Bogberry Tea

Bog Berry Tea
by Sarazann Greenwood

Crippled hands sprung from the swamp, writhing up my leg, pulling me with an unknown strength deeper into the murky filth. Screams bellowed in my chest. Dropping my sack of bog berries into the marsh, I grasped at dead tree limbs, anything to hold onto. The soft ground let loose under me and I fell. Sliding deep within the depths of the swamp beast's cave, clawed hands still wrapped around my leg. We fell into a small pool, the water was cool on my face, but the impending fear of what this bog beast had planned made my stomach wretch. A kind light shone off the shore of the underground pool, wretched hands still dragging my body closer to the bank. A large fire crackled close by, my brain exploded with thoughts that I was about to be eaten. I screamed and beat the water, my head bobbing in and out, water going up my nostrils. Rough rocks scraped my sides as the gnarled body attached to the strong hands dragged me onto the ledge. The creature tugged my wriggling self and laid me gently onto a soft pillow by the fire. The woman lumbered, dragging her left leg like string behind her, and sat on the pillow next to me. She looked softly into my face with kind inviting eyes "Care for a spot of tea, love?"