Chapter 3: Spatterson

"What are you doing here, Spatterson?" I ask.

"I told you to call me by my real name! It's Sarah Patterson!"

"Whatever, Spatterson."

"What the hell do you think you're doing, child?" Maleficent snaps. "And how the hell did you get here so fast?"

"Easy," she replies. "Your guards are a bunch of idiots."

"So they are," Maleficent responds with a sigh. "Now what of this? I have two idiotic children at my disposal. I already had my interview with Ben over there," she says pointing at me. "And what is it do you want little girl?"

Spatterson was taken aback. "I'm not a little girl! I'm in grade 11! And I just wanted to get to know you, too."

"You want to get to know me? ME? The Mistress of All EVIL?" She glares at us. "Why do you kids find me so fascinating?"

"I just wanted to know who you were and why people fear you," I reply. "But you just acted like some fool when I was interviewing you. You totally wasted my time."

"So I threw the interview and acted like an imbecile. What do you have against having fun?"

"But I thought you said that 'time is a precious thing to waste'?"

"Yes and I believe I wasted your time."

"Yeah! I can't believe you'd do something so ... so ..."

"Evil?" She laughs.

I shake my head in disbelief. "Come on, Spatterson. She's not worth our time. Let's go back to our world."

Just as we near the front gate, it swings back in our faces. The latch falls and chains wrap around the bars connecting both gates. I stop to turn at the evil witch.

"What gives?" I say annoyed.

"Yeah, what are you doing?" asks Sarah.

"I've changed my mind. Let's do the interview again. And let's do it right this time."

"Why the sudden change?" I ask.

"Because things like this don't usually happen to me; two children venturing up The Forbidden Mountain to my castle to interview me of all things! ME! Yes, it would truly be a waste if I didn't impart on you some true knowledge of myself. Now, let's be off!" She strikes her staff the ground and green light envelopes us. As the light disipates I find myself back in her study on the red padded chair. Sarah sits to my left and Maleficent sits across from us holding a tea cup.

"So you're not going to kill us?" I ask her.

"Not now, Ben," she says eyeing Spatterson.

"So now you're going to be serious?" I ask her. "I have real questions to ask you. The people of the kingdom are saying rather ridiculous things about you. I just want to know the truth of it."

"Well, now, ask away my dear Ben."