~5.26~

“Is that what you are?” Laurie asked. “A witch?”

“That’s what they call us,” Woe said. “Because they’re afraid of us.”

“I remember reading that the root word of ‘witch’ means ‘wise’,” Laurie said.

“Yes,” the girl said, nodding. “It does.”

“So, then… it’s not just about being feared,” Laurie said.

“You’re right,” Woe said. “It’s about being feared for your wisdom. If they fear you for something else, they’ll call you another name instead.”

“I suppose it’s some comfort when you hear words like that, knowing that you’re wise, anyway.”

“Not really,” Woe said. “Because you have to know that you’re not wise, no matter what anyone else says. The first magic…”

“…is knowing nothing,” Laurie said. She sighed. “I remember, yeah. But there has to be something in being a witch… power, security, something. What exactly do I get out of it?”

“You’re the one who wanted it,” Woe said.

“It’s just… I want to know that I’m doing the right thing,” Laurie said. “Not morally, right for me… I don’t want to do something immoral, but… if I’m going to be changing my life, I want to know that things are going to be better.”

“Do you want certainty, then?”

“I don’t know what I want!” Laurie replied. “I just want to know what to expect.”

“If you don’t know what you want, then why does it matter what you expect?”

“I don’t know.”

“See?” Woe said. “You do have some natural talent for this.”

“So… say I do want to be a witch,” Laurie replied. “What do I have to do?”

“Don’t you know?”

“No,” Laurie said. “And don’t tell me that’s a good start!”

“You’re walking down a path,” Woe said. “You’ve just figured out where it leads. If you don’t want to end up there, you have to stop. Go back. Get off the path. Get on another.”

“So… I just keep going, then?” Laurie asked. “Wandering. For how long?”

“Until you get there,” Woe said.