The Witch in the Woods

Before anyone knew it, Friday had arrived again, and with it, the question of whether more strange occurrences were in store for Lake Laura—and specifically, for GallU. The day began uneventfully, with a clear sky and bright sunshine, cold but typical for late November. Hopes were high that the past three weeks of disasters were simply a stroke of bad luck that had finally passed.

The cafeteria buzzed with activity as students packed the tables, chatting and eating. Groups discussed projects, some people simply hung out, while others were lost in their own worlds, headphones on, working on their computers. Ali, Kelly, and Lua managed to find an empty table and settled in, ready for an important meeting about their joint project.

“I love Ali’s idea of making a few sample beauty products to give as gifts to festival attendees,” Lua began.

“Wait, when did Ali come up with that? Were you two already talking about this?” Kelly asked, sounding upset. “And don’t you mean the products *we* will be selling? I thought this was supposed to be a team effort. Plus, we can’t just give away samples! Who can afford to give premium products like these for free? We need to sell them, it’s like…”

“Oh my God, Kelly, so many notes!” Alinda interrupted, clearly frustrated. “Can’t you open your mind to some suggestions?”

“I do have an open mind,” Kelly shot back. “I’m just caught off guard by all this being decided without me…”

“Wait, that wasn’t my intention,” Lua tried to interject, her voice calm. “I’m sorry if it came across like that…”

“No, just—I don’t like any of this!” Kelly said, her frustration only growing.

The argument continued to escalate, with each of them growing more frustrated as they tried to explain their points. It was the first time the trio had ever seriously clashed.

Two tables over, a group of students, annoyed by the raised voices, tried to ignore the argument and eat their snacks in peace. Suddenly, one of them went pale and mumbled, “I’m not feeling so good…” before collapsing onto the floor, unconscious.

Chaos erupted. Everyone’s attention shifted to the girl who fainted, and no one noticed that on the other side of the cafeteria, another student clutched their stomach, looking nauseous. Near the exit, a third person collapsed into their boyfriend’s arms. Within minutes, it became clear that anyone who had eaten in the cafeteria was experiencing severe symptoms of what looked like food poisoning. 

Students were vomiting, coughing, and fainting all over the place. Some sobbed while their friends tried to help, others screamed for medical attention. It was pandemonium. Ali, Kelly, and Lua, who hadn’t eaten anything, stopped their argument, frozen in shock as the scene unfolded around them.

They quietly left the cafeteria, still in disbelief, and walked through the hallway in silence. Each was deep in thought, overwhelmed by the day’s events. They decided to go their separate ways for the afternoon to cool off before regrouping later. Kelly and Ali had classes, while Lua headed straight for the building’s exit, planning to retreat to the cabin.

Just as Lua was about to leave, she was stopped by a pale woman with fiery red hair.

“Lua, right?” the woman asked.

“Yes. Hi. Can I help you?” Lua replied, clearly in a hurry.

“I don’t think you know me, but I’m Abigail, Peter’s girlfriend,” the woman said. “I was wondering if we could have a quick chat? Are you free now?”

“I’m sorry, but now’s not a good time,” Lua said, her impatience barely concealed. “Did you hear what just happened in the cafeteria? I really need to go.”

Abigail looked at her up and down with a clear expression of disgust. “How do you walk freely inside the campus when you’re not a student? Do you even have an entry id card?” She asked.

“I’ve been a supplier for the cafeteria for over a year, I come in here almost everyday. Of course I have a card.” Lua replied, outraged with the question.

“I know Peter went to the cabin to see you,” Abigail interrupted her. “He told me he would.”

“Who? When? What are you talking about?” Lua asked, genuinely confused.

“I’m onto you,” Abigail continued, her voice cold. “There’s a lot your little friends don’t know about your past. So let’s say we knock it off with this Hocus Pocus Shondaland fever dream before I’m pushed to my limit, shall we?”

Lua was stunned. Peter came to see me? she thought. Not Kelly? Abigail’s words were absurd, a bizarre accusation. Shaking with a mix of confusion and frustration, Lua hurried back to the cabin, the only place where she felt safe. As she ran, she silently prayed for rain to wash away the chaos.

Back on campus, panic spread like wildfire as rumors of curses and dark magic swirled. The once-celebrated LINAFEST festival now seemed doomed, with talk of canceling it altogether. The strange events—now dubbed “The Four Curses”—had taken their toll, and the university’s reputation was in tatters.

Thankfully, everyone affected by the food poisoning recovered within a few days, but the sense of unease continued to grow. Despite the board’s best efforts to contain the situation, the damage had been done. The atmosphere on campus remained tense, and whispers of supernatural forces at play only added to the fear.

Meanwhile, Lua sat alone in the cabin, the weight of everything pressing down on her. Though the storm had passed, the darkness remained, both outside and within. She stared out the window at the snow-covered landscape, wondering if there was any way to reverse the tide of destruction that had engulfed not only the university but her own life as well.