Critics

We applaud and cheer loudly. The Minstrel stands and takes a bow. "Thank you, but what did you think of it?" He asks. "I loved it. It was just like a movie." I tell him enthusiastically. "What did you think, Olive?" "Did this really happen?" She asks. "No, olive, I want to know if you think it was good." Olivia bites her lip. "Well, it had a beginning, it had a middle, but I don't think it had an ending." "I tried to tell you that, ya big dummy." A voice shouts out. "Who was that?" I ask. The Minstrel chuckles to himself. "Just the wife." He says casually. "Just the wife?" The voice calls out. The Minstrel lets out a loud, earth shaking chuckle. The Purple Haired woman appears out of the thick forest. " I ought to smack you." She says to the Minstrel. "I know you." I tell her. She gives a knowing smile. "So you two are married?" I ask. The Purple Haired woman piers up at the Minstrel. "It would appear as such." The Purple Haired woman flicks out her glass eye. She then digs a small hole and plants the glass eye into the ground. A moment later it grows into a lamp. "I told you it wasn't done." She says looking at Minstrel with her remaining eye. "I don't think you did." "No, I'm sure I did." The Purple Haired woman grabs a log and places it by the lamp. She stretches out the log gradually till it turns into a recliner. She plops down on the chair. "But it's good you two heard the song, now you can finish the story." She says with a grin. "What do you mean?" Olivia asks. "Just one moment." The Purple Haired woman literally removes her face. It comes off without any struggle or pain. She places the face delicately on the ground beside the chair. She grabs a handful of mad and places it where her face was previously. She rubs it all around, forming a nose, a mouth and eyes. Before we know it, she has a younger, more lively face. "You're the witch?" I ask surprised. "We walk amongst you. But hold on, I'm not done yet." She takes her elongated, boney fingers and pushes them in. One by one she makes them smaller and more youthful. "Now, where were we?" She asks. "You were telling us we need to finish the story." Olivia chimes in. "Oh yeah, you have to finish the story." "You want us to write the ending?" I ask, puzzled. "No, I want you to find the emerald. Finish what was started." The Minstrel bends down to our level. "And how do you expect them to do that? I made up the song." The Purple Haired woman shakes her head. "All stories were true at one point." She states. The Minstrel shrugs. "I didn't know that. Did you know that?" He asks, looking directly at me. "I did not know that." I tell him. The Purple Haired woman interrupts our banter. "It is true. And now you guys know what you have to do. so go." She tries to shoo me and Olivia away. We stare at each other for a moment. "Where do we look?" I ask. The Purple Haired woman points to a colossal snow capped mountain off in the distance. "I would start in that direction." Olivia's jaw drops slightly. Hmm could be fun.