“You sure this is how we see the witch, Cal?” whispered JoAnn.

“Yes, just leave a dead cat on the unmarked tombstone and she will come after it.”

JoAnn shuddered. Cal took it to be a shiver and he put his arm around her shoulders. She shook him off. Cal was undeterred.

“Look, Cal, just because it’s dark, doesn’t mean you can put the moves on me.”

“I thought you were cold!”

“Yeah, right.”

“Are you scared?”

“No.”

“Liar!”

“Shut up! She’ll never come with you yappin!”

Cal shut up. They sat in the dark for a long time, jumped at every twig snap, and heard a lonesome coyote’s howl which sent shivers down their spines. They looked every which way into the dark, peering into the darkest shadows, which is why they never saw her coming.

Cal felt a hand grip his arm and he turned to see JoAnn staring intently at the tombstone. Behind it a dark stooped figure stood. The moonlight made her wrinkles deeper and her white hair glow.