A Little Witchy Snippet - Frogs and Ponies

As they approached the school gate, Niki felt her daughter’s hand tighten around her own.

“What’s wrong, Ella?” She asked, looking down.

“Maisie was really mean yesterday. She wouldn’t share the My Little Ponies again and she knows they are my favourite. And she pulled my hair a bit.”

She looked up at Niki, her eyes brimming with tears. Niki gently ushered her to one side, as several children bounded past, and crouching down next to Ella, she brushed the hair from her face.

“Oh, dear. That wasn’t very nice, was it? What did you do?”

“I told her that you would put a spell on her. Turn her into a frog or something,” she answered straight faced, as a matter of fact.

“Ella!” Niki squealed, a little louder than she meant. Several parents turned in their direction.

“Will you Mummy? Pleeease?”

Niki stands once again, her cheeks glowing. She pulls Ella close and kisses her on the top of the head.

“Go on now, love. Everything will work out just fine.”

Ella grinned up at her and skipped her way to the classroom, laughing at something a little boy with sandy blond hair had said as they entered the doorway. Niki watched through the window as Ella hung her coat onto the brightly coloured peg and placed her lunchbox on a table next to many others. She stood still then, looking about the classroom where she spotted a dark-haired little girl sat crossed legged on the carpet, all by herself. Ella looked out the window towards Niki, wearing a confused and slightly disappointed expression upon her sweetly freckled face. Niki nodded. A movement so slight it would have gone unnoticed by anyone nearby.

Ella jumped and glanced towards the pocket of her grey pinafore dress. She reached inside and pulled out two small brightly coloured, plastic ponies. Looking back out towards her mum, she gently shook her head. Niki smiled and gave a small nod of encouragement.

Holding the toy ponies behind her back, Ella slowly walked over to the carpet area and stood in front of the little girl, staring down at her. For a moment Niki worried what she was about to do but she needn’t have. After a few seconds Ella sat down, crossed legged next to the little girl and held the plastic ponies out towards her. At first, Maisie looked confused but then tentatively reached for the bright pink one. Ella nodded and they began galloping and jumping their toy ponies across the floor and over each over. Smiling and giggling, having a whale of a time, looking like the best of friends once more.

Niki sighed as she turned from the window and made her way home.

“Turning naughty children into frogs,” she muttered to herself, with a chuckle, “I haven’t done that in years.”