Horrific Shorts: Zombie Edition

In a remote village nestled at the edge of the Wailing Woods, there was a legend that struck fear into the hearts of even the bravest souls. It was said that deep within the forest lived a witch so ancient and twisted by dark magic that her very presence could curdle the blood in your veins. Her name was whispered in hushed tones—**Morgatha.**

Morgatha was no ordinary witch. Her appearance was as terrifying as the tales told about her. Her face was a mass of wrinkles, each line telling a story of malevolence and dark deeds. Her eyes glowed with an unnatural light, piercing through the shadows like twin orbs of burning coal. Her hair, a tangled mess of silver and black, hung like a shroud around her bony shoulders.

She wore tattered robes adorned with strange trinkets—bones, teeth, and amulets of unknown origin—all of which added to her terrifying visage.

The villagers knew better than to venture too close to the Wailing Woods, for those who did often never returned. Those who were lucky enough to escape came back with tales of strange sounds—whispers that seemed to come from the trees themselves, and the feeling of being watched by unseen eyes.

But the worst was the wailing, a mournful, chilling cry that echoed through the forest every night, as if the very trees were lamenting their cursed existence.

One fateful night, a young woman named Elara, driven by desperation, made the decision to seek out Morgatha. Her brother had fallen ill with a mysterious ailment that no healer in the village could cure. She had heard stories of Morgatha's dark powers, how she could bend life and death to her will. Despite the danger, Elara believed that the witch was her only hope.

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With a heart full of fear and determination, Elara ventured into the Wailing Woods, guided only by the light of the full moon. The forest was alive with strange noises—the rustling of leaves, the cracking of branches, and the distant wailing that sent shivers down her spine. But she pressed on, clutching the talisman her mother had given her for protection.

After what felt like hours, she came upon a clearing. In the center stood a twisted, gnarled tree, and beneath it sat Morgatha, hunched over a cauldron that bubbled with a foul-smelling brew. The witch looked up as Elara approached, her eyes narrowing as she took in the sight of the trembling young woman.

"What brings you to my domain, child?" Morgatha's voice was like the rustling of dead leaves, dry and brittle.

Elara swallowed her fear and stepped forward. "My brother is dying. Please, I beg you, save him."

Morgatha's lips curled into a smile that revealed yellowed, sharp teeth. "And what will you offer me in return?"

Elara hesitated. She had nothing of value, nothing that could possibly interest the witch. "I…I have nothing."

The witch cackled, the sound echoing through the trees. "Nothing, you say? Everyone has something to give, even if they do not realize it."

Elara's heart sank as the witch circled her, eyes gleaming with malice. "You seek to save a life, but in doing so, you must give one in return."

"No!" Elara gasped. "I cannot take a life."

Morgatha's eyes gleamed with a terrible light. "Then your brother will die. Choose, girl—his life or yours."

Tears streamed down Elara's face as she realized the true cost of what she was asking. But she couldn't let her brother die, not when she had the chance to save him. With a trembling voice, she whispered, "Take me."

Morgatha's smile widened, and with a wave of her hand, the world around Elara began to spin. She felt her strength drain away, her vision fading as the witch's dark magic took hold. The last thing she saw before everything went black was Morgatha's hideous face, leering at her with satisfaction.

When Elara awoke, she found herself back in her village, lying on the ground near her home. Her brother was by her side, healthy and whole, but something was terribly wrong. He looked at her with eyes full of terror, as if she were a stranger, or worse—a monster.

Elara tried to speak, but no words came out. She touched her face, her hands, and realized with growing horror that she had changed. Her once-beautiful features were now twisted and grotesque, her body frail and aged beyond recognition. She had become the very thing she had feared—a reflection of Morgatha herself.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

As the villagers gathered around, they recoiled in fear and disgust. They drove her out, screaming that she was cursed, that she had brought the witch's wrath upon them. And so, Elara fled back to the Wailing Woods, where she would remain forever, a new witch to haunt the cursed forest.

The villagers still speak of her, the young woman who sacrificed everything to save her brother, only to become the monster she feared. And on nights when the wind howls through the trees, they say you can hear her wailing, mourning the life she lost, and cursing the fate that bound her to the Wailing Woods for all eternity.