The Taste of Lingering Lips

 The air was cold, the breeze hitting hard against solid features and stinging naked flesh. A child hunched down in the poor protection from harsh winds. With knees held tightly to her chest, she shivers, lifting her head up from its burrowed position between her legs.

She’s lost.

She cowered in the small tree house in the slightly dense yet over seemingly large forest. To any five year old, it’s truly a frightening experience. She recalled getting lost after straying away from her mom when she saw a squirrel, foolishly following it into the forest. It took the girl a while to realize that her mom was not within her sight, and neither was the park she had originally been. So, she walked round and round, until she came upon the poor excuse for a tree house resting not even ten feet above her head. Using the rope ladder, she climbed up to see the condition of the fortress, surprised to see it in considerably good condition.

The little girl stayed in the small house only for a little while before her anxiousness got to her and she decided to once again explore to see whether she could find her way out. When she went down, she decided she’d go in the right direction from the front of the tree house. Walking and walking through turn after turn, she despaired when she found herself back at her previous location at the tree house. Deciding she’d try again, she decided to go in the left direction from the back of the tree house. After walking around, it only added to her malice and anger to see that she had ended up at the house again.

Huffing, she promised she’d beat the darn thing, denying her own loss of sense of direction. This time, she went right from the back of the tree house. Walking, although weary and tired, she let out a pout and quivering lips when the accursed tree house came into view through the forested trees. She sat by the foot of the tree, her five year old mind had come up with the fantasy that a witch had lived in the forest and was currently trapping her inside in order to eat her.