!" she screams.
Fiyero grabs a flashlight and turning it on, shines the light at the figure behind Elphaba and screams. The creature was of a woman, but her face was drawn and withered, the skin like bark, cracked, thick black lines ran down cracked fissures, and her eyes were hollow and black. Her mouth wide; as if her jaw had been dislocated, and there were no teeth. Her hair was straggly and black, weepy and heavy; as if a bucket of water had been poured over her head.
"ELPHABA!" Screams Fiyero.
A loud shrill, and the windows burst around them, the light in Fiyero's hands explodes, casting the room in darkness once more.
Galinda screams and throws herself to the ground and covers her head. The screams rose, becoming unbearable, and then silence. Slowly the wicks on the candles crackle and the flames return, lighting the room in a soft, golden glow.
Whimpering, Galinda lifted her head and gasped, where Elphaba, Avaric and Nessa sat smoldered; as if Hell's fire had been set there. Turning, the same scorch marks smoked where Fiyero had once been.
Trembling she rose to her feet, her eyes sweeping over the decimated apartment.
"FiFi" she whimpers. Suddenly she stiffens feeling someone behind her. Trembling her eyes move to the side, as a silent scream escapes her lips, and then silence.