Ella pulled herself from the cold concrete. She spun around again and again desperately searching for the old hag that had blinded her. A young man with a Yorkshire jogged by. Stella grabbed his arm staring wildly.
“Did you see her? Did you see her?”
“Hey, lady, watch it!” the unsuspecting stranger exclaimed as he jerked his arm away, running faster down the trail.
Ella wanted to yell back, “I am not the crazy one!” There was no one left to listen.
As Ella walked toward her home three blocks away, she noticed a bounce in her step. She stopped, inspecting herself to see if she was hurt unaware. She did a quick self inspection. Her head was fine. Neck, back and limbs were in check. But she felt different. She looked around the park one last time searching for a trace of evidence that she wasn’t just losing it.
Then she noticed it. The white park lights did not have the familiar haloed ring that her lenses gave them. In fact she was not wearing her glasses. Yet, everything was in focus. She looked down the concrete walk and could see the playground in the distance. The more she concentrated the clearer the image became. As she stared harder, she could even make out the wings of the green glowing light bugs that circled the swings. She raced toward the glowing wings. Before the thought could move her limbs to action, she was there.
What magic had the old woman wrought? What was it she had said, Ella thought? ‘You’re the one.’
