"Now, if I'm right, the village should be just over this hill." Said Hansel, trying his best to sound confident as he strode up the rocky slope. Just behind him, Gretel was trying her best to keep up with her older brother, stumbling along in his wake despite her exhaustion. Finally, the two reached the top of the hill to see... more forest. An endless green expanse stretched out as far as the eye could see, with not a human settlement in sight. Despairingly, Gretel collapsed at the foot of a mighty oak tree.
"Oh, why did we have to get lost? We were only picking mushrooms!" The young girl said, as tears began to wend their way down her face. "I just want to go home!"
Hansel hurried over to her and put an arm around her skinny shoulders.
"Don't worry, Gret, we'll find the way back. We've still got a couple of hours of daylight. Come on, we'll be fine." He tried to comfort her, but despite his best attempts she merely buried her face in his shoulder and began to sob. Desperately, he looked around for anything that could help them, and suddenly...
"Look! Gretel, there's a light down there, I'm sure of it!" He exclaimed, and his sister looked up with red eyes.
"I don't see it..." She said uncertainly, but Hansel was adamant.
"Let's go see who it is!" He said excitedly, grabbing her by the hand and half-leading, half-dragging her down the hill, skidding on the rough stones. They quickly reached the bottom, and now both of them were running, kicking aside branches and leaves as they sprinted through the forest, before emerging unexpectedly into a large clearing. They slowed to a stop in front of a modest house in the clearing center, light shining through its windows and the most delicious scent they had ever smelled curling out from its walls like waves of liquid sugar.
Both of them stood transfixed for a second, before suddenly they realized; the house itself was made out of candy! Without another thought, the two children rushed forwards and began grabbing great handfuls of gingerbread and sugar glazing, stuffing them into their starving mouths. Never in their combined 17 years on the planet had either of them ever tasted something anywhere near as delicious, or eaten so much in so short a space of time. Their family were surfs; poor laborers who worked the land for a lord, and more than decent meal a day was only for special occasions like Christmas.
Soon, Gretel was more full than she could ever remember being, her stomach swollen and straining the belt worn over her dress, but Hansel was looking strained, one eye twitching. A voice in the back of his mind had spoken, some half-forgotten memory from years ago, urging him to remember about... about something. The sugary sweet smell was addling his mind, and it was taking all his willpower not to continue stuffing himself like his sister was doing.
Witches! In a sudden revelation, he remembered the tales his father had told him when he was young, tales of old magic women who lived in remote houses, plotting to tempt and lure children so she could eat them. In an instant, he grabbed his sister and began trying to drag her away, back into the woods.
"Hey! Get off me!" She shouted, and suddenly footsteps could be heard from within the cottage as someone began moving towards the front door. As his sister began struggling desperately for him to drop her, he glanced around desperately. He could drop Gretel and get away, but then he'd be leaving his sister to the mercy of the witch, at least until he could sneak back. Alternatively, he could try to drag her away, but with the way she was clawing and shouting, it didn't seem likely he could drag her away before they were found.
The footsteps were getting close; it was time to make a choice.
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