KNOCK, KNOCK, WHO'S THERE?

KNOCK, KNOCK, WHO’S THERE?

 Is that me or is it you?

 **

 She heard the sharp rapping of knuckles on her door.

 “Oh, goodness, here we go again,” she thought.

 Her old feet shuffled across the floor and as she began to lift the handle, the door swung open.

 On the threshold, stood a young, beautiful woman with striking green eyes and long lose-curled hair that seemed as though it had once been blonde but then had been kissed dramatically and fiercely by the heat of the sun.

 Anora sighed. “Annabelle, I was wondering when you’d next come knocking on my door. What brings to my little cottage?”

 The young woman entered and while she didn’t slam the door, she closed it noisily.

 “Annie, you certainly are a wretched pain to be reckoned with. Why you live like this is beyond my wildest imagination. What is wrong with you?”

 “Belle, I love what I do, and it order to do it successfully, I need to look the part.”

 “But look at you! You’re old, your hair is long, white, and wiry. Your posture is horrendous. You’re almost completely bent over, and you look as though you’re ninety years old.” Annabelle walked to the chair by the old stone fireplace and sat.

 As Anora walked to the wood-burning stove to pour the tea she had steeping into two mugs, she replied, “One hundred and ten”. She handed one of the mugs to her sister, then sat on the soft, old couch and faced Annabelle.

 “Annie, you’re young and beautiful. Oh, damn it all, Annie, we’re twins! I look in my mirror at home and see the two of us only your image looks like an old hag.”

 Annie laughed and said, “Oh, Belle, my love. That’s who we are. And that’s the image of an old witch who stirs up healing potions to those in need. I could never, in my wildest dreams hand out potions if I looked like you and you know that. Besides, Belle, as I said, I really enjoy what I do.”

 Belle sighed while Annie continued, “You should try this sometime. Live with me and like me for a month. Enjoy the peace, quiet, and total comfort of the forest. Wake each morning to the sound of the birds singing happily as the fly from branch to branch. Listen to the rustle of the leaves on the trees as a breeze blows through. You can hear the rippling sound of the nearby brook. Oh, Belle, I know you’d enjoy it. You can rise when you want, rest when you want, eat ..”

 “Yeah, Yeah, so everything you want when you want. But what about if you want to go out with a handsome young man? Will you find one, here? Even just occasionally?”

 “But, Belle, look around you. I have all I need!”

 Belle slapped the palm of her hand on her forehead. “Oh, batwings and frog legs, Annie. Have you lost your mind? You’ve seen my condo with all the modern conveniences.  The two of us could live there and enjoy the nightlife every night! We could go dancing. We could enjoy the theaters. And the restaurants! Oh, Annie, there are so many things we could enjoy if you’d only reconsider this lifestyle you’re living.”

 Annie sipped her tea and for a few minutes, Belle thought her sister had finished speaking, until Annie placed her mug on the rickety wooden table.

 “Belle, I was born a healer. This is what I do and where I prefer to do it. In all our years, and I won’t insult either of by mentioning how many again, I still haven’t figured out what craft you inherited,”

 “Annie,” Belle interrupted, “let’s not start that conversation.”

 Annie continued, “What I was about to say is this. Let’s compromise. I’ll cloak my cottage and all that’s in it and go live with you for one month, providing you do the same.”

 Belle sat in the uncomfortable chair and stared into the soft green eyes of her sister.

 “Hmm!” she mumbled. Then, she spoke. “Okay, but there is one condition.”

 Annie laughed, “I know what your condition is and I’m willing to abide by it, but are you?”

 This was not the response that she hoped for, but she knew that since Annie was ready to agree, she had no choice but to do the same.

 Letting out a huge sigh, Belle agreed, “For one month? And ONLY one month?”

 “That’s my part of our agreement. How about you?”

 Belle stood, snapped her fingers and immediately her mug was washed, dried and placed back on the shelf near the old wood stove.

 Annie smiled and murmured, “Well, it’s nice to see you haven’t abandoned everything.”

 Belle replied, “Oh give me a break! I’m not a total loss. I still am a witch! So, when do you want to begin this little thing we’re doing and who goes first?”

 Anora stood, did the same with her now empty mug. “Since I have no clients for the next month, I’ll go first.”

 She turned and with a twist of her hand, extinguished the fire in the fireplace. She raised her left hand and swooped it down from her head to her toes.

 The transformation was immediate and drastic.

 “Are you ready, then, my sister? Ready to confuse the hell out of New York City?”

 Belle was totally surprised as she looked at her twin who now looked exactly like her.

 “Annie, look at you. You look just like me!”

 Anora laughed. “What did you expect, sister. After all, we are twins.”

 With that, Anora pulled out a wand from her dress pocket, waved it towards her cottage and watched it disappear.

 She wove her arm through her sister’s that was bent at the elbow.

 “Let’s go, Belle. The city awaits.”

 They turned and began the beginning of their month long journey.